Are you a frontend developer who loves using Tailwind CSS for its utility-first approach and flexibility? If so, you understand the challenges of translating Figma designs into Tailwind-enhanced React components. Aligning new components with both design fidelity and your established styling conventions can be time-consuming.

That’s where Frontier comes in—a revolutionary tool that seamlessly transforms Figma files into React code, perfectly integrating with your existing Tailwind configurations. Frontier meets you where you work, in VS Code.

Effortless Figma to React Conversion in VSCode

• Converting Figma designs into React components is more streamlined with Frontier. Here’s how it enhances your workflow:
• Automatic Component Detection: Frontier scans your Figma design and identifies potential direct matches with existing React components in your codebase.
• Component Reuse: Frontier generates code that reuses your existing components, enhancing efficiency and reducing code duplication.
• Tailwind CSS Code Generation: Automatically generates the necessary React code with Tailwind classes applied, preserving the intended design aesthetics while adhering to your predefined styles.
• Reduce Redundancy: This approach not only accelerates development but also helps keep your codebase clean and manageable.

(Not using VSCode? Translate Figma to Tailwind in Figma)

Seamless Integration with Your Tailwind Config

Frontier does more than just convert designs—it ensures the generated code integrates flawlessly with your existing project frameworks:

• Tailwind Config Utilization: Detects and uses your tailwind.config.js file, allowing all generated components to inherit your custom styling rules automatically.
• Intelligent Style Application: Ensures that every component not only matches the design specs but also aligns with your established Tailwind conventions. If needed, Frontier will generate new style configurations that you can then add to your original config file.

For front-end developers using Tailwind CSS, Frontier offers a powerful way to enhance your development workflow. It ensures precise translation of your Figma designs into React components and maintains style consistency through smart integration with your Tailwind setup.

Start using Frontier today and take your Tailwind projects to the next level, where design meets code not just with accuracy, but with style

The post Convert Figma to React & Tailwind Automatically in VSCode appeared first on Anima Blog.

Joining a new project can be as exciting as it is daunting, especially when you need to familiarize yourself quickly with the existing codebase and development practices. Frontier, our innovative coding assistant, is designed to seamlessly integrate newcomers into the development process, making the transition smooth and efficient.

Here’s how Frontier can be a game-changer for developers new to a project

1. Effortless Component Discovery:

   • Seamless Integration: Frontier eliminates the need to manually search for components. Its advanced matching algorithms automatically identify and suggest the right components from the existing codebase that correspond to elements in your Figma designs.
   • Accelerated Learning Curve: This feature not only speeds up the development process but also facilitates a deep understanding of the component architecture without the need to sift through documentation or seek extensive input from senior developers.

2. Learn from the Best with Contributor Insights:

   • Follow Proven Practices: Frontier provides details about the last contributor and modification dates for each component usage, guiding you to follow coding patterns endorsed by top developers within your team.
   • Access to Mentorship: Highlighting contributors also helps identify potential mentors, offering insights into whom to approach for advanced learning and advice on adhering to the best practices.
     

3. Streamlined Onboarding Process

• • Rapid Contribution: Frontier’s deep integration with your project’s existing structures allows you to start contributing meaningful code almost immediately, minimizing the usual learning and adjustment period.
  • Consistent Code Quality: Frontier respects and adapts to your project’s established coding conventions, ensuring all new code is consistent and harmonious with existing development standards.

Get Frontier

Here’s why Frontier can be a game-changer for Managers and Teams:

1. Accelerate Developer Ramp-Up

   Drastically shorten the learning curve for new developers, enabling quicker and more impactful contributions.

2. Ensure Coding Consistency:

   Maintain a high standard of code quality from day one, minimizing the need for later corrections and ensuring consistency across the project.

3. Boost Team Collaboration:

   Create a supportive environment where new developers are well-informed about team coding responsibilities and patterns, fostering better communication and collaboration.

     

Frontier isn’t just a tool; it’s your partner in coding. By removing the common barriers new developers face, Frontier allows you to focus on what you do best: coding solutions that matter.

Start your journey with Frontier today and experience a smoother, more intuitive integration into your new project.

Get Access

The post Joining a New Project? Code Smarter and Faster from Your First Day appeared first on Anima Blog.

Give it a go, and let us know what you think

1. Open your ready-to-export Figma design
2. Select Tailwind CSS as your desired styling output
3. Click ‘Export’ or ‘Inspect Code’ in Figma
   

For a more detailed step-by-step, check our article “How to export Tailwind CSS from Figma”.

The post Introducing Tailwind CSS Support in Anima appeared first on Anima Blog.

We’re thrilled to announce that Anima’s HTML support has made its way into Figma’s Dev Mode! This significant enhancement is here to expedite your design-to-code workflow

 

How to Translate Your Designs into HTML:

Build in Figma, and Anima will translate your designs into HTML. Here’s how:

1. Select Frames: Choose the frames you want to translate into code in your Figma design.
2. Generate HTML and CSS: Anima will work its magic and generate the corresponding HTML and CSS code for your selected frames. No need to painstakingly translate your designs – Anima does it for you.
3. Multiple Export Options: Choose from various export options – 
   • copy the generated code
   • download it as a complete package
   • open directly to CodeSandbox for further customization

HTML is an excellent choice for:

• Crafting static web pages.
• Executing effective marketing campaigns.
• Publishing straightforward web projects.

React shines when it comes to:

• Creating interactive and dynamic web applications.
• Building with reusable components.

The post Introducing HTML Support in Figma’s Dev Mode with Anima appeared first on Anima Blog.

The future of coding with Figma variables is here and available to all. Just hit the ‘Export’ or ‘Inspect Code’ in Anima, and watch your designs come to life in code form. Experience the speed and convenience today, and let us know what you think

The post Figma Variable support: Speed up your development process with Anima for Figma appeared first on Anima Blog.

As Figma continues to close the structural gap between design and development, Anima’s generated code continues to support it. And with Figma’s recent addition of developer-friendly Min/Max and Wrap options to its Auto Layout features, Anima’s responsive CSS just took a huge leap forward.

What are the Benefits of Min/Max and Wrap in Figma?

The primary benefit for both designers and developers is responsiveness, with fewer Auto Layout containers and more efficient code.

• Designers can apply responsive behavior to multiple rows of elements with a single Auto Layout container (less complexity), and create fluid and responsive layouts that adjust smoothly to different screen sizes.
• Developers get a ‘flex-wrap’ CSS property, which is great for creating responsive layouts that allow elements to wrap onto multiple lines when container width/height is limited.

How does Min/Max and Wrap support improve Anima’s code?

By leveraging Figma’s Min/Max and Wrap features, Anima’s code generation process becomes more efficient, resulting in cleaner, more maintainable CSS.

The ‘flex-wrap’ property is utilized for wrapping elements onto multiple lines, enabling the creation of flexible and adaptive layouts that seamlessly adjust to different screen sizes.

An example of Anima’s Min/Max + Wrap support

Here’s an example of Min/Max and Wrap, applied together to several rows of cards in Figma:

And here’s the resulting CSS code from Anima:

Try it free and tell us what you think!

For a limited time, Anima’s CodeGen AI is free to use in Figma’s new Dev Mode panel. You can follow this step-by-step tutorial to access Anima’s integration and generate your code.

We’re continuing to improve the quality of our React code, and thanks to your input we’ve raised the bar for the entire industry. Hit us up on Discord and let us know what you like, dislike, and what you want to see next. We’re listening!

Deliver frontend 2x faster with clean, efficient React and CSS in Figma. Try for free

The post Anima now supports Figma’s ‘Min/Max’ & ‘Wrap’ features appeared first on Anima Blog.

Anima’s CodeGen AI is at the forefront of the design-to-code movement, instantly turning Figma components into reusable React components inside Figma. And our generated code just got even better.

Anima now converts Figma Styles into reusable CSS variables!

As of today, Anima’s CodeGen AI gives you:

• Clean React (TypeScript or JavaScript): Fully functional React code that can run instantly, including sub-component support
• Variant & props support: Stateful and interactive React components based on your Figma variants and props
• Responsive layout: Responsive CSS flexbox derived from Figma Auto Layout parameters
• CSS variables: Figma Styles mapped as CSS variables for reuse throughout your build

What are the benefits?

• Get CSS variables that match designer intent with zero manual effort
• Populate and maintain a clean, efficient CSS codebase
• Ensure greater styling consistency with minimal redundancy

What Styles are supported?

CodeGen’s CSS currently supports all Figma Styles—effects, colors, and typography—with full Figma Variables support on the way.

Try it for free and tell us what you think!

For a limited time, Anima’s CodeGen AI is free to use in Figma’s new Dev Mode panel. You can follow this step-by-step tutorial to access Anima’s integration and generate your code.

We’re continuing to improve the quality of our React code, and thanks to your input we’ve raised the bar for the entire industry. Hit us up on Discord and let us know what you like, dislike, and what you want to see next. We’re listening!

Build frontend 2x faster with instant React components in Figma Sign up now

The post Figma Styles now automatically generated as CSS variables appeared first on Anima Blog.

Anima’s powerful design system automation tool connects your component library in code with your design library in Figma, creating a single source of truth for your design system. After 3 months of limited access, it’s now publicly available directly from Anima’s plugin.

This tool ensures seamless collaboration between designers and developers, lasting consistency between code and design, and the bottom-line benefits of a robust design system—with minimal manual effort.

How it works

To connect your coded component library with Figma, you’ll first need to create a Storybook. If/when you’ve populated a Storybook with your code components, Anima will translate them into Figma components automatically. Once they’re linked, your Figma component library will match your code component library.

Full documentation here

Two methods for connecting your Storybook

1. URL method (basic)

This is the quickest and easiest way to get started. All you need to do is paste your Storybook’s URL into Anima’s plugin. You’ll be able to explore your code components right from Figma and generate a library immediately.

When to use 

The URL method is a great choice if you want to quickly prove the concept—and don’t need continuous updates or automated maintenance.

Main benefits:

• Speed: This is a fast, frictionless way to generate a library in Figma based on your code components—as long as you don’t need continuous updates.
• Ease of use: There are no complex technical steps to execute this method. Simply copy and paste your Storybook’s URL into the plugin.

2. CLI method (advanced)

If you want more advanced capabilities, you can use the CLI method. By using CLI command on your local or CI machine, you establish a permanent link between your Figma library and Storybook. 

When to use

The CLI method is necessary when you need to establish a continuous automated workflow, including automatic updates in Figma whenever a component changes in the code.

Main benefits:

• Continuous updates: Anima’s continuous update feature monitors code changes and displays them in Figma. Designers are notified of the updates and can easily communicate with developers to approve and pull changes, or disapprove and talk to their developers.
• Design tokens usage: With the CLI integration, the generated components will have the design tokens that exist in the code, and designers will be able to edit and push changes to GitHub.

Optional methods for connecting Storybook to Figma: import via URL or sync via CLI

TL;DR

• Anima automatically connects your component library in code with your design library in Figma to create a sustainable single source of truth for your design system.
• Anima’s Design System Automation solution enables seamless collaboration and unparalleled consistency between design and development.
• Anima offers two methods for integration: URL (immediate POV) and CLI (continuous workflows).
• Whichever method you choose, you’ll reap the benefits of a robust design system—including speed, consistency, and scalability—without the costs.

Reap the benefits of a robust design system without the costs. Sign up now!

The post Anima’s Design System Automation is now available to all appeared first on Anima Blog.

From Storybook to native Figma library in a single click! 👉Sign up here for early access👈

Using component libraries is the best way to create and maintain consistency across your entire product. This is especially true if you’re working on a large, dynamic product or with a broad, distributed team

But how hard is it to keep your design library up-to-date with the components in your codebase? How about making sure component names in your design match those in the code? Or determining which components have already been developed, and which ones only exist in Figma?

Not as hard as you think if you let Anima automate the process for you.

Go from Storybook to Figma with Anima

Now you can build a native Figma library from your code component library—automatically—in a single click.

1. Generate a Figma library file from your live code components including all variants and naming conventions (with Anima)
2. Publish and share it with your team (natively within Figma)

  Your team can now build flows with the exact components that your users are seeing—using Figma’s native capabilities. Sign up here for early access!

Who is this for?

Designers

• Create a Figma library file based on your existing code components

                  Know which components exist in production (see what your users are seeing)

                  All code components are built as Figma components (reuse instead of reinventing what already exists)

                  All properties defined in the code are mapped into variants

• Use Figma’s native UI capabilities without changing how you work
• No more designs that get lost in translation

Developers

• Encourage your designers to re-use existing components (instead of designing similar components from scratch)
• Get designs that contain the exact components you have in the code

                  Same names and properties

                  Link to each component in Storybook

• Know if the design you’re handed is re-using existing components, or contains new components you’ll need to build

What’s next?

1. Visual accuracy

   We’re eliminating visual differences between your code components and your Figma components by adding extensive support of CSS properties

2. Responsiveness

   We’re making your components as useful as possible by translating existing CSS props into Figma Auto Layout definitions.

3. Continuous sync

   We’re ensuring that your Figma library is always up-to-date with what exists in the code. We’re adding a function that informs you when a component’s code has been changed, with the option to update it throughout your design in a click.

Got new ideas or requests? Contact us!

We’re constantly working to improve the Anima+Storybook integration, and we’d love to hear your thoughts. Let us know what you like, what you don’t, and what features or changes would make this the perfect integration for you. Don’t hold back—we’re all ears!

Feel free to reach out to us using our Discord community to ask questions, provide feedback, report bugs, and request features
Book a demo with us to get access here

The post Generate a shareable Figma library from Storybook in a single click appeared first on Anima Blog.

Updated May 24, 2023

TL;DR —Designers and developers don’t have a single source of truth. Designers build libraries in their design tools (e.g. Figma, Adobe XD and Sketch). But more often than not, those libraries either don’t match or aren’t updated with the equivalent code components their developers use. This frustrates both designers and developers, who waste time rebuilding instead of reusing components and their variants. The result is messy code and designs that don’t match the final product.

The problem: design and development are not in sync

Designers are using their Figma libraries, which are isolated from their developers’ code libraries. Developers are using their code libraries to reproduce designs as efficiently as possible, but the components don’t look the same. Or worse yet, they’re building the components from scratch, either because similar components don’t exist in the codebase or because there are too many components to sift through.

This wastes precious time for both designers and developers, and results in inferior products that take longer to produce.

The solution: creating a single source of truth

At Anima, we’re working on creating a single source of truth between designers and developers. Now, we’re allowing designers to bring their live code components—along with all of the variants that exist into code—into their existing design tools via Storybook (starting with Figma :)). They can import an individual component’s story (aka the component and all of its variants), or an entire Storybook library in a single click. This will enable them to see exactly what their users will see as they’re designing.

This also means that in the not-so-distant future, designers will be notified when a component’s code changes in a way that affects their designs. They’ll be able to discuss changes with their developers or update their designs using the revised components.

From Storybook to Figma in a single click! 👉Sign up here

We need your feedback to continue perfecting it. Join us, tell us what you like, what you don’t, and what you want to see next (sign up here!).

And we’re just getting started .

Benefits of connecting your codebase to your design tools

Benefits for designers

Now you can see all of the components in your developer’s codebase mapped out in Figma—including all variants defined in the code. You’ll know what your users are actually seeing, and design with existing components before wasting time building new ones. This means your designs won’t get lost in translation, and the final results will look exactly as you intended.

Designers, we want to hear your voice! Sign up to start designing with live components!

Benefits for developers

You’ll be able to help your designers use existing components, so you can reuse instead of rebuilding what already exists in your codebase. You’ll know when designers hand you an existing component (with a link to its storybook :)), or a new component you need to code from scratch. By using your existing codebase—which is clean and ready for rapid deployment—you’ll be able to build quickly and accurately, with minimal iterations.

Developers, help us prioritize our efforts! Sign up to start sending your code components to Figma!

Benefits for Founders & MVP builders

Don’t have design resources? Need to ship MVPs fast? Just select an open source library, then let us convert it into Figma components and export the code for you.

Decision makers, tell us what you think! Sign up to cut your time to market in half!

Coming up: continuous syncing between design and development

At the current stage, we’re enabling teams to import either individual code components (including all variants) or complete component libraries from Storybook into Figma. But this is just the beginning. Eventually, you’ll be able to continually sync your entire design system to Figma (as well as Adobe XD and Sketch) so designers can access all of your updated code components at once.

Designers will be notified when there are changes to the code that affect what users are seeing, and automatically update their designs to match.

Developers will know exactly which code components to use for each design, or if they need to build new ones.

Maintaining both design libraries and component libraries in code is a massive task, and we’re one step closer to automating it completely.

Help us perfect the solution

We’re working hard to replace the handoff process with a seamless, continuous flow between designers and developers. We’re committed to tailoring our product to each of your unique needs and use cases.

Don’t be shy! JOIN US NOW on Discord and provide your input to help us build the best solution for you.

Ready to be a part of the conversation?

The post Bring Storybook components into Figma appeared first on Anima Blog.