Design Tokens That Survive Localization

Localization breaks design systems when tokens are only numeric. We teach teams to attach intent—density, emphasis, rhythm—so translators can adjust without guessing. In Cross-Platform Design Systems, students export JSON that includes semantic roles, not just hex values.

We also schedule a critique where copy is intentionally longer than English. Participants watch SwiftUI and Compose previews side by side to see where line heights collide. The exercise is uncomfortable, which is why it works.

Finally, we document fallback strategies for rare scripts. Not every font file belongs in the mobile bundle; we show subsetting patterns and runtime checks without blocking shipping.