Tweets

An easier way to manage tabular data

A smart combination of using components and Auto Layout.

Just found an easier way to manage tabular data in @figmadesign that allows you to resize columns, swap columns/rows. pic.twitter.com/yskDXCBvrN
— Gavin McFarland (@gavinmcfarland) September 10, 2020

Issue #23
Sep 20, 2020
#App Updates

Fun with Rotational Symmetry

Miguel Cardona shows how to use components and instances to create some cool illustrative effects.

Any one want this as a @figmadesign community file? pic.twitter.com/89DAZifFjY
— miggi from figgi (@miggi) September 7, 2020

Figma now uses up to 2,000% less memory

Huge performance improvement.

🤯 @figmadesign #ConfigEurope pic.twitter.com/mflH3kGK12
— miggi from figgi (@miggi) September 17, 2020

Issue #23
Sep 20, 2020
#App Updates

Design like you code with Auto Layout

“Elements can fill their containers in both directions; you can set independent padding values; and items can be set to space between.” (Coming in November.)

💪 Auto Layout is getting more flexible, and has a fresh new look.

Elements can fill their containers in both directions; you can set independent padding values; and items can be set to space between. Coming soon! #ConfigEurope pic.twitter.com/m7VItOdpuL
— Figma (@figma) September 17, 2020

Issue #23
Sep 20, 2020
#Auto Layout

Drag and drop Interactive Components into prototypes

“Add interactions between component variations in your design system and reuse them in your prototypes with no extra work.” (Launching in January 2021.)

▶️ With Variants, you’ll also get Interactive Components.

Add interactions between component variations in your design system and reuse them in your prototypes with no extra work. Coming soon! #ConfigEurope pic.twitter.com/njblbJ1JEy
— Figma (@figma) September 17, 2020

Excited about creating variants?

Luis shows how converting the whole GitHub Primer buttons library to variants took less than a minute.

Excited about today's @figmadesign announcement about creating variants with components?

Here's a video of me converting the @githubdesign Primer buttons library in under a minute.

👩🏼‍🎨 pic.twitter.com/nin9hFcpkj
— luis. (@disco_lu) September 17, 2020

Bridging code and design components with Variants

“Combine variations of the same component for different interactive states, colors, and sizes to mirror your front-end code and simplify your asset library.” (Coming in November.)

💠 Just announced at #ConfigEurope, and coming soon: Variants!

Combine variations of the same component for different interactive states, colors, and sizes to mirror your front-end code and simplify your asset library. pic.twitter.com/eF9fBy7ejT
— Figma (@figma) September 17, 2020

Demo of Vector Networks

Miguel Cardona shows how cool and powerful Vector Networks are. The vector editing toolset in Figma is unique and worth getting familiar with.

Making little @figmadesign demos on iterating simple illustrations and components... Wait for it... Still can't get over how awesome vector networks are. pic.twitter.com/Sg9k1EvJfv
— miggi from figgi (@miggi) August 30, 2020

A Twitter thread on organizing design files in Figma. The approach includes adding a mini doc and a thumbnail, annotating elements and edge cases, grouping components, marking Work in Progress, and organizing pages.

Here's how I organize my design file after it reaches a certain stage. This has worked for me over the years. Hope this helps others too. 😇

Firstly, I add a mini design doc/summary of all important things for someone viewing the file.

And a simple thumbnail 😌
(1/8) https://t.co/FEMQ7ruNKu pic.twitter.com/joc5A5epYz
— → (@hckmstrrahul) August 17, 2020

Issue #22
Sep 6, 2020
#Organizing

Combine Layout Grids with Constraints

Joey Banks shows a nice use case for combining Layout Grids with Constraints. For a deeper dive, check out my older article on this feature.

Here's a quick @figmadesign speedrun to show how you can combine Layout Grids with Constraints to create the perfect effect when resizing a frame/component with nested items. ↔️✨ pic.twitter.com/cMSken1lJO
— Joey Banks (@joeyabanks) September 3, 2020

Use shiki-svg-renderer to render code to SVG

A smart way to export code with syntax highlighting to Figma.

With shiki 0.2.0, you can use `shiki-svg-renderer` to render code to SVG and edit them in @figmadesign / Affinity Photo / Adobe Illustrator. Enjoy 🏳️‍🌈https://t.co/Ws85bNyXds https://t.co/cap2cytjWy pic.twitter.com/6EwhDHWVcx
— Pine (@octref) August 24, 2020

How to add “native” Find functionality to Figma

Joel Califa suggests assigning a system shortcut to the Find & Replace plugin.

Figma tip:

1. Install the Find & Replace plugin: https://t.co/pRNsFbm8ag

2. Go to your mac's System Preferences > Keyboard > Shortcuts and make ⌘F trigger it.

3. You now have "native" Find functionality on @figmadesign 🔍✨ pic.twitter.com/R3aJz6AFaz
— Joel Califa (@notdetails) August 15, 2020

Return to Instance after editing the Main Component

Meng To points to a useful feature that can be easy to miss.

I didn't know this @figmadesign trick for the longest time. You can return to instance after edit AND after selecting back the component. pic.twitter.com/BVYLVs7pyt
— Meng To (@MengTo) August 12, 2020

Anyone else using spacers in Figma’s Auto Layout?

Can’t wait to see what they’ve got!

We’ve got something brewing that I think you’ll like ;–)
— Rasmus Andersson (@rsms) August 20, 2020

Confessions that will get your Figma design card revoked

The replies are fun, but also highly educational about all the wrong ways to do things in Figma.

Ok. Let's do this @figmadesign... pic.twitter.com/mCwbISqSxw
— ˗ˏˋrogieˎˊ (@rogie) August 6, 2020

Lyft’s internal plugin for switching between light and dark mode

A great example of building a simple internal plugin around your own design system to automate routine work.

we released an internal @figmadesign plugin today at @lyftdesignteam that allows designers to seamlessly switch between light and dark mode directly within Figma. and yes, it does support elevation overlays. pic.twitter.com/z7TLp0xpXX
— Alex Lockwood (@alexjlockwood) July 29, 2020

Effect icons indicate the offset direction

Love the attention to details in Figma!

My friend Nether @nether8904 told me that Figma effect styles' icon will indicate the offset direction. That's a really cool detail! @figmadesign pic.twitter.com/VKrTvxD3iA
— Hal (@leadream4) August 1, 2020

Issue #20
Aug 9, 2020
#Effects

Option/Alt + L to collapse all groups and frames in the Layers panel

Gleb Sabirzyanov on how not to lose your head while navigating layers.

Figma shortcut of the day: Alt/Option + L will collapse all groups & frames in the layers panel! ✨

When there are so many objects that you start losing your head while navigating the layers — Alt + L (win) or Option + L (mac) is your savior! @figmadesign #FigmaTip pic.twitter.com/8KGeka1E9r
— Gleb Sabirzyanov (@gleb_sexy) July 29, 2020

Cmd/Ctrl + right-click the object to show child/parent objects

Rogie shares a good tip on navigating nested layers.

Tired of clicking into nested layers in @figmadesign & don't know how many layers deep you have to go to get to the thing?

Cmd/Ctrl + Right Click the object and out whips this friendly little menu that shows child/parent objects. Ditch that layer panel like a boss.#figmatips pic.twitter.com/fU0T26leL7
— ˗ˏˋrogieˎˊ (@rogie) July 27, 2020

Using Elgato StreamDeck with Figma

Seems like a cool device to speed up work. (Or you can learn shortcuts for free.)

A few weeks ago I ordered an @elgatogaming #StreamDeck to help me be more productive as an agency co-founder and designer. My findings so far:

TL;DR it's helped me both speed up my design workflow in @figmadesign as well as made KM macro's more top-of-mind pic.twitter.com/rSxQgGRU3S
— Leon Ephraïm (@leonephraim) July 29, 2020

Issue #20
Aug 9, 2020
#Shortcuts