# Atoms ### **What are Atoms?** In CivicTheme, **atoms** are the smallest, most fundamental building blocks of the design system, based on Brad Frost’s **Atomic Design** principles. These individual elements are simple, self-contained, and non-reducible, forming the foundation of all components. Atoms in CivicTheme include basic HTML elements such as buttons, form inputs, and typography elements, all designed to ensure **accessibility**, **consistency**, and **reusability** across digital services. *** These atoms are the foundation of CivicTheme, and they combine to form more complex components like molecules and organisms, ensuring a consistent, accessible, and flexible design system across projects. Each atom follows **WCAG 2.2 AA standards** and is optimised for both design and development, with implementations available in [Figma ](https://www.figma.com/design/nXTZFR1mKPLExtEbYtazzD/CivicTheme--Design-System-v1.9.0?node-id=0-1\&t=b83UZlIpwPkLMi9E-1)and **Storybook**. --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://docs.civictheme.io/components/atoms.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.