Figma is a design tool that anyone can use freely with just a computer and an internet connection, regardless of time or place. Although it is best known for UI/UX design and design systems, it can also support planning, presentations, animation, illustration, brainstorming, and much more.
Figma is a design tool that anyone can start using freely with just a computer and an internet connection, regardless of time or place. It is commonly used for UI/UX design and design systems, but its applications are virtually limitless: planning, presentations, animation, memes and emoji, and much more. Thanks to that flexibility, Figma had become the hottest tool in UX design by 2020. (https://uxtools.co/survey-2020/)
Figma's strengths can be grouped into three areas.
1. Powerful UI drawing
It combines vector, bitmap, and web tools
- Its powerful vector drawing features let you create freely.
- It stays remarkably fast even with large numbers of images and production-scale files.
- Work is saved automatically on the web, making system-crash losses very rare.
Build high-quality UI components in one tool
- Variants let you express UI states in a sophisticated, structured way.
- Smart Animate lets you turn the interactions you create into reusable library assets.
- Prototyping and animation can be organized and used systematically.
Adapt it to almost any purpose
- Because visual elements can be defined and combined quickly, Figma works for a remarkable range of uses: presentations, animation, illustration, brainstorming, task management, emoji, and even simple games.
- What if you could use an emoji library you made during a live brainstorming session? FigJam, Figma's lighter companion for brainstorming and workshops, makes it possible to share ideas effectively and enjoyably with non-designers too.
Use a wide range of plugins instantly
- Draw arrows between UI screens to make flowcharts.
- Connect spreadsheet data to UI.
- Turn an asset you drew into 3D.
- Find and use free images without leaving Figma.
It is free
- All core drawing features are free, so the free plan is enough for plenty of enjoyable projects.
- Projects also let you collaborate with many people at no cost.
- Paid library and team features become more valuable as your project and Figma practice mature.
2. Easy sharing
Share with a web link
- A single click takes people directly to the location you want them to see.
- Designers, product planners, and developers can work together in the same project file.
- Auto Layout lets you design components in a way that resembles how developers build UI, reducing communication overhead.
- Comments let teams discuss and incorporate feedback directly in the design file.
- Sharing permissions can be tuned precisely, for exactly the people and scope you choose.
- Services such as Jira and Notion support embeds, so teams can inspect live designs from other collaboration tools.
Store work systematically
- You can design anywhere, anytime, as long as you have a computer.
- You can follow the work from almost any electronic device, including tablets, phones, and computers.
- Because files live on the web rather than a local client, version management and rollback are straightforward.
Move straight into development
- Without any extra charge, the Inspect tab organizes every element used to implement the UI, making the file useful for development even without a separate handoff tool.
3. A systematic workflow
Copy and reuse design in a structured way
- Components are copy-and-paste at its most powerful: they make repeated design patterns far easier to manage.
Publish libraries in real time and receive feedback
- Once a library is published, other Figma files can receive its latest changes with the Update button.
- Designers can override library components in many ways while preserving the styles set by the library author.
- Buzzvil Design System example (Apps): the team created and published brand-neutral UI components that reflected the nature of its SDK, allowing people outside the company to study the system as well.
Build your own plugins
- Uber Design System example (Link): rather than stopping at the design work and suggestions Figma provides, Uber built its own plugin so anyone could generate an implementable Uber UI suited to their needs.
An API is available (Link)
- For example, a tool could detect when a designer adds an icon set or style to a Figma file and sync that Figma library with the development library.
