@standardbeagle/design-token

W3C DTCG design-token authoring, validation, transformation, diff/merge, and Tailwind config emission. MCP server + library.

Install

npm install @standardbeagle/design-token

# or use via MCP:
npx -y @standardbeagle/design-token@latest mcp

Two model styles coexist:

• Flat-token model — { name, value, type, ... } records used by token_create, token_transform, token_export, token_import.
• W3C DTCG tree — nested object with $value/$type leaves used by tokens_validate, tokens_generate, tokens_diff, tokens_merge, tailwind_generate.

Tools

token_create

Create a single design token. Resolves reference against tokens context if provided.

Input:

{
  name: string,
  value: string,
  type: 'color' | 'size' | 'spacing' | 'font' | 'border' | 'radius' | 'shadow',
  description?: string,
  reference?: string,         // name of another token to inherit value from
  tokens?: Token[],           // optional context for reference resolution
}

Output:

{ name: string, value: string, type: string, description?: string, reference?: string }

Example:

await callTool('token_create', { name: 'brand', value: '#0066cc', type: 'color' });

token_transform

Transform an array of flat tokens to a target string format.

Input:

{
  tokens: Token[],
  format: 'css-vars' | 'scss' | 'json' | 'android-xml' | 'ios-swift',
}

Output:

{ format: string, output: string }

Example:

await callTool('token_transform', {
  tokens: [{ name: 'brand', value: '#0066cc', type: 'color' }],
  format: 'css-vars',
});
// output: ':root { --brand: #0066cc; }'

tokens_validate

Validate a W3C DTCG token tree. Recursively walks groups and validates each leaf $value against its $type-specific schema (12+ types: color, dimension, fontFamily, fontWeight, duration, cubicBezier, number, strokeStyle, border, transition, shadow, gradient, typography).

Input:

{
  tokens: object,           // DTCG tree
  strict?: boolean,         // default false; when true, unknown $type → error
}

Output:

{
  valid: boolean,
  errors: Array<{ path: string, message: string }>,
  warnings: Array<{ path: string, message: string }>,
}

Example:

await callTool('tokens_validate', {
  tokens: { color: { brand: { $value: '#0066cc', $type: 'color' } } },
});

tokens_generate

Generate a W3C DTCG token tree from a flat color palette + modular type scale + linear spacing scale. Output is a nested object with color.<name>, font.size.{caption,small,body,h6..h1}, and spacing.0..N — every leaf carries $value/$type so the result passes tokens_validate. Deterministic from inputs.

Input:

{
  palette: Record<string, string>,                  // {colorName: cssColor}
  type_scale?: { base?: number, ratio?: number },   // defaults: 16 / 1.25
  spacing?:    { base?: number, steps?: number },   // defaults: 4 / 10
}

Output:

{
  tokens: object,           // valid DTCG tree
}

Example:

await callTool('tokens_generate', {
  palette: { primary: '#0066cc', neutral: '#888888' },
  type_scale: { base: 16, ratio: 1.25 },
  spacing: { base: 4, steps: 8 },
});

token_export

Export flat tokens to a target platform format with optional prefix and category filtering.

Input:

{
  tokens: Token[],
  format: 'css-vars' | 'scss' | 'json' | 'android-xml' | 'ios-swift',
  prefix?: string,
  includeCategories?: TokenType[],
  excludeCategories?: TokenType[],
}

Output:

{ format: string, output: string }

Example:

await callTool('token_export', {
  tokens: [{ name: 'brand', value: '#0066cc', type: 'color' }],
  format: 'scss',
  prefix: 'sb',
});

token_import

Parse a CSS, SCSS, or JSON source string into the flat-token model.

Input:

{
  source: string,
  format: 'json' | 'css' | 'scss',
}

Output:

{ tokens: Token[] }

Example:

await callTool('token_import', {
  source: ':root { --brand: #0066cc; }',
  format: 'css',
});

tokens_diff

Diff two W3C DTCG token trees at the leaf level. Flattens both trees and reports added (paths only in b), removed (paths only in a), and changed (different $value). Output arrays are sorted by path. $description-only edits are not reported as changes. Pure, deterministic.

Input:

{
  a: object,   // baseline
  b: object,   // candidate
}

Output:

{
  added:   Array<{ path: string, $value: unknown, $type?: string }>,
  removed: Array<{ path: string, $value: unknown, $type?: string }>,
  changed: Array<{ path: string, before: unknown, after: unknown }>,
}

Example:

await callTool('tokens_diff', {
  a: { color: { brand: { $value: '#0066cc', $type: 'color' } } },
  b: { color: { brand: { $value: '#0055aa', $type: 'color' } } },
});
// changed: [{ path: 'color.brand', before: '#0066cc', after: '#0055aa' }]

tokens_merge

Merge a base DTCG token tree with an ordered list of overrides. Resolution modes: last-wins (default; rightmost source wins), first-wins (earliest source wins, base preferred), error (throws on first leaf-vs-leaf conflict with payload). Group-vs-leaf structural conflicts always throw. Every contested path is reported in conflicts[] regardless of mode, so callers can audit silent resolutions.

Input:

{
  base: object,
  overrides?: object[],
  conflict_resolution?: 'last-wins' | 'first-wins' | 'error', // default 'last-wins'
}

Output:

{
  merged: object,
  conflicts: Array<{ path: string, sources: number[], values: unknown[], winner: number }>,
}

Example:

await callTool('tokens_merge', {
  base: { color: { brand: { $value: '#0066cc', $type: 'color' } } },
  overrides: [{ color: { brand: { $value: '#0055aa', $type: 'color' } } }],
});

tailwind_generate

Generate a Tailwind theme.extend config (and optionally a JS or TS module source) from a flat palette + modular type scale + linear spacing scale, with optional semantic-color aliases. Composes tokens_generate and the toTailwindTheme exporter — adds no new primitives. semantic_map entries are resolved eagerly against the palette (Tailwind has no native ref concept). Pure and deterministic.

Input:

{
  palette: Record<string, string>,
  type_scale: { base: number, ratio: number },
  spacing: { base: number, steps: number },
  semantic_map?: Record<string, string>,                // {alias: paletteKey}
  output_format?: 'object' | 'js-module' | 'ts-module', // default 'object'
}

Output:

{
  config: { theme: { extend: object } },
  module_source?: string,        // present when output_format !== 'object'
}

Example:

await callTool('tailwind_generate', {
  palette: { brand: '#0066cc', danger: '#dc2626' },
  type_scale: { base: 16, ratio: 1.25 },
  spacing: { base: 4, steps: 8 },
  semantic_map: { primary: 'brand' },
  output_format: 'ts-module',
});

Direct TypeScript usage

import { tokenCreate }    from '@standardbeagle/design-token/tools/token-create.js';
import { tokenTransform } from '@standardbeagle/design-token/tools/token-transform.js';
import { tokensValidate } from '@standardbeagle/design-token/tools/tokens-validate.js';
import { tokensGenerate } from '@standardbeagle/design-token/tools/tokens-generate.js';
import { tokensDiff }     from '@standardbeagle/design-token/tools/tokens-diff.js';
import { tokensMerge }    from '@standardbeagle/design-token/tools/tokens-merge.js';
import { tailwindGenerate } from '@standardbeagle/design-token/tools/tailwind-generate.js';

License

MIT