MetroStar Simplifies Delivery of Digital Services for the Government

Reston, Virginia, Tuesday, July 18, 2023 – MetroStar, a digital solutions and services company, is proud to announce the launch of Comet, a flexible and easy-to-use design system that helps businesses make the most of DesignOps.

MetroStar's Client Solution Group (CSG)—a team dedicated to research and development—drew inspiration for the solution from the pioneering efforts of GSA, 18F, and the U.S. Digital Service’s establishment of the U.S. Web Design System (USWDS). Historically, USWDS provided MetroStar with an invaluable foundation as they embarked on building the farmers.gov platform in 2018, which now provides farmers with targeted and informative resources from multiple federal agencies.

Government agencies are mandated to use USWDS, but many also rely on React, a design library written in JavaScript. This reliance can lead to redundant work in building, testing, and maintaining products. USWDS provides great steps forward in standardizing design systems, yet these steps still need to be tailored to each customer to be reusable and scalable. Ultimately, government websites often require more than USWDS components.

Comet is a new way to build applications using USWDS that significantly enhances developer productivity. Its notable features include React with TypeScript, full open-source availability, a collection of over 40 reusable components, security and code quality checks, modular packaging, and a comprehensive starter app.

“Comet was born from a passion for creating digital services that enhance user experiences,” said Johnny Bouder, MetroStar's Principal Software Engineer. "Our solution goes beyond the limits of USWDS while also providing a lightweight set of packages to fit every use case.”

The successful use of Comet in various tech challenges paved the way for the solution to enter the vast world of web development. Designed with developers in mind, Comet is an ideal solution for those designing government websites with USWDS as they can streamline their workflow and accelerate implementation. It incorporates a wide range of modern web technologies, eliminating the need for developers to handle repetitive tasks. This allows them to focus on using their preferred tools and frameworks.

The addition of Comet to MetroStar’s growing solution library emphasizes their commitment to empowering and engaging the open-source community. Download and start using Comet today.

About MetroStar

MetroStar is an IT and digital services and solutions provider with a rich, two-decade legacy of building the brightest teams. As we navigate a new era of technology, our mission is to serve and transform how people, agencies, and tech enthusiasts connect in the digital age. Everything we touch begins and ends with people—the civil servants, service members, farmers, and immigrants (to name a few)—and our tools empower faster solutions worldwide, supporting dozens of federal agencies, hundreds of thousands of users, and millions of Americans.

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