IDL — Research Draft
Invariant Design Language
A working specification for the construction and machine-consumption of design systems at infrastructure scale. IDL is not a component library. It is a language with grammar, tokens, and a compiler architecture. This documentation reflects active research and will evolve.
What IDL Is
IDL defines how design intent is encoded, transmitted, and enforced across product surfaces and automated pipelines. Its primitives are tokens. Its grammar is the component system. Its enforcement boundary is the compiler.
Who This Is For
This documentation is written for design engineers, system architects, and researchers interested in the structural foundations of governed design systems. It assumes familiarity with component systems, token schemas, and build pipelines.
How to Navigate
Chapters 00–08 are organized by system layer, from foundational axioms through compiler architecture and AI consumption models. First-time readers should proceed sequentially. The specification is designed for reference navigation after the initial read.
Research Status
This specification is under active development. Sections may change as the research matures. Treat all content as working theory rather than a finalized standard.