HOW TO MANAGE BREAKING CHANGES IN DESIGN TOKENS

Summary from the TLDR Design newsletter

Design systems require a three-phase approach to manage breaking changes in design tokens: deprecation, migration, and removal. During deprecation, mark tokens with flags and provide clear timelines; during migration, offer both old and new tokens with guides and tools; and during removal, clean up deprecated tokens in a major version release. Success depends on clear communication, adequate migration periods, and proper documentation throughout the process.