Spacing Scale
A fixed set of spacing steps, commonly multiples of 4 or 8, used for every gap and padding value in a design so the rhythm stays consistent instead of being re-decided screen by screen.
Why it matters
Nobody notices one gap being 13px instead of 12 — which is exactly the problem. Off-scale values are invisible individually and read as sloppiness collectively, once a screen holds thirty of them.
The numbers
- 4px — the most common base step
- 4, 8, 12, 16, 24, 32 — the usual ladder
Measured by the Figma plugin
Auto-layout gaps and padding off the 4pt scale are flagged, and one click rounds every odd value back.
Put the coach in your canvasRelated terms
Ask your assistant
Define "Spacing Scale" using uxspot. Works in Claude, Cursor or any MCP client — connect the uxspot MCP.
Think it stuck? A 20-second round of Spot Check will tell you.