Learning Figma

Just one of the things I'm learning. https://github.com/hchiam/learning

If you can't remember keyboard shortcuts or just want to search available actions, hit command + / (mac) OR Ctrl + / (pc).

Following tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3q3FV65ZrUs (But you might want to look at the short official Figma intro tutorials playlist.)

Example Figma interative demo page: https://www.figma.com/proto/dWPMZc0LYEkG7VB9uqUV6S/Figma-Tutorial?node-id=2%3A2&scaling=scale-down

Example Figma project page: https://www.figma.com/file/dWPMZc0LYEkG7VB9uqUV6S/Figma-Tutorial?node-id=0%3A1

Another interactive demo (hover and click): https://www.figma.com/proto/UTTgyhTIfjDeV5r0MQg0vU/First-Figma-File?node-id=2%3A13&scaling=contain

And another, newer tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-2Gdmx0t08

Learn Bravo to make native apps from Figma prototypes: https://github.com/hchiam/learning-bravo-studio

Note that Figma isn't just collaborative clean drawing or making component instances update from one place, it also has interactivity and the components can be made responsive to frame resizing (constraints) and "Auto Layout", which reminds me of CSS flexbox, but lets components expand/push down with new content like text while preserving a gap between.

• btw: contraints vs auto layout in Figma:
  • constraints: objects respond to parent frame changing
  • auto layout: parent frame responds to child objects changing
• and Figma also has variables and conditionals

Tips on Figma components: tips like how to organize and swap between components - pros/cons of separate state components vs nested (hidden) variations in single master components

• Create component > Add variant (default variant will be in top-left)

Prototype interaction info: https://youtu.be/lTIeZ2ahEkQ?feature=shared&t=316

• Anyone logged in to Figma can add comments at the prototype view link.
• You can do a usability test with Figma by seeing their interactions with the prototype! Click on a viewer's avatar to use observation mode on the shared prototype view link.

Example components library (login, then see Assets and search): https://www.figma.com/file/HD9OYLfuDqWgaJ1JfScNZF/Example-Components-Library-(search-the-Assets)?type=design&node-id=0%3A1&mode=design&t=JAlvQci4xpWKErsT-1

"Figma for VS Code" extension so devs can collaborate from VSCode in real time, and get code suggestions based on Figma designs: https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=figma.figma-vscode-extension - NOTE: in beta as of 2023

Dev mode Figma to translate design to code faster (in beta as of 2023):

• NON-dev mode (design mode) example: https://www.figma.com/file/UNYqpMVdlSlnjuBO20WRfr/Mobile-Wireframe-UI-Kit-(Community)?type=design&node-id=37-92&mode=design&t=rwE92hE52j9xtQIm-0
• dev mode example: https://www.figma.com/file/UNYqpMVdlSlnjuBO20WRfr/Mobile-Wireframe-UI-Kit-(Community)?node-id=40%3A191&mode=dev (you need to be logged into Figma) with things like:
• hover to inspect some things kinda like DevTools or VisBug
• click to copy generated code (CSS/HTML/JSX/Tailwind/etc.!) to clipboard
• click to download icon SVGs

Design system / design tokens:

• Tokens, variables, and styles - Update: Introduction to design systems
  • create linked style variables that are reusable and inheritable (can be implemented as CSS variables, i.e. CSS custom properties)
  • you can hide primitive values: right click > Edit variables > uncheck "Show in all supported properties" and check "Hide from publishing"
  • variable modes = "table" of alternate values in Figma, e.g. dark mode values LETS YOU SWITCH TO ALL DARK MODE VALUES QUICKLY IN FIGMA!!! Design > Local variables > add a column! Then you can switch to dark mode values of all variables with Design > Layer > Tokens: Dark.
• open-props figma tokens

A quick summary of other design tools:

From Meng To:

My thoughts on design tools and why you should pick them.

Figma: collaboration and all-in-one
Sketch: maturity and plugins
Framer: code and advanced prototyping
Studio: free and animation
XD: speed and adobe platform

Or if you have more time, read a more involved analysis on smashingmagazine.com.

For creating images like SVGs, I'd use Photopea

While Figma is good for collaboration, you might want to consider Storybook instead for code and "live" components.

You might also be interested in:

Lottie files for animations

• https://github.com/hchiam/learning-lottie
• via the Lottie plugin for Figma
• You might want to consider Lottielab with/without Figma to generate animations with curved paths
  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9KP44kj0gU
  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LooU8K3UgNE