Creating a Penpot Design Tokens Format with Style Dictionary

Style Dictionary can generate Penpot-compatible design token JSON files through custom formats and helper functions. The process involves organizing tokens into numbered folders to control import order, creating a custom format that outputs Penpot's proprietary structure with $themes and $metadata objects, and using helper functions to process core and semantic token directories. The resulting JSON file maintains token cascading order and supports multi-theme workflows, enabling design-to-development synchronization when design tokens are managed in code rather than directly in Penpot.