Glossary
Key concepts used throughout the documentation.
Table of contents
Design tokens
Named values such as colours, spacing, or typography that describe your design system. design-lint uses the Design Token Interchange Format (DTIF) for all token files, validating documents with the canonical parser and schema.
DTIF
Design Token Interchange Format — the open specification design-lint uses to represent token data. DTIF extends the W3C Design Tokens Community Group draft with richer type information and a JSON Pointer-based reference system.
DSR / DSR kernel
Design System Runtime — the long-lived daemon process (design-lint kernel) that holds the authoritative token graph in memory. All CLI invocations and editor integrations query the kernel via a Unix socket rather than reloading token files on every run.
DSQL
Design System Query Language — the protocol used by clients (CLI, LSP, MCP) to retrieve token data from a running DSR kernel. Queries are answered from the kernel's in-memory token graph.
Token pointer
A JSON Pointer string (e.g. #/color/button/background) that uniquely identifies a token within a DTIF document. Rules and the DSR kernel use pointers as stable, globally-unique identifiers for tokens.
Rule
A check that validates code against the design system. Rules may be built-in or provided by plugins.
Formatter
Transforms lint results into a human- or machine-readable report.
Plugin
An npm package that bundles rules, formatters, or other extensions.
Linter
The engine that orchestrates parsing, rule execution, and formatting.
Severity
Indicates the importance of a rule violation: off, warn, or error.