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figma-code-connect

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Creates and maintains Figma Code Connect template files that map Figma components to code snippets. Use when the user mentions Code Connect, Figma component mapping, design-to-code translation, or asks to create/update .figma.ts or .figma.js files.

Design

What this skill does


# Code Connect

## Overview

Create Code Connect template files (`.figma.ts`) that map Figma components to code snippets. Given a Figma URL, follow the steps below to create a template.

> **Note:** This project may also contain parser-based `.figma.tsx` files (using `figma.connect()`, published via CLI). This skill covers **templates files only** — `.figma.ts` files that use the MCP tools to fetch component context from Figma.

## Prerequisites

- **Figma MCP server must be connected** — verify that Figma MCP tools (e.g., `get_code_connect_suggestions`) are available before proceeding. If not, guide the user to enable the Figma MCP server and restart their MCP client.
- **Components must be published** — Code Connect only works with components published to a Figma team library. If a component is not published, inform the user and stop.
- **Organization or Enterprise plan required** — Code Connect is not available on Free or Professional plans.
- **URL must include `node-id`** — the Figma URL must contain the `node-id` query parameter.
- **TypeScript types** — for editor autocomplete and type checking in `.figma.ts` files `@figma/code-connect/figma-types` must be added to `types` in `tsconfig.json`:
  ```json
  {
    "compilerOptions": {
      "types": ["@figma/code-connect/figma-types"]
    }
  }
  ```

## Step 1: Parse the Figma URL

Extract `fileKey` and `nodeId` from the URL:

| URL Format | fileKey | nodeId |
|---|---|---|
| `figma.com/design/:fileKey/:name?node-id=X-Y` | `:fileKey` | `X-Y` → `X:Y` |
| `figma.com/file/:fileKey/:name?node-id=X-Y` | `:fileKey` | `X-Y` → `X:Y` |
| `figma.com/design/:fileKey/branch/:branchKey/:name` | use `:branchKey` | from `node-id` param |

Always convert `nodeId` hyphens to colons: `1234-5678` → `1234:5678`.

**Worked example:**

Given: `https://www.figma.com/design/QiEF6w564ggoW8ftcLvdcu/MyDesignSystem?node-id=4185-3778`
- `fileKey` = `QiEF6w564ggoW8ftcLvdcu`
- `nodeId` = `4185-3778` → `4185:3778`

## Step 2: Discover Unmapped Components

The user may provide a URL pointing to a frame, instance, or variant — not necessarily a component set or standalone component. Call the MCP tool `get_code_connect_suggestions` with:
- `fileKey` — from Step 1
- `nodeId` — from Step 1 (colons format)
- `excludeMappingPrompt` — `true` (returns a lightweight list of unmapped components)

This tool identifies published components in the selection that don't yet have Code Connect mappings.

**Handle the response:**

- **"No published components found in this selection"** — the node contains no published components. Inform the user they need to publish the component to a team library in Figma first, then stop.
- **"All component instances in this selection are already connected to code via Code Connect"** — everything is already mapped. Inform the user and stop.
- **Normal response with component list** — extract the `mainComponentNodeId` for each returned component. Use these resolved node IDs (not the original from the URL) for all subsequent steps. If multiple components are returned (e.g. the user selected a frame containing several different component instances), repeat Steps 3–6 for each one.

## Step 3: Fetch Component Properties

Call the MCP tool `get_context_for_code_connect` with:
- `fileKey` — from Step 1
- `nodeId` — the resolved `mainComponentNodeId` from Step 2
- `clientFrameworks` — determine from `figma.config.json` `parser` field (e.g. `"react"` → `["react"]`)
- `clientLanguages` — infer from project file extensions (e.g. TypeScript project → `["typescript"]`, JavaScript → `["javascript"]`)

For multiple components, call the tool once per node ID.

The response contains the Figma component's **property definitions** — note each property's name and type:
- **TEXT** — text content (labels, titles, placeholders)
- **BOOLEAN** — toggles (show/hide icon, disabled state)
- **VARIANT** — enum options (size, variant, state)
- **INSTANCE_SWAP** — swappable nested instances tied to a specific component (icon, avatar)
- **SLOT** — flexible content regions (freeform layout, mixed children); use `getSlot()` in templates (not the same as INSTANCE_SWAP)

Save this property list — you will use it in Step 5 to write the template.

## Step 4: Identify the Code Component

If the user did not specify which code component to connect:

1. Check `figma.config.json` for `paths` and `importPaths` to find where components live
2. Search the codebase for a component matching the Figma component name. Check common directories (`src/components/`, `components/`, `lib/ui/`, `app/components/`) if `figma.config.json` doesn't specify paths
3. Read candidate files and compare their props interface against the Figma properties from Step 3 — look for matching variant types, size options, boolean flags, and slot props
4. If multiple candidates match, pick the one with the closest prop-interface match and explain your reasoning to the user
5. If no match is found, show the 2 closest candidates and ask the user to confirm or provide the correct path

**Confirm with the user** before proceeding to Step 5. Present the match: which code component you found, where it lives, and why it matches (prop correspondence, naming, purpose).

Read `figma.config.json` for import path aliases — the `importPaths` section maps glob patterns to import specifiers, and the `paths` section maps those specifiers to directories.

Read the code component's source to understand its props interface — this informs how to map Figma properties to code props in Step 5.

## Step 5: Create the Template File (.figma.ts)

### File location

Place the file alongside existing Code Connect templates (`.figma.tsx` or `.figma.ts` files). Check `figma.config.json` `include` patterns for the correct directory. Name it `ComponentName.figma.ts`.

### Template structure

Every template file follows this structure:

```ts
// url=https://www.figma.com/file/{fileKey}/{fileName}?node-id={nodeId}
// source={path to code component from Step 4}
// component={code component name from Step 4}
import figma from 'figma'
const instance = figma.selectedInstance

// Extract properties from the Figma component (see property mapping below)
// ...

export default {
  example: figma.code`<Component ... />`,       // Required: code snippet
  imports: ['import { Component } from "..."'], // Optional: import statements
  id: 'component-name',                         // Required: unique identifier
  metadata: {                                    // Optional
    nestable: true,                              // true = inline in parent, false = show as pill
    props: {}                                    // data accessible to parent templates
  }
}
```

### Property mapping

Use the property list from Step 3 to extract values. For each Figma property type, use the corresponding method:

| Figma Property Type | Template Method | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
| TEXT | `instance.getString('Name')` | Labels, titles, placeholder text |
| BOOLEAN | `instance.getBoolean('Name', { true: ..., false: ... })` | Toggle visibility, conditional props |
| VARIANT | `instance.getEnum('Name', { 'FigmaVal': 'codeVal' })` | Size, variant, state enums |
| INSTANCE_SWAP | `instance.getInstanceSwap('Name')` | Swapped instance for a fixed component slot (then `hasCodeConnect()` / `executeTemplate()`) - do not confuse with the SLOT property below |
| SLOT | `instance.getSlot('Name')` | Freeform slot content only when the Figma property type is **SLOT** 
| (child layer) | `instance.findInstance('LayerName')` | Named child instances without a property |
| (text layer) | `instance.findText('LayerName')` → `.textContent` | Text content from named layers |

**TEXT** — get the string value directly:
```ts
const label = instance.getString('Label')
```

**VARIANT** — map Figma enum values to code values:
```ts
const variant = instance.getEnum('Variant', {
  'Primary': 'primary',
  'Secondary': 'secondary',
})

const size = instance.getEnum('Size', {
  '
Files: 3
Size: 57.7 KB
Complexity: 50/100
Category: Design

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