Tokens Studio for Figma
  • Getting Started
    • Tokens Studio Plugin for Figma
    • Install the Figma Plugin
    • Pro Licence for the Figma Plugin
    • Join the Slack Community
    • Feature Requests - Featurebase
    • Changelog - Featurebase
  • Design Token Fundamentals
    • Intro to Design Tokens
      • Token Anatomy - Type
      • Token Anatomy - Value
      • Token Anatomy - Description
      • Token Anatomy - Name
  • Token Management
    • Token Types
      • Asset
      • Boolean
      • Border - Composite
      • Box Shadow - Composite
      • Color
        • Modified Colors (pro)
        • Gradient Colors
      • Dimension
        • Border Radius
        • Border Width
        • Sizing
        • Spacing
      • Number
      • Opacity
      • Other
      • Text (string)
      • Typography - Composite
        • Font Family
        • Font Weight
        • Font Fallbacks
        • Font Size
        • Line Height
        • Letter Spacing
        • Paragraph Indent
        • Paragraph Spacing
        • Text Case
        • Text Decoration
      • Composition (legacy)
    • Token Values
      • Token Values with References
      • Using Math in Token Values
    • Token Names
      • Token Name Technical Specs
      • Token Groups
      • Edit Token Names
    • Token Description
    • Token Sets
      • JSON View
  • Themes management
    • Themes (pro)
    • Themes that switch
  • Working in Figma
    • Variables and Tokens Studio
    • Styles and Tokens Studio
    • Export to Figma Guide
      • Export Options
      • Export Using Themes (pro)
      • Export Using Token Sets
      • Variables Skipped on Export
      • Styles with Variable References
    • Import from Figma Guide
      • Import Styles from Figma
      • Import Variables from Figma
        • Connect Themes to Imported Variables
        • Imported Variable Types and Token Types
    • Non-local Variables and Styles (pro)
    • Remove Tokens from Figma elements
    • Dev Mode in Figma
  • Settings Management
    • Plugin Settings
    • Base Font Size Setting
    • Token Format - W3C DTCG vs Legacy
  • Token Storage and Sync Integrations
    • Local Document - Figma File Token Storage
      • Figma Data Limits
    • Remote Token Storage Integrations
      • GitHub - Git Sync Provider
      • GitLab - Git Sync Provider
      • Bitbucket - Git Sync Provider
      • Azure DevOps - Git Sync Provider
      • JSONBin - Cloud Sync Provider
      • Supernova - Cloud Sync Provider
      • Tokens Studio Platform - Cloud Sync Provider
      • URL - Server Sync Provider
      • Generic Versioned Storage - Server Sync Provider
    • Multi-file Sync to Remote Storage (pro)
    • Manage Sync Providers
      • Edit Sync Provider
      • Change Active Sync Provider
      • Remove Sync Provider
    • Sync Changes to Remote Storage - Push and Pull
    • Branch Switching (pro) - Version Control
  • Inspect and Debug Tokens
    • Inspect Tokens
    • Remap Tokens
  • Transform Tokens for Development
    • Style Dictionary + SD Transforms
    • Official docs for Style Dictionary
  • Style Dictionary Playground
  • Troubleshooting
    • Reset Tokens from Dev Console
    • Tokens Studio Status
  • Open Source
    • Contribute
    • Shared Plugin Data
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On this page
  • GitHub sync setup guide
  • How it works
  • GitHub setup steps
  • Plugin settings for GitHub
  • Shared source of truth
  • Resources

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PreviousRemote Token Storage IntegrationsNextGitLab - Git Sync Provider

Last updated 5 months ago

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GitHub sync setup guide

is a popular Git-based source code repository hosting service.

You can use the Tokens Studio plugin native integration with GitHub to sync your Design Tokens to a repository of your choice.

We support two-way sync, meaning you can use the plugin to:

  • Push JSON files of Design Tokens to GitHub

  • Pull the Tokens stored in GitHub into any Figma file

This means the Design Tokens living in code are the source of truth for our design decisions, which can be shared between design and development teams.

This guide outlines how to set up a GitHub repository and add it as a Sync provider in the plugin.

How it works

  • Set up a repository and personal access token in GitHub

  • Configure GitHub as a sync provider within the Tokens Studio plugin.

  • Use the plugin to sync your Design Tokens between GitHub and Figma design files.


GitHub setup steps

1. Create a new repository

  • Choose a specific and memorable repository name which will be used in the plugin as the destination for your Design Tokens.

    • Names that are easy to remember and type are ideal

  • Select if you want your repository to be:

    • Public anyone can see it

    • Private needs permissions to view

      • Your choice doesn't change the plugin's ability to sync with the repository

  • Add a README file needs to be checked

    • This is mandatory because the plugin can not sync to an empty repository.

  • Add .gitignore can be None

  • Choose a licence can be None

  • Confirm by pressing the Create repository button

You are now looking at your new repository! Well done!

Save the URL of the repository somewhere safe as it's needed for the plugin configuration.

2. Personal access token

Not to be confused with anything to do with a Design Token, a Personal access Token is a passcode from GitHub you enter into the plugin that allows the connection to happen.

Log into you GitHub account:

    • Select your avatar on the top right

    • Select Account Settings

  • Select Developer Settings from the bottom of the options

  • Select Personal Access Tokens to see the two options, either will work:

    • Fine-grained Tokens

      • Repository-specific detailed access Tokens.

    • Tokens (classic)

      • Less specific, one PAT provides access to multiple repositories.

Generate a new classic access token

  • Select Generate new token (beta)

  • Add a Note of what the token is for.

    • Example: test-token repo sync to tokens studio

  • Select an Expiration time frame

  • Select scopes for access

    • repo parent checkbox is the minimum requirement for the plugin

  • Scroll down to the bottom and select Generate token

    • Save the generated access token somewhere safe as it's needed for the plugin configuration.

You're ready to configure the Tokens Studio plugin in Figma!

Generate new fine-grained access token

  • Select Generate new token (beta)

  • Add a Name of what the token is for.

    • Example: test-token repo sync to tokens studio

  • Select an Expiration time frame

  • Add a Description to remind yourself what you made this token for

  • Choose your Repository access

    • Decide between All or select repositories

Select your Repository permissions

  • Find Contents and open the dropdown

    • Read and Write is required for creating and editing tokens stored in your repository

    • Read-only would allow you to view Tokens stored in code in the plugin, but not create or edit them.

      • Maybe helpful for product designers who just want view access of your Tokens for theme switching and applying Tokens for example.

  • Scroll down to the bottom and select Generate token

  • Save the generated access token somewhere safe as it's needed for the plugin configuration and you won't see it again once you leave the current GitHub page.

You're ready to configure the Tokens Studio plugin in Figma!


Plugin settings for GitHub

In Figma, open the Tokens Studio plugin and navigate to the Settings page using the navigation tab.

  • Under the Sync providers section, select the Add new button to see a list of all Token storage providers

  • Select GitHub

Add credentials for GitHub

Some of the inputs on the form come from the GitHub steps above, others aren't so obvious as to where the info comes from.

1. Name

This is a nickname that shows up in the plugin settings page later on to identify this specific sync provider configuration.

  • Choose something memorable to you and your project.

  • Example: Radix - Community token files

2. Personal access token

3. Repository (owner/repo)

For example, if your URL says https://GitHub.com/amazingdesigner/radixtokens, you will enter amazingdesigner/radixtokens into the form in the plugin.

4. Branch

Your engineers might tell you what to add as the default repository branch where you will be pushing your Tokens, so if you aren't sure, ask them.

  • If you created a new repo following the steps above, you will enter main.

  • You can create additional branches using the plugin later.

5. Token storage location (file/folder path)

This tells the plugin:

  • How to organize your Token JSON files in GitHub.

    • In a folder of multiple files, or a single file.

  • The location of where your Token data is stored.

    • The file or folder's pathway (or name) to sync with.

This setting impacts

  • How engineers can work with our Token files during the Token transformation stage of the design-to-development process.

  • May limit edit access of Tokens for other team members using the Tokens Studio plugin.

Folder

The folder option syncs Token data from the plugin into a folder that contains multiple JSON files or subfolders of JSON files.

In the plugin, enter the pathway of the folder where you want the Token data to be stored, which is the folder name without any extensions.

For example:

tokens

Our GitHub repository will have a folder called tokens synced to the Tokens Studio plugin in Figma.

  • Each Token Set created in the plugin is added to the folder as an individual JSON file.

  • Additional data files generated by the plugin are also added to the folder.

    • For example, themes configuration.

Recall that storing your Token data in a folder (multi-file sync) is a pro feature.

  • If other team members are working with your Tokens and do not have a Pro Licence for Tokens Studio, your Tokens will be read-only for them.

File Path

Setting our Token storage as the file option syncs our Token data from the plugin into a single JSON file in code.

Combining Token data into a single file limits engineers' ability to work with Theme information when transforming Design Tokens.

→ Learn about the Themes (pro) feature in Tokens Studio here. #add-doc-link/themes-pro

File storage might work for you if:

  • You are using the free version of Tokens Studio.

  • Engineers are not using your Design Tokens in code.

In the plugin, we enter the pathway of the JSON file where we want our Token sets to be stored, which is the file name with the .json extension.

For example:

tokens.json

Our GitHub repository will have a single code file called tokens.json synced to the Tokens Studio plugin in Figma.

  • Each Token Set created in the plugin is combined into this single file in our repository.

6. Base URL (Optional)

Base URL must be added to the GitHub credentials if your organization is running an enterprise server.

Looking at the URL of your repository, if you see a name between GitHub and .com, your organization is running an enterprise server. For example: https://github.hyma.com/amazingdesigner/radixtokens

In this example, the Base URL you would enter into the plugin form is:

github.hyma.com

This tells the plugin to point to the API on this specific URL for our organization.

Save and do the initial sync

Once you Save your credentials, the plugin will compare your Tokens with whats in your repository.

You'll see a modal asking you to push or pull to GitHub to 'sync' the plugin data with your repository.


Shared source of truth

As you work in the plugin, push and pull indicators remind you to stay in sync with your GitHub repository.

Once your Token JSON files are synced to your GitHub repo, you have a shared source of truth between Designers and Engineers!


Resources

Mentioned in this doc:

Community resources:

  • None yet!

Known issues and bugs

    • Occasionally you have to push/pull to GitHub several times for the indicator to clear.

Requests, roadmap and changelog

    • How might we improve the experience of working with sync providers in general?

If you haven't already, head over to and create a free account.

Sign into your account and navigate to the page.

Navigate to your

The Personal access token you saved in .

The URL from the repository has the owner/repository in it after the GitHub.com/

SD-Transforms -

Style Dictionary -

Tokens Studio Plugin GitHub -

Push/pull indicator persists with GitHub Sync

🧑‍💻

↕️

🔐

https://GitHub.com/
Create a new repository
GitHub account settings
Github
Read Me
https://styledictionary.com/
Open issues for Github Sync
#2320
Sync to external token storage enhancements - Feature Request
Git sync enhancements - push, pull, merge, branching - Feature Request
Data security info request - Feature Request
step 2 above
you recorded in step 1 above
GitHub

We suggest setting your Token storage as the folder option when possible. If you use the Themes feature in Tokens Studio and your engineers are consuming your Tokens from your Git provider, they require Tokens stored in a folder for the transformation process to work properly.

→ Read the Add New Sync Provider guide for more details.

The Multi-file sync to remote storage feature requires a for Tokens Studio. Read the guide for more details.

Manage Sync Providers
Pro Licence
Multi-file Sync to Remote Storage (pro)

💡 Something to share?

Submit it here!
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Read the Sync Changes guide for more details

Read the Sync Changes guide for more details

Sync Changes to Remote Storage - Push and Pull
Sync Changes to Remote Storage - Push and Pull

🐞 If you are experiencing an issue not listed here, please reach out to us on the Troubleshooting channel of our , , or send us an email support@tokens.studio

community Slack
submit it on our feedback tool

Transforming Tokens

Engineers typically transform Tokens used in code with , which is tool-agnostic. Tokens coming from Tokens Studio require an additional step: , an npm package that prepares Tokens for Style Dictionary.

The various Token Types supported by Tokens Studio have unique transforms to be aware of.

Style Dictionary
@Tokens-studio/sd-transforms
Token Types

💌 Visit to contribute or subscribe to updates.

https://feedback.tokens.studio/