use_figma — Figma Plugin API Skill

Use use_figma MCP to execute JavaScript in Figma files via the Plugin API. All detailed reference docs live in references/.

Always pass skillNames: "figma-use" when calling use_figma. This is a logging parameter used to track skill usage — it does not affect execution.

If the task involves building or updating a full page, screen, or multi-section layout in Figma from code, also load figma-generate-design. It provides the workflow for discovering design system components via search_design_system, importing them, and assembling screens incrementally. Both skills work together: this one for the API rules, that one for the screen-building workflow.

Before anything, load plugin-api-standalone.index.md to understand what is possible. When you are asked to write plugin API code, use this context to grep plugin-api-standalone.d.ts for relevant types, methods, and properties. This is the definitive source of truth for the API surface. It is a large typings file, so do not load it all at once, grep for relevant sections as needed.

IMPORTANT: Whenever you work with design systems, start with working-with-design-systems/wwds.md to understand the key concepts, processes, and guidelines for working with design systems in Figma. Then load the more specific references for components, variables, text styles, and effect styles as needed.

1. Critical Rules

Use return to send data back. The return value is JSON-serialized automatically (objects, arrays, strings, numbers). Do NOT call figma.closePlugin() or wrap code in an async IIFE — this is handled for you.
Write plain JavaScript with top-level await and return. Code is automatically wrapped in an async context. Do NOT wrap in (async () => { ... })().
figma.notify() throws "not implemented" — never use it 3a. getPluginData() / setPluginData() are not supported in use_figma — do not use them. Use getSharedPluginData() / setSharedPluginData() instead (these ARE supported), or track node IDs by returning them and passing them to subsequent calls.
console.log() is NOT returned — use return for output
Work incrementally in small steps. Break large operations into multiple use_figma calls. Validate after each step. This is the single most important practice for avoiding bugs.
Colors are 0–1 range (not 0–255): {r: 1, g: 0, b: 0} = red
Fills/strokes are read-only arrays — clone, modify, reassign
Font MUST be loaded before any text operation: await figma.loadFontAsync({family, style})
Pages load incrementally — use await figma.setCurrentPageAsync(page) to switch pages and load their content (see Page Rules below)
setBoundVariableForPaint returns a NEW paint — must capture and reassign
createVariable accepts collection object or ID string (object preferred)
layoutSizingHorizontal/Vertical = 'FILL' MUST be set AFTER parent.appendChild(child) — setting before append throws. Same applies to 'HUG' on non-auto-layout nodes.
Position new top-level nodes away from (0,0). Nodes appended directly to the page default to (0,0). Scan figma.currentPage.children to find a clear position (e.g., to the right of the rightmost node). This only applies to page-level nodes — nodes nested inside other frames or auto-layout containers are positioned by their parent. See Gotchas.
On use_figma error, STOP. Do NOT immediately retry. Failed scripts are atomic — if a script errors, it is not executed at all and no changes are made to the file. Read the error message carefully, fix the script, then retry. See Error Recovery.
MUST return ALL created/mutated node IDs. Whenever a script creates new nodes or mutates existing ones on the canvas, collect every affected node ID and return them in a structured object (e.g. return { createdNodeIds: [...], mutatedNodeIds: [...] }). This is essential for subsequent calls to reference, validate, or clean up those nodes.
Always set variable.scopes explicitly when creating variables. The default ALL_SCOPES pollutes every property picker — almost never what you want. Use specific scopes like ["FRAME_FILL", "SHAPE_FILL"] for backgrounds, ["TEXT_FILL"] for text colors, ["GAP"] for spacing, etc. See variable-patterns.md for the full list.
await every Promise. Never leave a Promise unawaited — unawaited async calls (e.g. figma.loadFontAsync(...) without await, or figma.setCurrentPageAsync(page) without await) will fire-and-forget, causing silent failures or race conditions. The script may return before the async operation completes, leading to missing data or half-applied changes.

For detailed WRONG/CORRECT examples of each rule, see Gotchas & Common Mistakes.

2. Page Rules (Critical)

Page context resets between use_figma calls — figma.currentPage starts on the first page each time.

Switching pages

Use await figma.setCurrentPageAsync(page) to switch pages and load their content. The sync setter figma.currentPage = page throws an error in use_figma runtimes.

// Switch to a specific page (loads its content)
const targetPage = figma.root.children.find((p) => p.name === "My Page");
await figma.setCurrentPageAsync(targetPage);
// targetPage.children is now populated

// Iterate over all pages
for (const page of figma.root.children) {
  await figma.setCurrentPageAsync(page);
  // page.children is now loaded — read or modify them here
}

Across script runs

figma.currentPage resets to the first page at the start of each use_figma call. If your workflow spans multiple calls and targets a non-default page, call await figma.setCurrentPageAsync(page) at the start of each invocation.

You can call use_figma multiple times to incrementally build on the file state, or to retrieve information before writing another script. For example, write a script to get metadata about existing nodes, return that data, then use it in a subsequent script to modify those nodes.

3. `return` Is Your Output Channel

The agent sees ONLY the value you return. Everything else is invisible.

Returning IDs (CRITICAL): Every script that creates or mutates canvas nodes MUST return all affected node IDs — e.g. return { createdNodeIds: [...], mutatedNodeIds: [...] }. This is a hard requirement, not optional.
Progress reporting: return { createdNodeIds: [...], count: 5, errors: [] }
Error info: Thrown errors are automatically captured and returned — just let them propagate or throw explicitly.
console.log() output is never returned to the agent
Always return actionable data (IDs, counts, status) so subsequent calls can reference created objects

4. Editor Mode

use_figma works in design mode (editorType "figma", the default). FigJam ("figjam") has a different set of available node types — most design nodes are blocked there.

Available in design mode: Rectangle, Frame, Component, Text, Ellipse, Star, Line, Vector, Polygon, BooleanOperation, Slice, Page, Section, TextPath.

Blocked in design mode: Sticky, Connector, ShapeWithText, CodeBlock, Slide, SlideRow, Webpage.

5. Incremental Workflow (How to Avoid Bugs)

The most common cause of bugs is trying to do too much in a single use_figma call. Work in small steps and validate after each one.

The pattern

Inspect first. Before creating anything, run a read-only use_figma to discover what already exists in the file — pages, components, variables, naming conventions. Match what's there.
Do one thing per call. Create variables in one call, create components in the next, compose layouts in another. Don't try to build an entire screen in one script.
Return IDs from every call. Always return created node IDs, variable IDs, collection IDs as objects (e.g. return { createdNodeIds: [...] }). You'll need these as inputs to subsequent calls.
Validate after each step. Use get_metadata to verify structure (counts, names, hierarchy, positions). Use get_screenshot after major milestones to catch visual issues.
Fix before moving on. If validation reveals a problem, fix it before proceeding to the next step. Don't build on a broken foundation.

Suggested step order for complex tasks

Step 1: Inspect file — discover existing pages, components, variables, conventions
Step 2: Create tokens/variables (if needed)
       → validate with get_metadata
Step 3: Create individual components
       → validate with get_metadata + get_screenshot
Step 4: Compose layouts from component instances
       → validate with get_screenshot
Step 5: Final verification

What to validate at each step

After...	Check with `get_metadata`	Check with `get_screenshot`
Creating variables	Collection count, variable count, mode names	—
Creating components	Child count, variant names, property definitions	Variants visible, not collapsed, grid readable
Binding variables	Node properties reflect bindings	Colors/tokens resolved correctly
Composing layouts	Instance nodes have mainComponent, hierarchy correct	No cropped/clipped text, no overlapping elements, correct spacing

6. Error Recovery & Self-Correction

use_figma is atomic — failed scripts do not execute. If a script errors, no changes are made to the file. The file remains in the same state as before the call. This means there are no partial nodes, no orphaned elements from the failed script, and retrying after a fix is safe.

When `use_figma` returns an error

STOP. Do not immediately fix the code and retry.
Read the error message carefully. Understand exactly what went wrong — wrong API usage, missing font, invalid property value, etc.
If the error is unclear, call get_metadata or get_screenshot to understand the current file state.
Fix the script based on the error message.
Retry the corrected script.

Common self-correction patterns

Error message	Likely cause	How to fix
`"not implemented"`	Used `figma.notify()`	Remove it — use `return` for output
`"node must be an auto-layout frame..."`	Set `FILL`/`HUG` before appending to auto-layout parent	Move `appendChild` before `layoutSizingX = 'FILL'`
`"Setting figma.currentPage is not supported"`	Used sync page setter	Use `await figma.setCurrentPageAsync(page)`
Property value out of range	Color channel > 1 (used 0–255 instead of 0–1)	Divide by 255
`"Cannot read properties of null"`	Node doesn't exist (wrong ID, wrong page)	Check page context, verify ID
Script hangs / no response	Infinite loop or unresolved promise	Check for `while(true)` or missing `await`; ensure code terminates
`"The node with id X does not exist"`	Parent instance was implicitly detached by a child `detachInstance()`, changing IDs	Re-discover nodes by traversal from a stable (non-instance) parent frame

When the script succeeds but the result looks wrong

Call get_metadata to check structural correctness (hierarchy, counts, positions).
Call get_screenshot to check visual correctness. Look closely for cropped/clipped text (line heights cutting off content) and overlapping elements — these are common and easy to miss.
Identify the discrepancy — is it structural (wrong hierarchy, missing nodes) or visual (wrong colors, broken layout, clipped content)?
Write a targeted fix script that modifies only the broken parts — don't recreate everything.

For the full validation workflow, see Validation & Error Recovery.

7. Pre-Flight Checklist

Before submitting ANY use_figma call, verify:

8. Discover Conventions Before Creating

Always inspect the Figma file before creating anything. Different files use different naming conventions, variable structures, and component patterns. Your code should match what's already there, not impose new conventions.

When in doubt about any convention (naming, scoping, structure), check the Figma file first, then the user's codebase. Only fall back to common patterns when neither exists.

Quick inspection scripts

List all pages and top-level nodes:

const pages = figma.root.children.map(p => `${p.name} id=${p.id} children=${p.children.length}`);
return pages.join('\n');

List existing components across all pages:

const results = [];
for (const page of figma.root.children) {
  await figma.setCurrentPageAsync(page);
  page.findAll(n => {
    if (n.type === 'COMPONENT' || n.type === 'COMPONENT_SET')
      results.push(`[${page.name}] ${n.name} (${n.type}) id=${n.id}`);
    return false;
  });
}
return results.join('\n');

List existing variable collections and their conventions:

const collections = await figma.variables.getLocalVariableCollectionsAsync();
const results = collections.map(c => ({
  name: c.name, id: c.id,
  varCount: c.variableIds.length,
  modes: c.modes.map(m => m.name)
}));
return results;

9. Reference Docs

Load these as needed based on what your task involves:

Doc	When to load	What it covers
gotchas.md	Before any `use_figma`	Every known pitfall with WRONG/CORRECT code examples
common-patterns.md	Need working code examples	Script scaffolds: shapes, text, auto-layout, variables, components, multi-step workflows
plugin-api-patterns.md	Creating/editing nodes	Fills, strokes, Auto Layout, effects, grouping, cloning, styles
api-reference.md	Need exact API surface	Node creation, variables API, core properties, what works and what doesn't
validation-and-recovery.md	Multi-step writes or error recovery	`get_metadata` vs `get_screenshot` workflow, mandatory error recovery steps
component-patterns.md	Creating components/variants	combineAsVariants, component properties, INSTANCE_SWAP, variant layout, discovering existing components, metadata traversal
variable-patterns.md	Creating/binding variables	Collections, modes, scopes, aliasing, binding patterns, discovering existing variables
text-style-patterns.md	Creating/applying text styles	Type ramps, font probing, listing styles, applying styles to nodes
effect-style-patterns.md	Creating/applying effect styles	Drop shadows, listing styles, applying styles to nodes
plugin-api-standalone.index.md	Need to understand the full API surface	Index of all types, methods, and properties in the Plugin API
plugin-api-standalone.d.ts	Need exact type signatures	Full typings file — grep for specific symbols, don't load all at once

10. Snippet examples

You will see snippets throughout documentation here. These snippets contain useful plugin API code that can be repurposed. Use them as is, or as starter code as you go. If there are key concepts that are best documented as generic snippets, call them out and write to disk so you can reuse in the future.

figma-use