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Plaintext Branding

Available

Design system with no color, ever

Purpose

Plaintext Branding enforces a monochromatic design constraint that strips away color-based decision making. This system forces clarity through typography, spacing, and hierarchy alone, creating more accessible and universally readable interfaces.

Constraints

  • • No color values beyond black, white, and neutral grays
  • • Typography hierarchy through weight and size only
  • • Spacing and layout as primary visual tools
  • • Focus states through borders and backgrounds
  • • Status communication via text and iconography

Use Cases

  • • Documentation websites and technical writing
  • • Terminal and command-line interface design
  • • Print-friendly digital materials
  • • Accessible design for color-blind users
  • • Professional and legal document interfaces

Implementation

# Install via npm
npm install @standard-issue/plaintext-branding
# CSS variables
--color-primary: #000000
--color-secondary: #666666
--color-background: #ffffff
--color-surface: #f5f5f5

Project Details

Filed under:Systems
Shipped:2024
Updates:Ongoing refinements