Garth Braithwaite
@garthdb.com
Design System Engineer at Adobe
Reposted by Garth Braithwaite
computer, write discord 2. no mistakes pls
February 9, 2026 at 11:15 PM
computer, write discord 2. no mistakes pls
This Tot is almost 1 year old but her markings give her a great grumpy old man look.
February 9, 2026 at 4:23 PM
This Tot is almost 1 year old but her markings give her a great grumpy old man look.
We can’t AI ourselves out of a messy design system if the system doesn’t codify the context needed to clean it up.
AI will just amplify whatever structure already exists.
Well-named, well-typed, versioned design data → leverage
Sloppy, implicit, inconsistent systems → faster chaos
AI will just amplify whatever structure already exists.
Well-named, well-typed, versioned design data → leverage
Sloppy, implicit, inconsistent systems → faster chaos
February 7, 2026 at 4:03 AM
We can’t AI ourselves out of a messy design system if the system doesn’t codify the context needed to clean it up.
AI will just amplify whatever structure already exists.
Well-named, well-typed, versioned design data → leverage
Sloppy, implicit, inconsistent systems → faster chaos
AI will just amplify whatever structure already exists.
Well-named, well-typed, versioned design data → leverage
Sloppy, implicit, inconsistent systems → faster chaos
Reposted by Garth Braithwaite
Saw a really cool hover effect and made this meme depicting me at work (I am goose)
February 6, 2026 at 10:22 PM
Saw a really cool hover effect and made this meme depicting me at work (I am goose)
Design token peeps, have you found meaningful metrics that have informed your work? Either on the authoring or consuming end?
February 6, 2026 at 10:09 PM
Design token peeps, have you found meaningful metrics that have informed your work? Either on the authoring or consuming end?
After hitting critical mass, I don’t think design systems break down because of missing components.
They break down when design decisions aren’t explicit enough to survive:
-new teams
-new platforms
-redesigns
-automation
If a decision can’t be named, typed, or diffed, how does it survive entropy?
They break down when design decisions aren’t explicit enough to survive:
-new teams
-new platforms
-redesigns
-automation
If a decision can’t be named, typed, or diffed, how does it survive entropy?
February 6, 2026 at 5:19 AM
After hitting critical mass, I don’t think design systems break down because of missing components.
They break down when design decisions aren’t explicit enough to survive:
-new teams
-new platforms
-redesigns
-automation
If a decision can’t be named, typed, or diffed, how does it survive entropy?
They break down when design decisions aren’t explicit enough to survive:
-new teams
-new platforms
-redesigns
-automation
If a decision can’t be named, typed, or diffed, how does it survive entropy?
I think the hard part might not be building components, it’s making design intent legible to engineers, tools, and future teammates.
Tokens, schemas, APIs, docs, naming conventions; these aren’t outputs; they’re translation layers.
So, which layers are hardest to maintain? Which ones break down?
Tokens, schemas, APIs, docs, naming conventions; these aren’t outputs; they’re translation layers.
So, which layers are hardest to maintain? Which ones break down?
February 6, 2026 at 4:19 AM
I think the hard part might not be building components, it’s making design intent legible to engineers, tools, and future teammates.
Tokens, schemas, APIs, docs, naming conventions; these aren’t outputs; they’re translation layers.
So, which layers are hardest to maintain? Which ones break down?
Tokens, schemas, APIs, docs, naming conventions; these aren’t outputs; they’re translation layers.
So, which layers are hardest to maintain? Which ones break down?
All design and engineering teams collect decisions.
The question is where those decisions live:
– in people’s heads
– in Slack threads
– in Figma comments
– or in versioned, inspectable systems
Design systems are just one outcome of codifying decisions.
Curious where this framing breaks down.
The question is where those decisions live:
– in people’s heads
– in Slack threads
– in Figma comments
– or in versioned, inspectable systems
Design systems are just one outcome of codifying decisions.
Curious where this framing breaks down.
February 5, 2026 at 6:52 AM
All design and engineering teams collect decisions.
The question is where those decisions live:
– in people’s heads
– in Slack threads
– in Figma comments
– or in versioned, inspectable systems
Design systems are just one outcome of codifying decisions.
Curious where this framing breaks down.
The question is where those decisions live:
– in people’s heads
– in Slack threads
– in Figma comments
– or in versioned, inspectable systems
Design systems are just one outcome of codifying decisions.
Curious where this framing breaks down.
As payment for any future discussions about design system thinking, here is a picture of Tot with a perfect ear configuration while sleeping.
February 5, 2026 at 6:38 AM
As payment for any future discussions about design system thinking, here is a picture of Tot with a perfect ear configuration while sleeping.
I’m trying to collect my thoughts on #designsystems and how to describe foundational aspects of them. I’m going to start posting some of my thinking here and would love some feedback or poking holes in my reasoning.
February 5, 2026 at 5:51 AM
I’m trying to collect my thoughts on #designsystems and how to describe foundational aspects of them. I’m going to start posting some of my thinking here and would love some feedback or poking holes in my reasoning.
I coded the Christmas countdown automation better than I remember and it’s still accurate the day after.
December 26, 2025 at 8:04 PM
I coded the Christmas countdown automation better than I remember and it’s still accurate the day after.
Another one for the collection. I'll be celebrating 15 years at @adobe.com in January.
December 22, 2025 at 8:23 PM
Another one for the collection. I'll be celebrating 15 years at @adobe.com in January.
Like watching someone stuck on a merry go round
September 11, 2025 at 4:05 AM
Like watching someone stuck on a merry go round
The beacons are lit.
September 9, 2025 at 8:06 PM
The beacons are lit.
I need to pour some water on Claude or something.
September 9, 2025 at 6:32 PM
I need to pour some water on Claude or something.
What it feels like trying to automate a dreaded task instead of just doing it.
August 31, 2025 at 1:49 AM
What it feels like trying to automate a dreaded task instead of just doing it.
The power is out for a couple hours because of a downed line. I should enough batteries to last it out.
August 30, 2025 at 8:27 PM
The power is out for a couple hours because of a downed line. I should enough batteries to last it out.
Claude is super pumped about type safety.
August 28, 2025 at 5:28 PM
Claude is super pumped about type safety.
This spam message almost got me to respond.
July 17, 2025 at 10:20 PM
This spam message almost got me to respond.
The Hubris and Folly of Custom Scrollbars: A Memoir.
July 10, 2025 at 4:40 PM
The Hubris and Folly of Custom Scrollbars: A Memoir.
Tot has those good pinto beans.
July 6, 2025 at 5:58 PM
Tot has those good pinto beans.
When you wear a pillow around your neck, napping is very convenient.
June 21, 2025 at 11:26 PM
When you wear a pillow around your neck, napping is very convenient.
If I had json schema that described a components options, how would someone expect that to be semver’d? New component options are minor, any changes to existing options are major?
June 21, 2025 at 10:13 PM
If I had json schema that described a components options, how would someone expect that to be semver’d? New component options are minor, any changes to existing options are major?
Reposted by Garth Braithwaite
Being in the industry and having to present all the JS frameworks you’ve had to learn
June 18, 2025 at 3:32 PM
Being in the industry and having to present all the JS frameworks you’ve had to learn
Reposted by Garth Braithwaite
“In the criminal justice system, CSS offenses are considered especially heinous…”
June 18, 2025 at 2:25 AM
“In the criminal justice system, CSS offenses are considered especially heinous…”