SLOTS IN DESIGN SYSTEMS

Summary from the TLDR Design newsletter

Design systems benefit from slots—designated areas within components where custom content can be inserted—which balance fixed constraints with flexible customization options. Slots enable designers and developers to compose content within components like Modals, Cards, and Rows while maintaining consistent surrounding layout and styling, and they can nest across multiple levels from small UI elements up through entire page templates. As Figma adds native slot support, teams face architectural challenges around slot depth, quantity, code alignment, and permissiveness, but thoughtful implementation promises improved flexibility without sacrificing system consistency.