Carbon Design System
6.6#4 in ui frameworksFree planFree planWeb
VisitCarbon Design System vs GOV.UK Design System
GOV.UK Design System
6.6#5 in ui frameworksFree planFree planWebSelf-hosted
VisitWhat both publish
| Fact | Carbon Design System | GOV.UK Design System |
|---|---|---|
| Accessibility | IBM products using Carbon must meet WCAG AA accessibility standards, and the component checklist requires specified color contrast and documented focus flow. | The team describes accessibility work as continuous and iterative, and says using the system alone does not make a service accessible. |
| Audience | Carbon provides code, design, and documentation for designers and developers working across areas including App Modernization, Data and AI, IT Automation, Security, and Finance and Operations. | The team says the Design System is intended for people working on government services, with a focus on central UK government digital services. |
| Components | Carbon components are designed and coded to solve specific UI problems and work together as parts of a larger system. | It provides reusable interface components with usage guidance and coded examples. |
| Patterns | Patterns combine components and design considerations to address user needs; some patterns include example code. | Its patterns offer design solutions for specific user-focused tasks and page types, with written guidance and coded examples where possible. |
| Purpose | Carbon provides reusable assets to help teams build consistent digital experiences faster. | The system helps teams make government services consistent with GOV.UK and learn from research and experience across service teams. |
| Support | Carbon directs users to GitHub issues and provides support by email at [email protected]. | The team focuses support on central UK government digital services and says it cannot reliably provide guidance for different contexts. |
Carbon Design System plans
- Open-source design systemFree
GOV.UK Design System plans
- GOV.UK Design SystemFree
Pick Carbon Design System if…
Carbon suits designers and developers building digital products across areas such as app modernization, data and AI, IT automation, security, and finance and operations.
Pick GOV.UK Design System if…
It is intended for people building government services, especially teams working on central UK government digital services. Teams outside that context may not receive reliable guidance from its support channels.