Sketch Libraries - Learn Sketch

What is a Library in Sketch?

A Library is a Sketch document that contains Symbols that can be used globally. You can share the Library by storing to a local server. Also, you can use cloud services like Dropbox, or a version control system like GitHub or Abstract. As a result, your teammates can have access to the same Libraries.

When you update any Symbol in that Library, everyone that are using that Library will receive a notification on the far top right of Sketch's UI. Like this, their Libraries will be always in sync! Collaborate-with-Libraries

How Libraries Can Be Used

Libraries will greatly improve the collaboration between team members. You can use them as components, icons, for your product’s branding or marketing. There is no limit to how we can use them.

Adding Libraries

Sketch have already added iOS UI Design template as a Library. You can enable or disable the Library by checking the checkbox. Once it is unchecked, you will stop seeing Symbols from this Library in the Insert's drop-down menu. Consequently, you can’t use Symbols from that Library.

If you have downloaded some UI Kit, or your organization has created a design system, you can manually add it into Sketch as a Library. Just click Add Library… and choose the Sketch file. Afterwards, the Sketch file become part of the Libraries that you can start using.

There is no limit to how many Libraries you can have. Every Library that you add will be separate and accessible from the Insert menu.

Insert a Symbol from Library

Now you can start using all the Libraries that are enabled by clicking the Insert button in the toolbar.

Additionally, you can use Sketch Runner to search and insert the Symbol.

The icons for Local Symbols and Library Symbols are different, and this helps us efficiently recognize them in the Layers List.

Editing Libraries Symbols

A Library is the same as a Symbol. It can be swapped by right-clicking it on the Inspector panel. You are also able to change the content in the Overrides panel. Constraints will work as expected and same for nesting Libraries.

If you want to edit the original Libraries Symbols, double-click on it to open a dialog to show if this Symbol belongs to a Library. Clicking on Open in Original Document will open up the Library file and automatically bring you directly to the Symbol you want to edit. There is a dialog below of Sketch app to remind you that you’re editing the Library file.

Be aware that any change that you make will save the original Library file, which in turn will update to everyone's Library.

Get Libraries Symbols up-to-date

When you update any Symbols in your Library, documents using those shared Symbols will receive a pink notification Library Update Available at top-right of Sketch app.

Click on that notification and a dialog window will let you preview. Check and confirm changes between Old and New. You can check or uncheck which Symbols you want it to be updated so that your designs are using the latest components. You can always come back later if you are unsure to update or not.

Any Symbol that is checked will be updated across all the pages when you click on the Update Symbols button.

Unlink a Library Symbol

You can converts the Library Symbol to a Local Symbol by double-clicking it and choosing Unlink from Library. It will become a normal Symbol, found in the Symbols Page. As a result, the Symbol will not be able to receive changes made from the Library.

Keep track of imported Library Symbols

Select any Symbol and go to the Inspector dropdown. At the bottom of the drop-down menu, choose Organize Imported Symbols… and then, you will see a popup window. All the imported Library Symbols you’re using in this document will be listed in the Imported Symbols tab. You can select one of the Symbols and click on the gear icon at the bottom left of the window to Edit in Library… or Unlink from Library.

Sharing the Libraries with teammates

If you and your teammates want to use the same Library, you will need to find a place to store the Library file that everyone has read-access. There are a few options: local storage, cloud services like Dropbox, Google Drive, or Abstract for version control. Any of these options will let you save and share the Library file to everyone. The syncing speed is heavily dependent on the tools you are using like the internet connection and the file size.

If you’re going to use Dropbox to store the Library, everyone will need to have permission to access that folder from their Dropbox desktop app. Once stored, tell your teammates to import the Library to their Sketch file. Voila, everyone on the team now have access to all the same Symbols.

Create a preview image for your Library

You can use your Library with a Sketch file that contains a bunch of Symbols. A good preview will help distinguish itself in the Libraries window.

The thumbnails in the Libraries window is about 200 x 160px. Make a Library's preview Page, then create an Artboard of that size on that Page. You can enlarge the Artboard to 2x or 3x for a crisper thumbnail image. Design the artwork to be related to the Library so that it is easily recognizable. Inserting a title on the preview image works well too.

Stay on the Library's preview Page, and save the Sketch file. Finally, import this Library file. You will notice that the preview image is the one that you’ve designed!

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