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figma-hello-world

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$97 forever

Make your first Figma REST API call to fetch a file and inspect its node tree. Use when starting a new Figma integration, testing API connectivity, or learning the Figma document structure. Trigger with phrases like "figma hello world", "figma first call", "figma quick start", "fetch figma file".

Designsaasfigma

What this skill does

# Figma Hello World

## Overview

Make your first Figma REST API call. Fetch a file's metadata and document tree, then inspect the node structure that represents every layer and object in a Figma design.

## Prerequisites

- Completed `figma-install-auth` setup
- A Figma file key (from the URL: `figma.com/design/<FILE_KEY>/...`)
- `FIGMA_PAT` environment variable set

## Instructions

### Step 1: Fetch a File

```bash
# Get the full document JSON for a file
curl -s -H "X-Figma-Token: ${FIGMA_PAT}" \
  "https://api.figma.com/v1/files/${FIGMA_FILE_KEY}" | jq '{
    name: .name,
    lastModified: .lastModified,
    version: .version,
    pages: [.document.children[] | .name]
  }'
```

Expected output:

```json
{
  "name": "My Design File",
  "lastModified": "2025-03-15T10:30:00Z",
  "version": "1234567890",
  "pages": ["Page 1", "Components", "Tokens"]
}
```

### Step 2: Understand the Node Tree

Every Figma file is a tree of typed nodes:

```
DOCUMENT (root)
├── CANVAS (page)
│   ├── FRAME (container / auto-layout)
│   │   ├── TEXT
│   │   ├── RECTANGLE
│   │   └── INSTANCE (component instance)
│   ├── GROUP
│   │   └── VECTOR
│   ├── COMPONENT (reusable master)
│   └── SECTION
```

Key node types: `DOCUMENT`, `CANVAS`, `FRAME`, `GROUP`, `RECTANGLE`, `ELLIPSE`, `TEXT`, `VECTOR`, `COMPONENT`, `COMPONENT_SET`, `INSTANCE`, `LINE`, `SECTION`, `BOOLEAN_OPERATION`.

### Step 3: TypeScript Hello World

```typescript
// hello-figma.ts
const PAT = process.env.FIGMA_PAT!;
const FILE_KEY = process.env.FIGMA_FILE_KEY!;

interface FigmaNode {
  id: string;
  name: string;
  type: string;
  children?: FigmaNode[];
}

interface FigmaFileResponse {
  name: string;
  lastModified: string;
  version: string;
  document: FigmaNode;
  components: Record<string, { key: string; name: string; description: string }>;
  styles: Record<string, { key: string; name: string; style_type: string }>;
}

async function main() {
  const res = await fetch(
    `https://api.figma.com/v1/files/${FILE_KEY}`,
    { headers: { 'X-Figma-Token': PAT } }
  );

  if (!res.ok) {
    throw new Error(`Figma API error: ${res.status} ${res.statusText}`);
  }

  const file: FigmaFileResponse = await res.json();

  console.log(`File: ${file.name}`);
  console.log(`Last modified: ${file.lastModified}`);
  console.log(`Components: ${Object.keys(file.components).length}`);
  console.log(`Styles: ${Object.keys(file.styles).length}`);

  // Walk the first page and list top-level frames
  const firstPage = file.document.children?.[0];
  if (firstPage) {
    console.log(`\nPage: ${firstPage.name}`);
    for (const child of firstPage.children ?? []) {
      console.log(`  ${child.type}: ${child.name} (${child.id})`);
    }
  }
}

main().catch(console.error);
```

### Step 4: Fetch Specific Nodes

```typescript
// Fetch only specific nodes by ID (faster for large files)
async function fetchNodes(fileKey: string, nodeIds: string[]) {
  const ids = nodeIds.join(',');
  const res = await fetch(
    `https://api.figma.com/v1/files/${fileKey}/nodes?ids=${ids}`,
    { headers: { 'X-Figma-Token': PAT } }
  );
  const data = await res.json();
  // data.nodes is a map: { "nodeId": { document: {...}, components: {...} } }
  return data.nodes;
}

// Node IDs use the format "pageId:frameId" (e.g., "0:1", "123:456")
const nodes = await fetchNodes(FILE_KEY, ['0:1', '2:3']);
```

## Output

- File metadata (name, version, last modified)
- Page names listed from the document tree
- Top-level frames with node IDs and types
- Component and style counts

## Error Handling

| Error | Status | Cause | Solution |
|-------|--------|-------|----------|
| `Not found` | 404 | Invalid file key | Verify the key from the Figma URL |
| `Forbidden` | 403 | No access to file | Check token scopes and file permissions |
| `Rate limited` | 429 | Too many requests | Honor `Retry-After` header |
| Empty `document` | 200 | File has no pages | Check if file was recently created |

## Examples

### Quick Node Counter

```bash
# Count total nodes in a file
curl -s -H "X-Figma-Token: ${FIGMA_PAT}" \
  "https://api.figma.com/v1/files/${FIGMA_FILE_KEY}" \
  | jq '[.. | .id? // empty] | length'
```

### Get File Thumbnail

```bash
curl -s -H "X-Figma-Token: ${FIGMA_PAT}" \
  "https://api.figma.com/v1/files/${FIGMA_FILE_KEY}" \
  | jq -r '.thumbnailUrl'
```

## Resources

- [Figma REST API Introduction](https://developers.figma.com/docs/rest-api/)
- [File Endpoints Reference](https://developers.figma.com/docs/rest-api/file-endpoints/)
- [Node Types Reference](https://developers.figma.com/docs/plugins/api/nodes/)

## Next Steps

Proceed to `figma-local-dev-loop` for setting up a development workflow.

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