An intro to Sketch Libraries in Trunk

Learn how to use Sketch Libraries with Trunk to improve your design workflow.

What exactly are Sketch Libraries?

Sketch libraries allow designers to create a single source of truth for design assets. These assets can then be re-used across multiple projects.

A beautiful icon system by John Oats at Focus Lab

If you’re a Sketch user, chances are you have already been using symbols. Symbols are great as they allow you to re-use visual assets across your project ensuring that you don’t have to duplicate your workload.

Symbols are an integral part of many design applications. For those that have used InVision Studio, Figma or XD — the idea is pretty much the same.

Trunk + Sketch Libraries!

Trunk has supported Sketch Libraries from the very beginning and we think that the combination of Sketch Libraries and Trunk is a WINNER when thinking about team design systems.

So why use Sketch Libraries with Trunk?

Trunk keeps a central workspace for all your design files. Trunk coupled with Sketch Libraries let’s you keep your team’s design system up to date and in-sync.

Let’s get into it!

For this example we are using Sketch Libraries combined with Trunk.

At Trunk we have created a Sketch library for the design of our website. I will be using this as the base for this tutorial.

“Trunk is a secure version control system for your design files, allowing you to collaborate on Sketch & Photoshop files with the rest of your design team.”

To start a library, we first need to design a series of components that you wish to reuse across projects.

To follow along, follow these steps:

1. Sign up to Trunk.
2. Once you have signed up, you will need to sign in to the Trunk web app.
3. Download the example component file here by cloning the project and making it your own!
4. Make changes to your newly cloned project in the Trunk desktop app.

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Now that you have the file locally on your computer, we will add the component file to Sketch Libraries.

To do this we go to Sketch > Preferences > Libraries and add the file.

Using the Trunk Desktop app
I have created a new project called Trunk website.

We will need to import two files into Trunk.

1. The Sketch component Library file.

2. The actual website design.

Note — Importing the file into Trunk provides my team with a central design repository, keeping components in sync with the entire team!

Adding components via the Insert Symbols dropdown in Sketch

I have added my components file to Trunk also so that the entire team can have access to the design library.

Using the Sketch Library

Now that we’ve added the components library, we can use our Sketch Library in any of our projects by choosing Insert symbol from the Sketch menu.

Any changes that are saved within Sketch now automatically synced with Trunk.

OK! That wraps it up.

So what did we learn?

• Sketch Libraries are awesome
• Symbols (or components) are crucial when thinking about design systems
• Trunk supports Sketch Libraries out of the box!

Cheers,

Elliott Risby,
Co-Founder @ Trunk
jointrunk.com