If you’ve ever worked on a big design project, you know the feeling — too many components, font styles, buttons, and colors to keep track of. Wouldn’t it be nice if there was an easier way to keep everything consistent? Good news! There is. It’s called a design system. And better news? There are tools that can help you build one faster.
TL;DR:
Building design systems can be overwhelming, but the right apps make it much easier. Designers across the globe prefer four top tools: Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD, and Zeroheight. These apps help create and maintain consistent components, colors, and styles. Ready to speed up your workflow? Keep reading!
What’s a Design System, Anyway?
Think of a design system as your project’s style bible. It includes guidelines, reusable components, and patterns that keep everything consistent. It’s a one-stop shop that helps teams build faster and stay on-brand.
Without a design system, designers and developers might do things differently, leading to a mess. With it, you’re all in sync. It saves time, reduces errors, and helps your product feel polished.
Now, let’s break down the top 4 design apps that designers mention when they want to build a design system fast!
1. Figma
If design apps were in a popularity contest, Figma would be the class president. And for good reason. It’s a modern tool that works right in your browser, which makes teamwork a breeze.
- Real-time collaboration: Work with your team on the same file at the same time. Like Google Docs, but for design!
- Component libraries: Make a button once, update it everywhere. Less repetition, more consistency.
- Auto layout: Resize components without pulling your hair out.
Designers love Figma because it’s easy to learn and super flexible. Design systems made in Figma are clean, sharable, and scalable.
Image not found in postmeta2. Sketch
Sketch was the OG app for Mac-loving designers. While other tools have joined the race, Sketch still holds its own — especially for creating design systems.
- Symbols: Sketch’s component system, helping you reuse and update elements quickly.
- Shared Libraries: Share symbols, text styles, and colors across files and teams.
- Plugins: Huge plugin ecosystem helps you customize your workflow.
Want to speed things up? Sketch has tons of plugins like Brand.ai, Abstract, and Zeroheight for organizing your design system even better.
One thing to note — Sketch is Mac only. So if your team is cross-platform, maybe test things out first.
3. Adobe XD
Adobe XD often flies under the radar compared to the other two, but it’s still a powerful player. If you’re already in the Adobe ecosystem, jumping into XD is super easy.
- Components and States: Create complex elements, like buttons with hover states, easily.
- Repeat Grid: Drop in repeating content like a list of cards — just boom, boom, boom, done.
- Integration with Photoshop and Illustrator: Pull in assets with zero headache.
Adobe XD’s interface is minimal and clean, which new users appreciate. Best for those who love a fast workflow combined with detailed features for prototyping and building systems.
4. Zeroheight
Zeroheight is a little different from the others. It’s not a tool for designing, but for documenting your design system. Think of it as the final hub where your styles, components, and guidelines live.
- Connects with Figma, Sketch, and XD: Sync your designs straight into it. No extra steps needed.
- Interactive documentation: Add videos, written guidelines, and even code snippets.
- No coding needed: Beautiful documentation that anyone on your team can update.
Ever felt like your design system was lost in a PDF somewhere? Not with Zeroheight. Teams love it because it turns messy documentation into something easy and interactive.
What Makes These Tools Special?
Let’s be real. There are tons of design tools out there. But these four stand out because they help you do more in less time. They’re all about making your system easy to build, update, and share.
Key features to look for:
- Reusable components (buttons, inputs, cards)
- Global styles (fonts, colors, sizes)
- Version control (so you don’t lose track of changes)
- Collaboration features (keep the team in sync)
Tips for Building Your Design System Faster
You’ve picked a tool — awesome. Now here are a few tips to build even faster:
- Start small: Begin with just buttons, colors, and fonts. Add complex elements later.
- Name things clearly: A “Primary Button” is better than “Btn1.” Trust us.
- Use auto layout or grids: It will save you a ton of resizing time.
- Test components: Before you add something to the system, test it in real screens first.
- Get feedback: Share often. Your dev team and fellow designers will have great input!
Want to Go Pro?
If you’re ready to take your system to superhero level, check if your tools support:
- Tokens: These are variables for color, text, and spacing. One update, multiple changes.
- Design + dev sync: Tools like Figma and Zeroheight let you send live components to your devs.
- Accessibility checks: Make sure your colors, fonts, and sizes are friendly for all.
Design systems are not just for Fortune 500 companies — even small teams get big results from them.
Final Thoughts
Design systems are game-changers. They keep your work consistent, make teams happier, and save hours. That’s why the right design app can make all the difference.
To recap:
- Figma: For teams who want live collaboration and smart components
- Sketch: Great for Mac users and plugin lovers
- Adobe XD: Ideal for Adobe fans who love smooth workflows
- Zeroheight: Best for documenting and sharing once the system is built
No matter which one you choose, the key is to start building. Your future design self will thank you!