Figma Element Libraries are an effective way to create and share reusable UI components with workforce members. Designers can use Figma elements to construct consumer interfaces and prototypes, and so they assist to take care of consistency throughout initiatives.
Nonetheless, Figma Element Libraries have some limitations, similar to the shortcoming to create interactive prototypes. UXPin Merge is a greater different to Figma Element Libraries, because it lets you create totally interactive prototypes that feel and appear like the ultimate product.
Key takeaways:
- Figma Element Libraries are an effective way to create and share reusable UI components.
- UXPin Merge is a greater different to Figma Element Libraries, permitting you to create totally interactive prototypes.
- Figma Element Libraries have limitations, similar to the shortcoming to create interactive prototypes.
- Merge imports UI elements into the design course of from a repository, making a single supply of reality between design and improvement.
- Merge enables you to create totally interactive prototypes utilizing code elements within the design course of to enhance testing.
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What’s a Figma Element Library?
A Figma element library enables you to create and share Figma Parts and Kinds with workforce members by publishing the file. Group members can entry this shared file and use the elements and types as a design system.
Your design workforce can change these elements and types and push them to the library. You possibly can create permissions, so solely approved workforce members can modify the element library.
What are Figma Parts and Element Cases?
A Figma Element is a single reusable UI factor that varieties a part of a element library. Based on Figma’s documentation, it can save you many issues to the Element Library, together with:
You possibly can view these grasp elements in your main element file or underneath the property tab within the left sidebar.
Element Cases are copies of the library element used to create consumer interfaces and prototypes. For instance, you may need an app bar element in your library that seems on 20 screens. These 20 app bars are situations of the library element.
Everytime you replace the library element, all its situations will change, too. Figma will notify designers each time a element is up to date, and so they can select when to just accept the newest model.
What are Figma Kinds?
Kinds help you keep consistency throughout groups and initiatives so everybody makes use of the identical properties and values.
Figma enables you to save reusable type properties, like colours, typography, sizing, spacing, border radius, and so on. The equal of variables in CSS. As a substitute of getting into a HEX code or font dimension worth, you select a predefined type–i.e., Main Blue or Headline 1.
How do I Discover the Element Library in Figma?
There are a few methods to find your Figma element library:
- In the event you’re working contained in the design library file, right-click on the element and choose Go to important element. You may also click on the Figma Element icon in the precise sidebar subsequent to the element’s identify.
- In the event you don’t have entry to the primary file, you received’t have the ability to entry the Figma element library, however you possibly can view all of the elements underneath the Belongings tab within the left sidebar.
How do I take advantage of Parts From the Figma Element Library?
- Click on the Belongings tab within the left sidebar.
- Seek for an asset utilizing the search area or choose a library from the dropdown beneath.
- Click on or drag a element from the Belongings tab onto the canvas.
- Regulate the element’s properties and variants underneath the Design tab within the left sidebar.
You possibly can redesign elements by detaching any occasion. Any edits you make to a indifferent occasion received’t impression its former element or situations. When you full the adjustments, it can save you this as a brand new element, which is able to seem in your Belongings folder.
What are the Limitations and Challenges of Figma’s Element Library?
Whereas Figma’s element library makes it straightforward to reuse and share UI components, there are some limitations to what you are able to do with them:
- Figma elements create aesthetically pleasing UI designs however lack the performance to construct interactive prototypes, limiting the scope of what designers can obtain.
- Design groups require further instruments and plugins to make Figma elements extra interactive, growing prices and workflow complexity.
- Parts assist design groups construct consumer interfaces and primary prototypes in Figma, however they’re not developer-friendly and may misalign with code UI elements.
- Detaching situations is handy for creating new elements however means design groups can edit and manipulate UI components with out authorization.
- In the event you’re utilizing Figma’s Element Library for a design system, the DS workforce should keep two variations–one for Figma and the opposite in code.
Do you need to keep static or get higher outcomes with interactive prototyping? Enter Merge–the world’s most superior UX design know-how.
UXPin Merge – The Greatest Different to Figma Libraries
UXPin’s Merge know-how imports UI elements into the design course of from a repository (Github, Bitbucket, GitLab, and so on.). Design groups can use these totally interactive code elements to construct prototypes that feel and appear like the ultimate product.
Constructed-in styling and interactivity
Merge elements have properties like styling and interactivity “baked-in,” so design groups by no means fear about getting into the proper values or copying animations from a code element library.
The design system workforce makes use of React props or Storybook Args to outline these properties, which seem in UXPin’s Properties Panel. For instance, a button’s states, textual content types, colours, sizes, icons, and interactions can be found for designers to pick through dropdowns.
Merge eliminates design drift and prevents unauthorized modifications to UI components. Designers can not detach Merge elements and modify them. Solely the design system workforce can change code elements within the repository that syncs to UXPin and notify designers of the replace.
A single supply of reality
Many design instruments declare to supply a single supply of reality. However the actuality is these image-based options require updating in a number of areas, together with design instruments, prototyping instruments, documentation, and the code UI library.
As German-based software program improvement company dotSouce factors out:
“Selling new patterns and elements to a design system is chaotic, with many redundant processes. Most design system releases require updating in not less than three locations: the design system’s codebase (element library), the design workforce’s UI equipment (design instrument), and the design system’s documentation. As a substitute of a “single supply of reality” that offers “three single sources of reality” for each UI element–this appears counterintuitive and will increase errors.”
With Merge, your complete product improvement workforce–UX designers, product groups, and engineers–pull elements from the identical repository. Any adjustments to the repo robotically sync to UXPin, notifying designers of the replace–a actual single supply of reality.
As a substitute of updating a UI equipment, code elements, and related documentation, the design system workforce pushes one launch to everybody concurrently.
The right way to use a Merge Element Library in UXPin
As soon as the design system workforce completes the setup, the element library is accessible in UXPin. Right here’s a step-by-step tutorial on the right way to use a Merge element library:
Step 1. Open Design System Libraries
All of your design methods will seem underneath Design System Libraries in UXPin’s left sidebar.
There are two classes:
Step 2. Choose your design system
Choose the design system you need to work with, and UXPin will open the element library within the left sidebar.
Above the library, you’ve got a Parts and Patterns tab (extra on Patterns shortly…). Parts comprise your element library, and a dropdown shows the obtainable classes–i.e., buttons, switches, playing cards, icons, and so on.
Step 3. Utilizing the element library
Click on a element so as to add it to the canvas.
View the element’s properties and make changes through the right-hand Properties Panel.
Repeat this course of to construct consumer interfaces and prototypes.
Step 4. The right way to use UXPin’s Patterns
Patterns help you create new elements and templates by combining a number of UI components from a design system. You should use elements from multiple element library to check new patterns earlier than selling them to the design system.
Patterns are additionally useful in creating a number of states or variants of a element. For instance, it’s your decision a light-weight and darkish mode model for a consumer interface, however your design system solely has the sunshine variant. You possibly can create this darkish mode variant in UXPin, put it aside to Patterns, and even share it with workforce members.
Step 5. Prototyping and testing utilizing interactive elements
You could have two choices for testing prototypes in UXPin:
Merge prototypes allow design groups to create complicated prototypes utilizing the identical elements engineers use for improvement. Stakeholders and customers can work together with Merge prototypes like they might the ultimate product, giving design groups significant suggestions to iterate and enhance.
Utilizing high-quality interactive prototypes means designers can resolve extra usability points and determine higher enterprise alternatives through the design course of.
Step 6. Design handoff
The transition from design to improvement is seamless with Merge as a result of builders and engineers use the identical UI library. UXPin generates production-ready JSX so builders can copy/paste the code to their IDE for improvement.
Bridge the hole between design and improvement with the world’s most superior product design instrument. Go to our Merge web page for particulars on the right way to get began.
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