How to go from a simple design file to a production-ready code? It’s easy with App Builder and you now have all the ways and steps outlined in this blog post.
Zdravko Kolev
8min read
Low-code tools like App Builder™ are a game changer. Apart from perceiving them as a strategic move towards digital transformation, more and more companies have started to adopt them in the last couple of years with a more practical idea to convert Figma designs to HTML and also:
So, straight to the point. If you now have a static Figma file and want to transform it to pixel-perfect, production-ready HTML code, this article will show you the steps to do it.
Let’s get started.
Figma is one of the most powerful and popular design tools for creating websites, applications, interactive UI prototypes, logos and vector graphics. Recent statistics indicate that about 4 million people use Figma, among them tech giants like Dropbox, Slack, Twitter. And interestingly, from a design startup, it managed to score the startling valuation of $10 billion last year.
Packed with tons of functionalities, Figma delivers the tools for simple and easy prototyping, ability to monitor and handle real-time project updates, allows users to get/give design reviews and gather insightful feedback.
However, Figma (without plugins) is only good at producing user interfaces and designs. Handling the code usually happens separately.
Now, converting Figma designs to code is a different story. In essence, this refers to the process of transforming a design file created in Figma into a working application with real, usable code. In most cases, the Figma-to-HTML process is carried out by a Figma HTML generator or a Figma-to-HTML plugin.
But before teams reach to this phase, there are other sub-phases or steps that typically take place first:
We talk about the intensified use of app makers that take your design file and turn it into an app. But what exactly led to this intensification? The last couple of years have been turbulent – inflation, market recession, post-pandemic effects and ongoing labor shortages in different countries. There was even the fear that we’re heading back to the 1970’s stagflation. Fortunately, after the initial price shocks and instabilities in many sectors (including IT), things already appear to be moderating.
Why am I referring to these events?
Because they had a huge impact on the software world and the way projects, apps, people, and processes were handled afterwards. So, companies had to evolve.
Streamlining and automation became critical for their survival. And low-code tools turned into instruments to achieve it.
Filling in the void, low-code tools like App Builder are now maturing to an extent that empowers companies, CTOs, Dev Team Leaders, and developers on several levels – from fostering innovation and digital transformation, to redefining the role of development teams.
This way they have the resources to handle everything in design and development – from designing a website, prototyping, turning a complete design file into a production ready app in a few clicks, to data formatting, democratizing code, and more. All of this in a very straightforward and intuitive way, without having to write code yourself.
Generating responsive HTML CSS code and a live, fully functional app out of a Figma design file is now easier and faster with the WYSIWYG low-code App Builder. As we mentioned before, everything you create in Figma uses a design system called Indigo.Design – so all the styling specifications and themes match real UI components.
But before you start, there are several prerequisites:
Based on your account type you can follow these steps in order to start using the Figma UI Kit, or the steps below:
Initial steps include Open App Builder, then, “Crete new application”, and finally “Get assets for.”
Here are the steps if you have a Professional Figma account:
Step 1: Create a duplicate of the UI Kit from the Figma community. Once you have duplicated (Get a copy) the file, it will be placed in “Recent files”.
Step 2: Open the file and use the chevron arrow right next to the file’s name, in order to move the file into your team space.
Step 3: Once the file is moved, open the file and go to the Assets panel. Click on the Team library icon, and you should be able to publish this file as a library, which will distribute all the styles, typography, and components to the rest of your team.
From now on, every time you start a project or continue to work on an existing one within your team space, you will be able to activate this library and use it directly inside your project. Keep in mind that the activation is from Assets > Team library icon > use the switch to activate the library.
For users with a “Free account”, the way to use the UI Kit is quite similar.
Step 1: Once you duplicate the file from the Figma community, you need to move it from Recent files to your team space.
Step 2: Open the file and use the chevron arrow, placed right next to the file’s name, in order to move the file into your team space.
Keep in mind that using the Free Figma plan, allows you to have a maximum of three projects, each of which can contain only three files.
Step 3: Once the file is moved, open the file and go to the Assets panel. Click on the Team library icon, and you should be able to publish this file as a library, which will distribute only the color styles and typography to the rest of your team.
From now on, every time you start a project or continue to work on an existing one within your team space, you will be able to activate this library and use it directly inside your project. The activation is from Assets > Team library icon > use the switch button to activate the library.
Human programming skills are the engine in software development, but the fuel that propels and maximizes their efficiency is automation and design-to-code solutions. With the capacity to generate pixel perfect, high-quality HTML code in an instant, tools like our App Builder reduce the app development process to days, not weeks or months.
What are the core benefits that you get when you export Figma designs to HTML with App Builder?
The latest product updates and enhancements that the development team brought to App Builder turned it into the ultimate design-to-code tool that caters to it all. With support for Sketch already available, the November App Builder release added the brand-new Figma Indigo.Design UI Kit for Material.
Using it, you get all the necessary tools to develop a complete app with the help of automation and a robust set of components, patterns, styling, and customization options. The best part? All static Figma designs become interactive, responsive apps with real UI components, branding, and styling – in a click.
If you are interested, read more about How to Turn Your Sketch Designs into Code.
According to low-code statistics by Forrester, “91% of IT and business decision makers responsible for digital transformation initiatives at enterprises in the US, the UK, Canada, and Australia use low code to improve existing IT capabilities to promote agility and innovation.” And now, they are used as tools to improve developer productivity too. But how?
Here’s a quick trick: you can accelerate the design-to-code process with the help of low-code App Builder and Figma Auto Layout. See how to do it.
How to go from a simple design file to a production-ready code? It’s easy with App Builder and you now have all the ways and steps outlined in this blog post.
