Design Token Audit Checklist

Token Audit Checklist

Use this checklist when auditing your design token system. Works with any token format (Style Dictionary, Tokens Studio, CSS custom properties).

Naming Convention

• All tokens follow a consistent naming pattern
• Separator usage is consistent (. or / or -, pick one)
• Category prefixes are present (color., spacing., typography.)
• No abbreviations that could be misunderstood
• kebab-case used throughout (no camelCase or PascalCase)

Structure

• Primitive layer exists (raw values)
• Semantic layer references primitives (not raw values)
• Component layer references semantic tokens (if applicable)
• No circular references
• Theme structure supports light/dark modes

Accessibility

• Text/background color pairs meet WCAG AA (4.5:1 for normal text)
• Large text pairs meet WCAG AA (3:1)
• Interactive elements have visible focus tokens
• Disabled states have sufficient contrast (3:1 recommended)
• Error/success/warning states are not color-only

Documentation

• Each token has a description
• Usage guidelines specify when to use each token
• Examples show correct and incorrect usage
• Token changelog is maintained
• Deprecated tokens are clearly marked

Technical

• Tokens export correctly to all target platforms
• Build pipeline validates tokens on commit
• No unused tokens in the system
• Token values work across light and dark themes
• Responsive tokens (spacing, typography) scale correctly