kodedesign

Kodedesign is a multidisciplinary approach that treats software code as an integral element of the design process. It emphasizes aligning design decisions with implementation constraints early and throughout product development, with the aim of producing interfaces and systems that are visually coherent, performant, accessible, and maintainable.

The term blends "code" and "design." In practice, kodedesign is used in teams that integrate designers and developers, favoring workflows where components, tokens, and patterns are defined in code and in design tools, enabling a shared vocabulary and reducing handoff gaps.

Key principles include modularity, component-driven design, design systems, accessibility, performance, and collaboration between designers and developers. It supports iterative prototyping using real components and real data, enabling faster validation.

Common methods include design systems and component libraries; design-to-code or code-to-design workflows; design tokens; automated testing; and CI/CD integration of design assets or living documentation.

Tools and platforms frequently involved are design software such as Figma or Sketch, and front-end frameworks like React, Vue, or Svelte; versioned tokens and component libraries; Storybook for components; and accessibility and linting tools. The concept is closely linked to the broader rise of design systems and front-end engineering practices from the 2010s onward, and is used to describe practices that bridge design and development rather than a single standardized method.