The Complete Figma Design Guide 2026

A reusable design element with a main (source) and instances. Changes to main propagate to all instances. Components support properties (variants, booleans, text, instance swap).

A copy of a component that inherits from its main. Overrides (text, fills, visibility) can be applied without detaching. Reset to main restores original values.

A layout system that automatically sizes and positions children based on direction, gap, padding, and alignment. Equivalent to CSS flexbox. Supports wrap, min/max constraints.

A container element that clips content, supports auto-layout, constraints, and effects. Frames are the building block of Figma layouts, equivalent to <div> in HTML.

Named values (color, number, string, boolean) that can be applied to properties. Support modes (light/dark, languages) and scoping. The foundation of design tokens.

A variation of a component defined by property values. Example: Button with size=sm|md|lg and type=primary|secondary|ghost. Stored in a single component set.

Exposed controls on a component: variant properties (enums), boolean properties (show/hide), text properties, instance swap properties.

Rules that define how a child resizes relative to its parent frame. Options: left, right, top, bottom, center, scale, left & right (stretch).

An interactive preview of a design with transitions, animations, and user flows. Supports click, hover, drag, scroll, keyboard, and timer triggers.

A dedicated view for developers showing measurements, CSS/Swift/Kotlin code, design tokens, annotations, and change tracking.

A named, reusable value in a design system (color, spacing, typography). In Figma, implemented via Variables. Tokens bridge design and code.

A reusable set of properties for color, text, effects, or grid. Being replaced by Variables for colors and numbers in Figma 2026.

A published Figma file whose components, styles, and variables can be used across other files. Team libraries ensure consistency.

A copy of a Figma file for independent work. Can be merged back into the main file with visual diff. Similar to Git branches.

A labeled region on the canvas for organizing frames. Sections can be used as prototype flow starting points and Dev Mode ready markers.

A transition that automatically animates matching layers between prototype frames. Interpolates position, size, rotation, opacity, and fills.

A component with built-in interactions (hover, press, toggle) that work automatically in prototypes without additional connections.

A collaborative whiteboarding tool integrated with Figma. Used for brainstorming, flow diagrams, retrospectives, and planning.

An extension that adds functionality to Figma. Plugins can generate content, check accessibility, export code, manage tokens, and automate tasks.

Interactive objects that live on the Figma or FigJam canvas. Widgets can have state, respond to clicks, and display dynamic content.

Figma REST API for programmatic access to files, components, styles, and comments. Used for design system tooling, documentation generation, and CI/CD.

Dev Mode feature for designers to add implementation notes, specs, and context directly on the canvas for developers.

A status marker in Dev Mode indicating that a section has been reviewed and is ready for implementation.

A container that groups all variants of a component. Displayed as a dashed purple border. Each variant has unique property values.

Breaking the link between an instance and its main component. The instance becomes a regular frame. Avoid detaching when possible.

A change made to an instance that differs from its main component. Overrides include text, fills, visibility, and nested instance swaps.

Shape combination operations: Union, Subtract, Intersect, Exclude. Create complex shapes from simple ones.

A shape that clips the content of layers above it. The mask shape defines the visible area.

Layout grid overlays on frames: rows, columns, and grid systems. Multiple grids can be combined. Helps maintain alignment.

Visual effects applied to layers: drop shadow, inner shadow, layer blur, background blur. Can be combined and animated.

A named configuration for variables (Light, Dark, High Contrast). Switch between modes to see different themes without duplicating designs.

Restricting where variables can be applied (fill only, stroke only, text only). Prevents misuse and keeps the variable picker clean.

A marketplace for free and paid design resources: UI kits, templates, plugins, widgets, and icons shared by the design community.

Select and edit multiple matching instances simultaneously. Change text, properties, or styles across all selected instances at once.

Figma presentation mode using frames as slides. Supports transitions, animations, and speaker notes.

Following another user cursor in real-time. Useful for design reviews and pair design sessions.

Automatic versioning of Figma files. Browse, restore, and name previous versions. Shows who made changes and when.

A Figma plugin for managing design tokens as JSON. Syncs with GitHub/GitLab for CI/CD. Supports multi-theme, composition, and math expressions.

How elements resize when their parent frame changes size. Controlled by constraints (pin to edges, stretch, scale) and auto-layout.

Removing a child from auto-layout flow. The child is positioned manually relative to the parent frame, similar to CSS position: absolute.