Project structure refresh

[GBKS]

The UI kit has grown and evolved a lot, and more people are building on/with it. Initially, it was easy to keep everything in sync, but this has gotten more messy as things have matured. It's being used in very different ways by different people/projects, and a single Figma file cannot be the source of truth for everything anymore.

I'd like to mention two particular efforts that are awesome, but also require a bit of change of structure:

• The Android version of the UI Kit by Wisdom. Managing styles for two different operating systems in the same Figma file can be really messy and hard to work with. Easier to have dedicated files for iOS and Android.
• Creating a mega prototype for the Daily spending wallet reference design. The UI Kit has been pretty closely in sync with screens in the guide, but with this reference design becoming more specific, keeping this tie would limit the UI Kit at being a really good UI Kit.

Then we also have the iOS library that reez maintains, and projects built on the UI Kit like the new Core app, JoinMarket Web UI, and Arctica. Each of those have their own requirements (like Arctica being a desktop multi-sig app).

So my proposal would be the following structure:

• Simplify the main UI Kit Figma file to be a really good at serving as a foundation for designers starting new iOS projects (with templates for desktop as we have now). This would mean removing some of the pages and screens that are used in the guide, adding more variations for different types of projects, and updating documentation. This would continue to be maintained by me.
• Establish Wisdom's Figma file as the Android main file, maintained by him. This should generally be very close to the iOS file, but only include Android styles.
• Every project that uses the UI Kit (including the daily spending wallet) has its own Figma file maintained by its contributors. These Figma files have no requirement to be in-sync with the main file.
• Projects may choose to publish their files as remixes. This way, the project file is listed on the community page of the main Figma file for easier discovery (another project may want to base their design on a remix instead of the main file).
• Create a new page on bitcoinuikit.com to list those projects and files with descriptions.
• Put more emphasis on this repo as a place for coordination (it's barely used right now)

Result would be a lot more Figma files that would have to be individually maintained, but with a clearer structure and each one being more focused. With the limitations we have on our current crop of design tools, and our generally fairly loose style of open design collaboration, this is probably a good way to do things. As is usually the case, clear communication and documentation will be important to make this work and not get messy.

Simplifying the main Figma files would also make it easier to maintain code libraries based on the kit.

What do you think?

[sbddesign]

All seems reasonable.

What's the primary difference between Android and iOS versions? Using system default typefaces and no weird iPhone dip thing?

[GBKS]

@sbddesign navigation is also fairly different since Android phones have the static buttons at the bottom of the screen at all times. Native elements like the keyboard, share sheet, and modals also have a different look. Overall, my sense is that the two operating systems have grown more similar over the years, but that there are still a lot of minor differences that add up to a unique look and feel.

[Bosch-0]

All sounds good to me, covered everything that popped into my head as I was thinking about this. Daniel is also using the UI kit for his BDG wallet yeah? Another project I'm really excited for.

You can see the differences between operating systems looking at their design systems:

iOS: https://www.figma.com/community/file/1121065701252736567

Android: https://www.figma.com/community/file/809865700885504168

[GBKS]

Question: Should there be a separate desktop version of the UI Kit? Or keep the current system where it's focused on mobile and includes a few desktop templates?

[sbddesign]

I'd say keep the current system as is, and if somebody steps up to seriously expand the desktop version, then it could be spin off into it's own kit (or a different "version" of the same kit, depending on how you want to conceptualize it)