Tokens Studio

In this guide you’ll learn how to sync your design tokens from Tokens Studio to your Specify repository and how to keep them updated.

Video tutorial (7min) to help you sync tokens from Tokens Studio to your local git repo as CSS variables

Before getting started

To get the most out of this guide, you will need:

• A Specify account
• The Tokens Studio plugin installed in your Figma
• A GitHub, GitLab, Azure DevOps, or JSONBin account

Specify automatically fetches design tokens through the JSON file created by Tokens Studio. The best way to keep your design tokens in sync with both tools is to host your JSON file in a repository like GitHub.

1. Sync your design tokens from Tokens Studio to a provider

1. Head to your Tokens Studio plugin in Figma

2. Within the settings tab, add a new sync provider

3. Commit your Tokens Studio JSON file to your repository

You can also manually export your file from Tokens Studio and upload it manually to your code repository. Click on Tools on the bottom left of the plugin and Export to file/folder. Be careful to tick all the boxes before exporting. We are not supporting multiple files at the moment.

2. Add your JSON file from a provider to your Specify Repository

1. Go to your Specify workspace

2. Click on "Create repository"

3. Choose "Advanced Repository"

4. Name your repository

5. Select "Sync from Figma Variables & Tokens Studio" (Learn more ↗︎)
6. Click on "Create repository"

7. In the "Source" tab, click on "Create a source"

8. Select "Remote URL"

At this point, you have two ways to sync your JSON file. Either with a public hosting link or a private one. We will go through both options below.

From a public URL

1. In the "Source" tab, click on "Create a source"

2. Select "Remote URL"

3. Select "Public"

4. Name your source

5. Paste your raw public URL of your JSON file

6. Select the format "Tokens Studio"

7. Let Specify check the connection

8. And voila!

Your JSON file is now detected as a source and your design tokens appear within your repository.

From a private URL

On the opposite of the public URL, Specify will ask you for some additional information so its system is able to fetch your file. Let’s see how to proceed with the main versioning tools:

• GitHub
• Azure DevOps
• GitLab
• JSONBin

GitHub

Requirements:

• Have a GitHub account

• Have an Advanced Repository created

• Have a JSON file containing design tokens from Tokens Studio

To add a private URL source from GitHub to Specify:

1. In the "Source" tab of your Specify repository, click on "Create a source"

2. Select "Remote URL"

3. Select "Private"

4. Name your source

5. Create and Paste this GitHub file URL such as: https://api.github.com/repos/{owner}/{repo}/contents/{file_path} Learn more in the GitHub documentation
6. Select "Bearer Token" as the auth system & paste your personal access token from GitHub (Create an access token ↗︎ and be sure to check the repo section)
7. Select "Tokens Studio Format"

8. Specify will test your JSON

9. And voila!

Azure DevOps

Requirements:

• Have an Azure DevOps account

• Have a Project containing a repository

• Have a JSON file containing design tokens from Tokens Studio

To add a private URL source from Azure DevOps to Specify:

1. In the "Source" tab of your Specify repository, click on "Create a source"

2. Select "Remote URL"

3. Select "Private"

4. Name your source

5. Paste your Azure DevOps file URL such as https://dev.azure.com/{OrgName}/{ProjectName}/_apis/git/repositories/{RepositoryName}/items?path={FilePath}&api-version=7.0&includeContent=true

   Learn more in the Azure DevOps documentation
6. Select "Basic Auth" as auth system. Use your Azure DevOps email and a new Azure DevOps personal access token with Full Access or Code -> Read permissions.
7. Select "Tokens Studio Format"

8. Specify will test your JSON

9. And voila!

GitLab

Requirements:

• Have a GitLab account

• Have an Advanced Repository created

• Have a JSON file containing design tokens from Tokens Studio

To add a private URL source from GitLab to Specify:

1. In the "Source" tab of your Specify repository, click on "Create a source"

2. Select "Remote URL"

3. Select "Private"

4. Give a name to your source

5. Paste your GitLab file URL such as: https://gitlab.com/api/v4/projects/{OrgName}%2F{RepositoryName}/repository/files/{FilePath}?ref={branch}

   Learn more on the GitLab documentation
6. Create an access token in GitLab: "Settings > Access Tokens". Select a role as Developer or Owner and select the scopes of read_api and read_repository.

7. In Specify, select Header as auth system

   1. Fill PRIVATE-TOKEN in the key field

   2. Paste your GitLab project access token

8. Select "Tokens Studio Format"

9. Specify will test your JSON

10. And voila!

JSONBin

Requirements:

• Have a JSONBin account

• Have an Advanced Repository created

• Have a bin with a JSON file containing design tokens from Tokens Studio

To add a private URL source from JSONBin to Specify:

1. In the "Source" tab of your Specify repository, click on "Create a source"

2. Select "Remote URL"

3. Select "Private"

4. Name your source

5. Paste your BIN private URL such as https://api.jsonbin.io/v3/b/{bin_id}

6. Select Header as auth system

7. Depending on your choice, you can use your master key or an access key. Head toward this page on JSONBin.

   1. Following your choice, fill in the key field either with X-MASTER-KEY or X-ACCESS-KEY

   2. Paste your key in the value field

8. Select "Tokens Studio Format"

9. Specify will test your JSON

10. And voila!

3. How to update your JSON File

After adding your source. All you have to do is to:

1. Go to the "Source" tab of your Specify repository

2. Click on the context menu next to your source

3. Click on "sync"

Your source is now updated!

4. Non-supported design token types

Please keep in mind Specify is yet not compatible with the following data coming from Tokens Studio:

• Composition

• Assets (bitmap & vectors)

• Color manipulation (gradients, alpha, darken, lighten & mix)

They will be released in future updates. However, if you have urgent needs for Specify to be compatible with one of them, feel free to send us feedback.