Research

Domphy is built on two quantitative models. Each model is published as an independent paper with open-source implementation and industry benchmarks.

Paper 1 — A Quantitative Framework for Evaluating Sequential Color Palette Quality in Design Systems

Axis: Color (chromatic structure)

A quantitative framework for evaluating sequential monochromatic color palettes. Defines five evaluation metrics — contrast efficiency, lightness linearity, chroma smoothness, hue stability, and spacing uniformity — and benchmarks eleven industry design systems with composite scores ranging from 57 to 89.

The contrast span K derived in this paper is the foundation of Domphy's tone system: an 18-step ramp with K = 9 guarantees WCAG 4.5:1 contrast between any two colors separated by at least 9 steps, enabling the three-zone semantic mapping used throughout @domphy/theme.

• Paper: chromametry/paper/paper.pdf
• Repo: github.com/chromametry/chromametry
• Integration: @domphy/theme tone system

Paper 2 — A Unified Sizing Model for User Interfaces

Axis: Space (spatial structure)

A unified sizing model that derives all element geometry — height, padding, and border radius — from three variables and one base unit:

U = fontSize / 4
h = (n · 6 + 2 · d · w) · U

Where n = text lines, w = wrapping level (0–3), d = density factor. The model is validated by a coverage proof over 69 production patches (100% match, 0 exceptions) and an industry benchmark showing that 8 of 10 major design systems converge on the same heights the formula produces.

• Paper: domphy/paper/paper.pdf
• Integration: @domphy/theme size system, @domphy/ui dimension

How They Fit Together

The two papers address the two primary perceptual dimensions of UI design:

	Chromametry (Paper 1)	Sizing (Paper 2)
Governs	Surface color, text contrast, interaction feedback	Height, padding, radius, spacing
Variables	Tone ramp, contrast span K	n, w, d, U
Propagation	dataTone	dataSize, dataDensity
Package	@domphy/theme	@domphy/theme + @domphy/ui

The two axes are algebraically independent — no sizing formula references a tone variable, and no tone formula references a spatial variable. They share the same context inheritance mechanism but operate on different data attributes.

An element's full visual specification reduces to:

Variable	Axis	Source
n	Sizing	Intrinsic (patch type)
w	Sizing	Intrinsic (patch type)
d	Sizing	Inherited (dataDensity)
U	Sizing	Inherited (dataSize → fontSize)
T	Tone	Inherited (dataTone)

Two intrinsic constants, three inherited context values. No per-element overrides, no magic numbers, no token tables.