Figma

Overview

If you work in digital product development, you have likely clicked a Figma link in the last 48 hours. Figma has effectively consolidated the entire design workflow into a single URL. It started as a browser-based alternative to Sketch but has evolved into the operating system for product teams.

It is no longer just for drawing UI. Through its ecosystem, Figma handles the initial brainstorm (FigJam), the high-fidelity interface design, the prototyping, and now even the slide deck presentation (Figma Slides).

The core appeal is simple: it is the "Google Docs of design." It runs in your browser, works on any operating system (including Linux and Chromebooks), and allows developers, PMs, and designers to look at the exact same file in real-time. There is no "v2_final_final.zip" here.

Key Features

The "Multiplayer" Engine

This is the feature that killed the competition. Figma allows dozens of users to hover over the same canvas simultaneously. You can see your colleague’s cursor moving in real-time as they tweak a button or leave a comment. This creates a unified environment where feedback happens live rather than in email threads.

Dev Mode & Code Connect

For a long time, the handoff between design and code was messy. Figma introduced Dev Mode to fix this. It is a distinct interface specifically for engineers. It strips away the design tools and gives you CSS, iOS, and Android code snippets.

• Code Connect: This 2025 update links design components to your actual codebase (like GitHub). When a developer clicks a button in Figma, they don't just see hex codes; they see the reference to the actual React component in your library.

Figma AI (2025 Updates)

Figma has integrated AI to handle the tedious parts of the job rather than trying to "replace" the designer.

• First Draft: You can type a text prompt to generate a rough layout or component set to get the ball rolling.
• Visual Search: In massive enterprise files, finding a specific icon is a nightmare. This feature lets you search by image content, not just layer names.
• Auto-Renaming: It automatically cleans up your layer panel (renaming "Frame 432" to "Submit Button"), which is a massive quality-of-life improvement.

Auto Layout 5.0

This is the logic engine that makes Figma designs behave like actual code. Instead of manually dragging boxes to fit text, Auto Layout creates responsive containers. If you change the text on a button, the button creates padding and resizes automatically. It forces designers to think in terms of flexbox and padding, which makes the developer's life much easier later.

Figma Slides

Launched recently, this allows teams to build presentations inside Figma. The killer feature here is live interactivity. You can embed a working prototype of your app directly into a slide. During a pitch, you aren't showing a screenshot; you are clicking through the actual app design inside the deck.

Pricing

Figma shifted its pricing model in March 2025 to a "Seat-Based" structure. This adds some administrative complexity but allows for more granular billing.

• Starter (Free)

  • Cost: $0.
  • Best for: Students and solo freelancers.
  • Limits: You get 3 Figma files and 3 FigJam files. You cannot create private projects or use team libraries.

• Professional

  • Full Seat: ~$16/month (billed annually) or $20 month-to-month.
  • Dev Seat: ~$12/month.
  • Collab Seat: ~$3/month.
  • Best for: Most design teams and agencies.
  • Includes: Unlimited files, version history, and team libraries.

• Organization

  • Cost: ~$55/user/month (annual only).
  • Best for: Companies scaling multiple teams.
  • Includes: Design system analytics, branching (like Git for design), and centralized font management.

• Enterprise

  • Cost: ~$90/user/month (annual only).
  • Includes: Advanced security controls, guest access management, and dedicated support.

Pros & Cons

The Good

• Platform Agnostic: It runs perfectly on Windows, Mac, or a web browser. No heavy installation is required.
• Community & Plugins: The community tab is massive. You can find free plugins to populate data (Content Reel), generate accessible colors, or import high-quality icons with one click.
• Seamless Workflow: The transition from whiteboarding in FigJam to designing in Figma to inspecting in Dev Mode feels native and fluid.
• Collaboration: There is currently no better tool for real-time team collaboration on visual assets.

The Bad

• Performance on Large Files: Figma is a memory hog. If you have a single file with hundreds of high-res images and complex prototypes, it will lag, and your laptop fans will spin up.
• Not for Print: Do not use Figma for brochures or business cards. It lacks CMYK support and advanced typography controls (like kerning pairs). You still need InDesign or Illustrator for that.
• Offline Limitations: While it has a limited offline mode, you are effectively crippled without a stable internet connection.
• Billing Complexity: The new mix of Full, Dev, and Collab seats can be a headache for IT managers trying to forecast budgets.

Verdict

Figma is the default interface design tool for a reason. It balances a low barrier to entry with a massively high skill ceiling.

If your work involves screens—whether websites, mobile apps, or SaaS dashboards—Figma is mandatory. The addition of Dev Mode and Figma Slides has made it hard to justify paying for separate prototyping or presentation software.

However, it is not a "do everything" creative suite. It is terrible for photo editing and print design. But for building software? It is the best tool on the market, period.