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Consolidate angles, arrows, and chevrons

What

Our SVG library has different labeling and categorization for similar icon concepts. This is an effort to begin the process of simplifying the categories and establishing definitions. We primarily use chevrons, and that will be the main category moving forward.

Definitions

Icon Description
arrow.svg Arrow - An arrow has a tail
caret.svg Caret - A caret is a solid triangle
chevron.svg Chevron - A chevron is an open angle

Process

  1. Duplicate some icons to establish new naming conventions. This means that angle-double-left and chevron-double-lg-left are the same icon, and exist together for a time, so that we can incrementally change instance names in the product.
  2. Rename icon symbols in Sketch to prevent any new designs from using old conventions
  3. Once icons with new names are available to the product, begin updating instances
  4. After all icon instances in the product have been updated, deprecate duplicate icons that use the current naming convention in the SVG library

Proposed changes

  • New names are structured to help keep related icons grouped when listed in the SVG library
  • New names reflect duplicate icons that will be added to the library
Icon Current name New name
angle-double-left.svg angle-double-left chevron-double-lg-left
angle-double-right.svg angle-double-right chevron-double-lg-right
angle-down.svg angle-down chevron-lg-down
angle-left.svg angle-left chevron-lg-left
angle-right.svg angle-right chevron-lg-right
angle-up.svg angle-up chevron-lg-up
arrow-down.svg arrow-down No change since chevron-down exists
arrow-right.svg arrow-right -
arrow-up.svg arrow-up No change since chevron-up exists
chevron-down.svg chevron-down -
chevron-left.svg chevron-left -
chevron-right.svg chevron-right -
chevron-up.svg chevron-up -

These items are out of scope, or do not need changed:

  • Icons that have any of the above shapes in them, but represent other concepts, e.g., play, collapse-right, or import
  • FontAwesome icon references

Checklist

Make sure these are completed before closing the issue, with a link to the relevant commit or issue, if applicable. Get familiar with the Sketch UI Kit documentation which has information on updating files, structure, fonts, and symbols.

  1. [-] Author: Create a Sketch file in your progress folder with the changes required for this issue. Try to use existing symbols, layer styles, and text styles.
  2. [-] Author: Ask another Product Designer to review your personal Sketch file, linking them to your latest commit so they know where to find it. If they have the capacity, they should assign themselves to this issue. If not, try pinging another person.
  3. [-] Reviewer: Review and approve author's changes in their personal Sketch file, according to the workflow.
  4. Author: Add your changes to the GitLab Sketch UI Kit (pattern library and/or instance sheet), following this step-by-step process.
  5. Author: Ask the reviewer to review your changes to the Sketch UI Kit files.
  6. Reviewer: Review and approve author's changes to the Sketch UI Kit files, according to the workflow.
  7. [-] Author: Create an issue in the Design System to update the design specs and documentation. Mark it as related to this issue.
  8. Author: Add a read only (FYI) agenda item to the next UX weekly call to inform everyone of these changes, linking to this issue.

/label UX ~"pattern library" Pajamas ~"pajamas::create"

/cc @gitlab-com/gitlab-ux @gtsiolis @leipert

Edited by Jeremy Elder