WHAT IS A STYLE GUIDE?

A style guide is a document of code standards that details the various

elements and patterns of a site or application. It is a one-stop place to
see all visual styles of the site such as headers, links, buttons, color
pallets and any visual language that is used on the site.

WHY SHOULD YOU USE A STYLE GUIDE?

Style guides take extra time to develop up front but we have found that
they have numerous beneficial factors for developing.

● Faster build time for new sections and pages.

● Design consistency is easier to maintain
● Designers, developers and content owners have a one-stop
guide to reference.
● New team members joining the project can refer to the guide for
the exact style use.
● Keeps both code and design consistent throughout the site.
● The guide allows us to standardize our code (CSS, JS, HTML),
keeping it small and quick to load.

STEPS TO BUILDING A STYLE GUIDE?

Template

Start your guide with the sites foundations. These will include elements
like color palette, fonts, headers, body text and grid layouts. These basic
elements are the foundation global elements of your site that set the
tone for your style guide.

Patterns
Next start adding in your site patterns. These would include buttons,
logos, images, icon library, form styles, etc. Any element that belongs
on your site should be included.

What Is a Web Design Style Guide?

A web design style guide is a reference source where you collect and present all
of the design decisions for your website. This includes its color scheme,
typography, spacing, icons, imagery, and all the visual language used on your
site.

Style guide vs Design System

As a web designer, you’ve likely heard the terms “style guide” and “design
system” a lot. Although they are related concepts, there are also some significant
differences.

In a manner of speaking, a style guide is a younger sibling to a design system. In

a design system, you would attempt to define every little rule and element
involved in your work, taking into consideration all of the possible component
states.

On the other hand, a style guide is more of a starting point for defining your
brand’s digital image and voice. Here, you’d focus on showcasing only the most
important components, possibly with the intention of developing a design system
later on.

Why Should You Create A Style Guide?

When you have multiple web professionals working on one site, it’s important to
consolidate all your design decisions into a single reference source. This helps to
keep your vision consistent across all pages and elements.
As you may already know, website design can be complex. With many people
working on a project and so many iterations and changes required, it’s vital that
everyone uses the same visual language so that the end result will be consistent
and cohesive.

The Benefits of Creating a Style Guide

A well-crafted style guide not only benefits you but your entire web design team.
During the design process, this resource helps everyone involved maximize their
efficiency and minimize tedious tasks such as finding “this exact color” or “that
exact button style” to use for specific elements.

Additionally, a style guide can serve as a reference for making the right decisions
for future designs. You won’t need to struggle with choosing how certain features
should be approached because you’ve already defined the rules for their usage.
This is time-saving and reduces anxiety about whether the result is correct.

Plus, if you make your style guide publicly available, it can be an effective way to
increase brand familiarity. Visitors will be able to create an impression of your
brand’s values and personality.

They can also enjoy a sneak peek into the working process behind your website.
Finally, your style guide can be a smart place to share downloadable brand
assets with clients, affiliates, and the press as well.