import { Meta } from '@storybook/addon-docs/blocks';

<Meta title="Foundations/Glossary" />


# Glossary 

Understanding taxonomy in design systems can get tricky if you're unfamilar with the jargon. While we try and keep our naming conventions as straight forward possible, somethings are worth spelling out. Here's a quick primer of common terms. This is a developing list.


### Design System
A design system is a living libray of components and guidelines created and maintained to make digital products consistently, efficiently, and quickly. 

### Component
A component is a reusable snippet of code. A component could be as simple at a button, or as complex as a side menu.

### Component Library
One of the main pieces of a design system is a collection of reusuable code snippets called a component library. Here you can browse documented components with visual examples for reference, 
and documentation about how to use them. They're pretty neat, you're looking at one right now.

### Token
Tokens are an agnostic way to store variables (like typography, color, and spacing) to be used cross-platform and in our case, cross-product.

### Atomic Design
Atomic design is a methogolgy for organizing design system orginally developed by [Brad Frost](http://atomicdesign.bradfrost.com/table-of-contents). Atomic Design is the practice of breaking down a web page into components parts that can be rearranged in different, reusable, configurations. Learn more in our [Designer’s Introduction to Radial
](https://nypr-design-system.nypr.digital/latest/index.html?path=/docs/for-designers-intro--page)