CODLIY · PRODUCT & DESIGN

The design-to-code handover that actually works

April 24, 2026 · 1 min read · 0 claps
The design-to-code handover that actually works

Most "handovers" are just Figma links tossed over a wall. Here is what we do instead — every project, every time.

Shared language

Design tokens live in one place, exported to both Figma styles and Tailwind/SCSS variables. No component ships without the token it consumes being named in the design file.

The interaction log

For each screen, designers write a short list of interactions: empty state, loading, error, success, keyboard shortcut. Engineers refuse to implement screens without this list. It is five minutes of writing that saves five hours of back-and-forth.

Accessibility from the start

  • Color contrast checked at the token level.
  • Keyboard flows drawn on the same canvas as the layouts.
  • Screen reader copy written by the designer, not retro-fitted.
If a screen cannot be used with a keyboard, it is not done.