Wireframing for component-based UI design

Modern UI design builds interfaces from reusable components. Wireframing with components in mind creates consistency and speeds up both design and development workflows.

Think of wireframes in layers. Controls include buttons, inputs, and links. Patterns combine controls into functional groups like headers, card layouts, or search modules. Templates arrange patterns into complete page structures like dashboards or checkout flows.

Component thinking during wireframing pays dividends later. When you identify repeating patterns early, you create opportunities for design system alignment. A card component used across multiple wireframes becomes a single source of truth that designers and developers can reference and reuse.

Wireframes should focus on structure before aesthetics. Define how components behave, what content they contain, and how they respond to different states. Leave color, typography, and detailed styling for later stages when the underlying structure has been validated through testing.