Design Principles

Six principles that guide every decision in Sitka — from token naming to component behavior. When in conflict, these resolve the ambiguity.

1.

Intentional Restraint

Every visual element must earn its place. Whitespace is not emptiness — it is structure. When in doubt, remove. A calm interface communicates confidence; a cluttered one communicates anxiety.

2.

Honest Materials

Use depth effects (glass, blur, shadow) only when they reflect real spatial relationships. A frosted sidebar sits in front of content. A modal floats above the page. Never apply depth as decoration.

3.

Motion is Communication

Animations should explain something: what appeared, what changed, where it went. If removing an animation doesn't confuse the user, it shouldn't exist. Motion should feel physical, not theatrical.

4.

Consistent Density

Generous whitespace in a dense table feels like wasted space. Tight spacing in a landing hero feels cramped. Density is a design decision — apply it deliberately and consistently within context.

5.

Platform Native First

On iOS, use SwiftUI idioms. On Web, use semantic HTML. Sitka provides parity of intent, not parity of pixels. A button should feel right on each platform, not identical across them.

6.

The Token is the Truth

Never hardcode a color, spacing value, or duration. The token is the contract between design and engineering. When a token changes, every instance changes. This is the system working as intended.