| Do | Try a section first — only use a card when you need the visual separation of a border and elevated background. |
| Do | Keep padding consistent across sibling cards so they align visually in a grid or list. |
| Do | Use the muted variant for secondary content like tips, callouts, or background information. |
| Do | Pair a card with XDSLayout when you need a structured header, scrollable content, and footer with actions. |
| Don't | Nest cards inside other cards — flatten the hierarchy or use a section instead. |
| Don't | Use color variants for status — use Banner or Badge for that. Color cards are for categorization. |