Principles

Five ideas that shape every component, token, and documentation decision in RDS.

1. Copy-paste first

You own the code. No black-box abstractions.

RDS components are designed to be copied directly into your project. There’s no library to update, no breaking changes to absorb — just code you control.

2. Composable by design

Small pieces that combine cleanly.

Every component does one thing well. Compose them together to build complex interfaces without fighting the system.

3. Accessible by default

ARIA, keyboard navigation, and focus management — built in.

RDS components are built on Radix UI primitives, which handle the hard parts of accessibility so you don’t have to think about it. Keyboard navigation, screen reader support, and focus trapping come standard.

4. AI-native documentation

Your AI tools understand RDS out of the box.

Every component page is written for both humans and AI assistants. The naming conventions, prop descriptions, and code examples are structured so Cursor, Claude, and Copilot can suggest the right component and usage without extra prompting.

5. Multimedia-aware

Built for the use cases most design systems ignore.

RDS includes first-class components for audio players, waveform displays, timeline comments, and media transport controls — the building blocks of podcasting apps, streaming platforms, and audio tools.

These principles shape every component, every token, and every documentation decision in RDS. → Read the Guidelines