Card

Cards can include headers, footers, rich content, and contextual background colours or images.

DesignUsageAccessibilityUpdates

Purpose

Group related content

Cards visually bundle a piece of information, such as a title, description, media, and action, into a single scannable unit.

Enable comparison

When cards share a consistent layout, users can quickly read across a grid and weigh options without extra effort.

Flexible by design

Cards work across many contexts, including content listings, dashboards, and product summaries, because the structure adapts to what you put inside.

Anatomy

Badge Category Card title
Default slot content
Supporting description for the card content. Secondary text View details
1

Container

2

Icon or thumbnail (optional)

3

Subtitle (optional)

4

Title

5

Content slot (optional)

6

Description (optional)

7

Secondary text (optional)

8

Footer (optional)

9

Badge (optional)

Configuration

Border

Controls whether the card uses its default border.

Card title Use the default border when the card needs its own visual container.

Shows the default card border. Use when the card needs a clear container that stands apart from the surrounding layout.

Tinted

Background treatment that changes visual emphasis without changing structure.

Card title The default treatment works for most neutral card layouts.

Uses the standard card background. Use for neutral card layouts that should not draw extra attention.

Variant

Available SGDS card variants and the kind of content each one supports.

Card title Use the default variant for text-first card layouts.

The base card variant is text-first and flexible. Use it when content matters more than supporting media.

Orientation

Layout direction for arranging content and media vertically or horizontally.

Service preview Card title Media sits above the content in the default vertical layout.

Stacks the media above the content. Use when the card should follow a more traditional vertical layout.

Image position

Image placement before or after the content across vertical and horizontal layouts.

Service preview Card title The image appears above the content in a vertical card. Service preview Card title The image appears to the left of the content in a horizontal card.

Places the image before the content. Use when the image should appear above in vertical cards or to the left in horizontal cards.

Badge

Top-right badge content for lightweight status or metadata.

Badge Card title Add a badge when the card needs visible status at the top-right.

A badge sits in the top-right area of the card. Use it to surface status, count, or lightweight metadata without taking over the card body.

Secondary text

An extra supporting text row below the description for added context.

Card title Supporting description for the card content. Secondary text

Secondary text sits below the description as a supporting row. Use it when the card needs an extra line for metadata, status, or supporting details.

Footer

Footer content patterns, from lightweight links to stronger calls to action.

Card title Use this layout when no footer action is needed.

Removes the footer action area. Use when the card is purely informational and does not need a follow-up action.

Hierarchy

Title emphasis across heading levels within the same card structure.

Card title

Use a higher emphasis when the title needs more prominence.

Uses a larger heading level for the title. Use when the card title needs stronger emphasis in the layout.

Subtitle

A short label above the title for category or supporting context.

Category Card title The subtitle helps users scan the card context quickly.

Adds a short label above the title. Use to show a category or supporting context before the title.

Description

Supporting text beneath the title for added explanation or context.

Card title Use the description slot for longer supporting text. View details

Description text sits below the title as supporting copy. Use it when the card needs extra explanation or context.

Content slot

Custom content areas within the card body using the available content slots.

Card title
Default slot content
Supporting description for the card content.View details

The default slot sits directly below the title. Use it for the card's main custom content, such as text, metadata, or small supporting elements.

Playground

BETA
Card title Use the default border when the card needs its own visual container.
BorderTinted
OrientationImage positionBadgeSecondary text
HierarchySubtitleDescription

Structure

Category Card title
Default slot content
Supporting description for the card content. Secondary text View details

Component tokens

Component tokens are specific to each component. Use the table title as the prefix: background under sgds/card means sgds/card/background.

sgds/card
CategoryComponent tokenSemantic tokenValueColourbackgroundsgds/surface-default#FFFFFFtitle-colorsgds/body-color-default#1A1A1Adescription-colorsgds/color-subtle#525252Borderborder-colorsgds/border-color-muted#DFDFDFborder-widthsgds/border-width/11pxborder-radiussgds/border-radius/md8pxSpacingpadding-xsgds/padding/xl24pxpadding-ysgds/padding/xl24pxgapsgds/gap/lg20pxtitle-gapsgds/gap/xs8pxsubtitle-gapsgds/gap/2-xs4pxslot-gapsgds/gap/sm12px

Semantic tokens

CategorySemantic tokenValueColoursgds/body-color-default#1A1A1Asgds/color-subtle#525252sgds/color-subtle#525252sgds/body-color-default#1A1A1Asgds/link-color-default#0269D0sgds/link-color-emphasis#0151A0Backgroundsgds/bg-translucent-subtleoklch(from #0E0E0E l c h / 0.05)

Usage

When to use

  • Use card to group a related set of content and actions into a single scannable block.
  • Use it when users need to compare similar items quickly across a list or grid.

When not to use

  • Do not fill a card with too many competing text blocks, actions, or metadata.
  • Do not use a card when the content works better as a simple list or page section.

Best practices

Card title Use the default border when the card needs its own visual container.
Keep the card focused

A clear title, short description, and one obvious hierarchy make cards easier to compare.

General This is a very long card title that makes the card harder to scan quickly
First block of content
Supporting description that repeats the title instead of adding useful context. Secondary text Action one
Do not cram the card

Too much competing content makes the card harder to scan and weakens the primary action.

Accessibility considerations

Built-in accessibility

  • Cards provide structured slots for title, description, media, supporting content, and footer actions.
  • Cards can become focusable when the stretched-link pattern is used.

Labels and content

  • Use a clear title and place actions in the footer slot.
  • Provide alt text for meaningful images placed inside card media slots.

Focus and interaction

  • Keep interactive elements inside the card reachable in a logical order.
  • Avoid making the whole card and an inner link point to different destinations.

Keyboard interaction

This component does not have a separate keyboard interaction table because:

  • Cards do not define a keyboard pattern on their own.
  • Keyboard behaviour depends on the links, buttons, or stretched-link pattern placed inside the card.

Updates

DateVersionDescriptionLoading updates…

Roadmap

Planned itemStatusTargetFuture enhancements for cardPlannedTBD

Feedback

Have suggestions or feedback?

Share them with us on Slack → #design-system-feedback

Bug Reports

Found a bug or issue?

Report it on GitHub Issues → sgds/components/card

Singapore Government Design System

The Singapore Government Design System was developed to empower teams in creating fast, accessible and mobile-friendly digital services.