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Label

The visible name of a form control.

In Dense data

See it live​

Start Storybook to see it live: npm run storybook
Live from StorybookOpen Label in StorybookSee it in dark

When to use it​

In Dense data: Names every control.

  • Use it when: Every form control.
  • Not when: Never skipped: a placeholder is not a label.

Instead:

  • Field: The label laid out with hint and error.

How Dense data uses it​

Field label or column header
Use type.label
Not type.heading
Headers repeat on every column; a heavy style would compete with the data.

Words​

  • Lead with the object, then the state: "Alert 2041 contained."
  • Use numbers, not words for numbers.
  • One verb per button. No "please", no exclamation marks.
  • Use: Investigate, Filter, Assign, Escalated, Resolved. Avoid: Oops, Awesome, Please, Simply.

The labels components use, from the voice tokens:

  • content.action.commit: Save
  • content.action.cancel: Cancel
  • content.action.destroy: Delete
  • content.action.retry: Retry
  • content.action.empty-action: Change filters

See Voice and tone for the whole voice.

Accessibility and keyboard​

Test before you ship:

  • The label is linked to its control and makes the hit area larger. undefined

Use it in code​

npx open-ds add label

The component reads only component keys and semantic tokens, so it follows the brand and mode on <html>.

Tokens it reads​

Label reads 6 tokens of its own, each an alias of a semantic token. Each row is one part: its own token, the semantic it aliases, and the value it ends at. Change a semantic and every component that reads it follows; override one of Label's tokens to change Label alone.

Changes with theme

Dense data decides what changes when you switch theme. Here a switch changes colors only, so the marked rows differ between light and dark; everything else holds steady.

PartIts token and the semantic it aliasesValue
Label
Gapcomponent.label.gapspace.gap.defaultvar(--label-gap)space.8:0.5rem
Text
Changes with theme		component.label.labelcolor.text.primaryvar(--label-label)Lightslate.light.900:#161B23Darkslate.dark.900:#F7F8FA
Font familycomponent.label.font-familytype.label.font-familyvar(--label-font-family)font.family.ibm-plex-sans:"IBM Plex Sans", system-ui, sans-serif
Text sizecomponent.label.font-sizetype.label.font-sizevar(--label-font-size)font.size.12:0.75rem
Weightcomponent.label.font-weighttype.label.font-weightvar(--label-font-weight)font.weight.500:500
Line heightcomponent.label.line-heighttype.label.line-heightvar(--label-line-height)font.line-height.1_2:1.2