“I started Meridian as a Figma library before it had a name or a single line of code, and that was enough to prove the system mattered. Start with Figma, but build it so the decisions map 1:1 to code: variables for spacing and color, components that match what engineers will actually ship.”
“Start with Figma variables and a small set of components, then make the code the source of truth as soon as one engineer needs to ship. I built Layout because I got tired of design systems that lived only in Figma and never actually reached the codebase.”
“I built Arabesq as a Figma file first because most teams don't need code until the system actually has to ship. Start with tokens, components, and usage rules in Figma; the code library only matters once engineers are pulling the same pieces into production.”
“I started Flowglad's system in Figma using a ShadCN component file so my colors, typography, and core components matched our codebase from day one. That parity mattered more than whether the file was pretty; it made the handoff to code almost frictionless.”
“A Figma file is a sketch. A design system only starts when the tokens and components have a contract in code that engineering can consume and AI can read. I would build the smallest coded component first, then mirror it in Figma as the viewport.”
“Start with Figma, but treat it as a contract, not a deliverable. The moment the system matters is when engineers can pull real components from it, so build the file alongside one working component, not ahead of it.”
“Start with Figma, but only as the source of truth for tokens, components, and constraints. I’ve seen Figma-to-code pipelines work only when the file is structured enough for an agent or engineer to read it without guessing.”
“A Figma file is fine for exploration, but I stopped treating it as the source of truth once I saw how fast a code-first system moves in a small team. Build tokens and components in code, use Figma only for visual exploration, and let the real product surface where the system breaks.”
“I have built design systems that lived only in Figma and ones that shipped as coded components, and the ones that moved the fastest started with a Figma library that a front-end partner could stress-test in code within the same sprint.”