# Capsomer

**cap·so·mer** /ˈkæp.sə.mər/ (KAP-suh-mer), *noun*. [Pronunciation audio](/audio/capsomer.mp3)

1. One of the protein subunits that together form the capsid of a virus.
2. *software.* A shared design system of plain-CSS components, color tokens and page patterns from which a family of apps and websites is built.

Etymology: From French *capsomère*, from *capside*, “capsid”, + *-o-* + *-mère*, “part”, from Greek *meros*, “part”.

## One design system for a family of apps

Capsomer is a shared design system of plain-CSS components, color tokens and page patterns. The apps and websites in this family are built from it, so they share one set of parts rather than each keeping its own. Its home is [capsomer.dustinedwards.info](https://capsomer.dustinedwards.info).

## Why the name

A capsid is built from many identical capsomers repeated across its surface. These apps are built the same way, from the same shared components repeated across every one of them.

## On this site

The [colophon](/colophon) describes how this site uses Capsomer.