Feature request: generate a theme.json design system from Cornerstone

Beta
#1

The idea is to add an automatic theme.json interoperability layer for X, Pro, and Cornerstone.

When we configure global colors, fonts, typography, spacing, and other design tokens in Cornerstone, using the various managers, Cornerstone could automatically generate a compatible theme.json representation. This would allow WordPress core, block-based tools, and third-party plugins to use the same design system, even while X and Pro aren’t block themes.

The generated file could include:

  • Global color palettes (Color Manager)
  • Global fonts and settings (Font Manager)
  • Any variable from the Variable Manager

Standard values could be mapped to the appropriate theme.json sections, while general variables from the Variable Manager could be exported through settings.custom.

Cornerstone should remain the source of truth, with theme.json generated automatically rather than edited independently. The feature could include an optional settings panel allowing users to enable or disable synchronization and choose which variable groups are exported.

This would be a significant improvement because it would:

  • Make Cornerstone’s global design system available outside of Cornerstone.
  • Improve compatibility with WordPress blocks and third-party plugins.
  • Allow WooCommerce (and any other plugin) blocks, block patterns, and widgets to use the same site-wide colors and typography.
  • Reduce duplicated design settings across different tools.
  • Make custom CSS and development workflows more consistent through standardized variables.
  • Help agencies maintain a reusable design system across projects.
  • Improve migration and handoff by making global design tokens easier to inspect and reuse.
  • Give Variable Manager values a broader purpose beyond Cornerstone-specific output.
  • Future-proof Cornerstone sites as WordPress continues moving toward shared design tokens and block-based tooling.

This would not require X or Pro to become block themes. The theme.json file could function as an interoperability and design-token layer, allowing Cornerstone to remain the primary builder while making its global settings accessible to the wider WordPress ecosystem.

#2

This sort of already feels like the theme options export. Is there something missing from that export file that would help you solve what you want to solve? In our soon to be released CSAI updates there will be extra functions for working with globals so it might be helpful for us to both revisit this thread when that is released.

image

#3

An export from CS would not automatically make the values accessible to other plugins, and it would be a manual action.

This proposed feature would automatically generate a theme.json with anything generated in CS as it relates to colors, fonts, any other design tokens which would other plugins can then parse. As you add, edit, delete colors or fonts (and other tokens) it would auto-sync that to the theme.json file.

One example where this would be helpful is FluentCart. It has a theme color inherit option which looks for theme.json and parses colors from it. In the FluentCart UI you can then select the colors for the various store elements. Third party tools just become easier to match to the site’s design, as long as they use the WordPress global style and theme settings APIs.

Despite X and Pro not being block themes, this may be a clever way to at least allow other plugins and tools to tap into our global color and font options and perhaps any other variables as well. At least CS would have the compatibility layer through theme.json for other tools to use.

Could be an opt-in feature.