Calling a Figma file a "design system" is why frontend devs end up rewriting CSS

Most team confusion starts when a Figma library gets labeled as a "design system."

To keep it simple:

UI Kit: Visual assets and static Figma components.

Design System: Tokens, production code, strict rules, and maintenance setup.

If you are handed a UI kit and expected to magically ship a scaled app, you end up writing custom CSS hacks and duplicating component logic just to bridge the gap.

Here's a quick resource that breaks down the actual technical differences, when to push back, and what devs should expect from a real system:

(https://radianui.com/blog/design-system-vs-ui-kit)