LINEAR DESIGN VS. MINIMALISM, BRUTALISM, AND NEUMORPHISM

Summary from the TLDR Design newsletter

Linear design emerged from decades of UX research and represents a practical approach to minimalism, featuring monochrome color palettes, single sans-serif fonts, and subtle animations that prioritize usability and accessibility. Unlike brutalism, which uses extreme contrast for bold visual impact, or neumorphism, which creates artificial lighting effects through shadows, linear design focuses on clear boundaries and visual affordances that enhance user experience. Linear design's minimalist traits serve functional rather than purely artistic purposes, making it more effective for usability than other design trends.