Figma Code Connect

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.

You write `.figma.ts` template files ONLY — never `.figma.tsx`. This skill produces parserless templates: a .figma.ts file whose default export uses a ` figma.code... tagged template. Do **NOT** write a .figma.tsx file and do **NOT** use figma.connect() — that is the separate **parser-based** Code Connect format (published a different way) and is the **wrong artifact** for this skill; output written as .figma.tsx is rejected outright. If a .figma.tsx already exists for a component, leave it untouched and add your .figma.ts template alongside it. A capable model may be tempted to reach for the more familiar .figma.tsx / figma.connect() pattern from memory — resist it; here the correct output is **always** .figma.ts + figma.code`.

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:

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 files. Check figma.config.json include patterns for the correct directory. Name it `ComponentName.figma.ts` — never `ComponentName.figma.tsx`. The .figma.tsx extension is the parser-based format; do not create one or modify an existing one.

Template structure

Every template file follows this structure:

// 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: