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A First Look at Figma Dev Mode

A First Look at Figma Dev Mode

Figma

I recently discovered Figma's Dev Mode and it looks like this could transform the designer-to-developer handoff process and be a game changer for many.

What is Dev Mode?

Dev Mode is Figma's developer-focused interface for inspecting and navigating designs. It provides everything you need to transform designs into code while ensuring that crucial details aren't lost in the handoff process.

You can access it in any Figma Design file by clicking the Dev Mode toggle or using the keyboard shortcut Shift+D.

Why Dev Mode is Awesome for Frontend Devs

After spending some time with Dev Mode, here are some impactful features:

1. Enhanced Inspection Capabilities

The inspect panel displays design specs and relevant component information needed to understand a design and transform it into code. When you click any object on the canvas, you'll get a typographic preview or box model, followed by autogenerated code snippets for the object.

What's great is that you can select your preferred language and units for the generated code. No more manual calculations or guesswork!

2. Track Design Changes

One of my favorite features is the ability to compare design changes. If changes have been made since you last viewed a file, a "Compare changes" link appears in the inspect panel. This opens a frame history modal where you can compare the current version to previous versions of the design.

This is incredibly useful for catching subtle changes that might otherwise go unnoticed.

3. Component Playground

When selecting a component or instance, you'll see a component preview, a link to the main component, and can access the component playground. This lets you experiment with the component's different properties without changing the actual design.

I've found this invaluable for understanding how components are meant to behave in different states.

4. VS Code Integration

Figma for VS Code lets you navigate and inspect design files, collaborate with designers, track design changes, and speed up design implementation - all without leaving your text editor. You can see and respond to comments and activity in real time, get code suggestions based on designs, and link code files to design components.

This integration has dramatically reduced my context-switching throughout the day.

Quick Tips for Getting Started

  1. Use the keyboard shortcut: Shift+D toggles Dev Mode on and off.
  2. Look for "Ready for Dev" markers: Designers can mark assets as ready for development, making it easy to see what you should be working on.
  3. Customize your code output: Change the language and units in the inspection panel to match your project requirements.
  4. Link to external resources: Both you and designers can add links to GitHub, Jira, or Storybook to help with implementation.
  5. Pay attention to annotations: Designers can now add measurements and notes directly on the designs to provide additional context.

Concluding Thoughts So Far

The gap between design and development can be frustrating. Dev Mode genuinely bridges this gap in a way that respects both the designer's vision and the developer's needs.

The ability to inspect designs and write code side-by-side can cut implementation time significantly, and could improve the quality of my work because of not missing small but important details.

If you're interested in learning more, I highly recommend checking out Figma's Guide to Dev Mode for a comprehensive overview of all the features.