figma-generate-library

# Design System Builder — Figma MCP Skill Build professional-grade design systems in Figma that match code. This skill orchestrates multi-phase workflows across 20–100+ `use_figma` calls, enforcing quality patterns from real-world design systems (Material 3, Polaris, Figma UI3, Simple DS). **Prerequisites**: The `figma-use` skill MUST also be loaded for every `use_figma` call. It provides Plugin API syntax rules (return pattern, page reset, ID return, font loading, color range). This skill provides design system domain knowledge and workflow orchestration. **Always include `figma-generate-library` in the comma-separated `skillNames` parameter when calling `use_figma` as part of this skill. If this skill was loaded via an MCP resource, you MUST prefix the name with `resource:` (e.g. `resource:figma-generate-library`).** This is a logging parameter — it does not affect execution. --- ## 1. The One Rule That Matters Most For every phase, follow this communication contract. Before starting a phase: - Post a user-facing checklist titled `Phase N Checklist`. - Include every task/subtask that will be attempted in that phase. - Include the phase exit criteria. - Do not begin mutating work for the phase until this checklist has been posted. - If the phase requires explicit approval, ask for approval after the checklist and wait. During execution: - Before each major subsection, post a short update naming the exact section being worked on, using this format: `Working on Phase N.X: <section name>` - Keep updates concise, but make the current work visible. - When a subsection completes, mark it as completed in the running checklist if the interface supports checklist/status updates; otherwise mention completion in the next progress update. At the end of each phase: - Post a `Phase N Summary` with: - Completed tasks - Created or changed Figma objects - Validations performed - Decisions or conflicts resolved - Remaining risks or follow-ups - Then show the required phase artifact for that phase and continue automatically. - Only ask for explicit approval after Phase 0 or if a genuine decision fork arises (see [Section 6](#6-decision-forks)). For Phases 1–4, the default is to continue automatically after the summary. ### Stable Task IDs Use one task ID format everywhere: `P{phase}.{step}`. Rules: - Use lettered step IDs only: `P0.a`, `P0.b`, `P1.a`, `P3.d`. - Do not use plain bullet points for task lists. - Every phase checklist, progress update, validation note, and phase summary MUST reference the same task IDs **No setup exception:** Creating a new Figma file, importing a library, creating pages, variables, collections, styles, or components all count as creation/mutation. Do not treat any of them as harmless setup. **This is NEVER a one-shot task.** Building a design system requires 20–100+ `use_figma` calls across multiple phases, with mandatory progress between them. Any attempt to create everything in one call WILL produce broken, incomplete, or unrecoverable results. Break every operation to the smallest useful unit, validate, get feedback, proceed. --- ## 2. Mandatory Workflow Work through the phases in order. Do not move to the next phase until the current phase's required actions and acceptance checks are complete. If a phase cannot pass, stop and report the blocker. Do not approximate, skip, or defer a failed phase unless the user explicitly approves the limitation. No best-effort substitutions. No quiet approximations. No handoff with missing source truth, missing visual truth, fake assets, approximate typography, broken interactions, or unverified states. ### Phase 0: DISCOVERY (always first — no `use_figma` writes yet) - [ ] 0a. Analyze codebase → extract tokens, components, naming conventions - [ ] 0b. Inspect Figma file → pages, variables, components, styles, existing conventions - [ ] 0c. Search subscribed libraries → use `search_design_system` for reusable assets - [ ] 0d. Lock v1 scope → exact token set + component list recorded before any creation - [ ] 0e. Map code → Figma → every conflict (code disagrees with Figma) resolved and recorded - [ ] 0f. Print a **gap analysis** to chat: what exists in code but not Figma, what exists in Figma but not code, and every conflict from 0e with its resolution ### Phase 1: FOUNDATIONS (tokens first — always before components) - [ ] 1a. Create variable collections and modes - [ ] 1b. Create primitive variables (raw values, 1 mode) - [ ] 1c. Create semantic variables (aliased to primitives, mode-aware) - [ ] 1d. Set scopes on ALL variables (never `ALL_SCOPES`) - [ ] 1e. Set code syntax on ALL variables - [ ] 1f. Create effect styles (shadows) and text styles (typography) - [ ] 1g. Print a **variable summary** to chat: N collections, M variables, K modes, broken down by collection - [ ] 1h. Print the **style list** to chat: every effect style and text style created, with names - [ ] Exit criteria met: every token from the agreed plan exists, all scopes set, all code syntax set ### Phase 2: FILE STRUCTURE (before components) - [ ] 2a. Create page skeleton: Cover → Getting Started → Foundations → --- → Components → --- → Utilities - [ ] 2b. Create foundations documentation pages (color swatches, type specimens, spacing bars) - [ ] 2c. Capture a `get_screenshot` of every foundations page and print the **page list** to chat alongside the screenshots - [ ] Exit criteria met: all planned pages exist, foundations docs are navigable ### Phase 3: COMPONENTS (one at a time — never batch) For EACH component (in dependency order: atoms before molecules), run the checklist below. Finish the current component before starting the next. - [ ] 3a. Create dedicated page - [ ] 3b. Build base component with auto-layout + full variable bindings - [ ] 3c. Create all variant combinations (`combineAsVariants` + grid layout) - [ ] 3d. Add component properties (TEXT, BOOLEAN, INSTANCE_SWAP) - [ ] 3e. Link properties to child nodes - [ ] 3f. Add page documentation (title, description, usage notes) - [ ] 3g. Validate: `get_metadata` (structure) + `get_screenshot` (visual) - [ ] 3h. Optional: lightweight Code Connect mapping while context is fresh - [ ] Exit criteria met: variant count correct, all bindings verified, screenshot looks right ### Phase 4: INTEGRATION + QA (final pass) - [ ] 4a. Finalize all Code Connect mappings - [ ] 4b. Accessibility audit (contrast, min touch targets, focus visibility) - [ ] 4c. Naming audit (no duplicates, no unnamed nodes, consistent casing) - [ ] 4d. Unresolved bindings audit (no hardcoded fills/strokes remaining) - [ ] 4e. Final review screenshots of every page --- ## 3. Critical Rules **Plugin API basics** (from use_figma skill — enforced here too): - Use `return` to send data back (auto-serialized). Do NOT wrap in IIFE or call closePlugin. - Return ALL created/mutated node IDs in every return value - Page context resets each call — always `await figma.setCurrentPageAsync(page)` at start. **Call it at most once per script**: each component or doc page is its own `use_figma` call. Never loop over `figma.root.children` and switch pages inside a mutating script — split that work into one focused call per target page (see [figma-use → gotchas.md → Set current page once per `use_figma` call](../figma-use/references/gotchas.md#set-current-page-once-per-use_figma-call--split-multi-page-work-across-calls)) - `figma.notify()` throws — never use it - Colors are 0–1 range, not 0–255 - Font MUST be loaded before any text write: `await figma.loadFontAsync({family, style})`. Use `await figma.listAvailableFontsAsync()` to discover available fonts and verify exact style strings — if a load fails, query available fonts to find the correct name or a fallback. **Design system rules**: 1. **Variables BEFORE components** — components bind to variables. No token = no component. 2. **Inspect before creating** — run read-only `use_figma` to discover existing conventions. Match them. 3. **One page per component** *(default)* — exception: tightly related families (e.g., Input + helpers) may share a page with clear section separation. 4. **Bind visual properties to variables** *(default)* — fills, strokes, padding, radius, gap. Exceptions: intentionally fixed geometry (icon pixel-grid sizes, static dividers). 5. **Scopes on every variable** — NEVER leave as `ALL_SCOPES`. Background: `FRAME_FILL, SHAPE_FILL`. Text: `TEXT_FILL`. Border: `STROKE_COLOR`. Spacing: `GAP`. Radii: `CORNER_RADIUS`. Primitives: `[]` (hidden). 6. **Code syntax on every variable** — WEB syntax MUST use the `var()` wrapper: `var(--color-bg-primary)`, not `--color-bg-primary`. Use the actual CSS variable name from the codebase. ANDROID/iOS do NOT use a wrapper. 7. **Alias semantics to primitives** — `{ type: 'VARIABLE_ALIAS', id: primitiveVar.id }`. Never duplicate raw values in semantic layer. 8. **Position variants after combineAsVariants** — they stack at (0,0). Manually grid-layout + resize. 9. **INSTANCE_SWAP for icons** — never create a variant per icon. Cap variant matrices: if Size × Style × State > 30 combinations, split into sub-component. 10. **Deterministic naming** — use consistent, unique node names for idempotent cleanup and resumability. Track created node IDs via return values and the state ledger. 11. **No destructive cleanup** — cleanup scripts identify nodes by name convention or returned IDs, not by guessing. 12. **Validate before proceeding** — never build on unvalidated work. `get_metadata` after every create, `get_screenshot` after each component. 13. **NEVER parallelize `use_figma` calls** — Figma state mutations must be strictly sequential. Even if your tool supports parallel calls, never run two use_figma calls simultaneously. 14. **Never hallucinate Node IDs** — always read IDs from the state ledger returned by previous calls. Never reconstruct or guess an ID from memory. 15. **Use the helper scripts** — embed scripts from `scripts/` into your use_figma calls. Don't write 200-line inline scripts from scratch. --- ## 4. State Management (Required for Long Workflows) > **`getPluginData()` / `setPluginData()` are NOT supported in `use_figma`.** Use `getSharedPluginData()` / `setSharedPluginData()` instead (these ARE supported), or use name-based lookups and the state ledger (returned IDs). | Entity type | Idempotency key | How to check existence | |-------------|----------------|----------------------| | Scene nodes (pages, frames, components) | `setSharedPluginData('dsb', 'key', value)` or unique name | `node.getSharedPluginData('dsb', 'key')` or `page.findOne(n => n.name === 'Button')` | | Variables | Name within collection | `(await figma.variables.getLocalVariablesAsync()).find(v => v.name === name && v.variableCollectionId === collId)` | | Styles | Name | `getLocalTextStyles().find(s => s.name === name)` | Tag every created **scene node** immediately after creation: ```javascript node.setSharedPluginData('dsb', 'run_id', RUN_ID); // identifies this build run node.setSharedPluginData('dsb', 'phase', 'phase3'); // which phase created it node.setSharedPluginData('dsb', 'key', 'component/button');// unique logical key ``` **State persistence**: Do NOT rely solely on conversation context for the state ledger. Write it to disk: ``` /tmp/dsb-state-{RUN_ID}.json ``` Re-read this file at the start of every turn. In long workflows, conversation context will be truncated — the file is the source of truth. Maintain a state ledger tracking: ```json { "runId": "ds-build-2024-001", "phase": "phase3", "step": "component-button", "entities": { "collections": { "primitives": "id:...", "color": "id:..." }, "variables": { "color/bg/primary": "id:...", "spacing/sm": "id:..." }, "pages": { "Cover": "id:...", "Button": "id:..." }, "components": { "Button": "id:..." } }, "pendingValidations": ["Button:screenshot"], "completedSteps": ["phase0", "phase1", "phase2", "component-avatar"] } ``` **Idempotency check** before every create: query by name + state ledger ID. If exists, skip or update — never duplicate. **Resume protocol**: at session start or after context truncation, run a read-only `use_figma` to scan all pages, components, variables, and styles by name to reconstruct the `{key → id}` map. Then re-read the state file from disk if available. **Continuation prompt** (give this to the user when resuming in a new chat): > "I'm continuing a design system build. Run ID: {RUN_ID}. Load the figma-generate-library skill and resume from the last completed step." --- ## 5. Library Discovery and search_design_system — Reuse Decision Matrix Search FIRST in Phase 0, then again immediately before each component creation. **Start with `get_libraries`** to understand what libraries are available before searching blindly: ``` // Discover all libraries accessible to the file get_libraries({ fileKey }) // Returns: // libraries_added_to_file: [{ name, libraryKey, description, source }, ...] // libraries_available_to_add: [{ name, libraryKey, description, source }, ...] // libraries_available_to_add_next_offset: number | null ``` Use the returned `libraryKey` values to scope searches to specific libraries via `includeLibraryKeys`. This avoids noisy results when many libraries are available. If `libraries_available_to_add_next_offset` is non-null, more org libraries are available — call `get_libraries` again with `offset` set to that value. Org libraries page in batches of 20; community UI kits only appear on the first page. ``` // Search across all libraries (default) search_design_system({ query, fileKey, includeComponents: true, includeVariables: true, includeStyles: true }) // Search within a specific library only search_design_system({ query, fileKey, includeLibraryKeys: ["lk-abc123..."], includeComponents: true }) ``` **Reuse if** all of these are true: - Component property API matches your needs (same variant axes, compatible types) - Token binding model is compatible (uses same or aliasable variables) - Naming conventions match the target file - Component is editable (not locked in a remote library you don't own) **Rebuild if** any of these: - API incompatibility (different property names, wrong variant model) - Token model incompatible (hardcoded values, different variable schema) - Ownership issue (can't modify the library) **Wrap if** visual match but API incompatible: - Import the library component as a nested instance inside a new wrapper component - Expose a clean API on the wrapper **Priority order**: local existing → subscribed library import → unsubscribed UI Kit library from `libraries_available_to_add` (icons especially) → create new. --- ## 6. Decision Forks Ask the user when paths fork — when two or more reasonable answers exist and no clear winner comes from the codebase, the Figma file, or the locked plan. Don't silently default. Present each option with its tradeoff and your recommendation; pick only after the user steers. **When NOT to ask:** if exactly one path is clearly correct from the source of truth (code, Figma file, agreed plan), take it. This section is for genuine ambiguity, not for offloading every decision. | Fork situation | What to surface | Example ask | |---|---|---| | Code ≠ Figma on a token, component, or value | Both versions side by side, with provenance (file/line vs node) | "Code says `--color-bg-primary = #FFFFFF`, Figma has `color/bg/primary = #FAFAFA`. Which wins?" | | Subscribed library has a close-but-not-exact match | Library component summary + gap list | "Library has `Button` with no `loading` state. Reuse + wrap locally, or rebuild from scratch?" | | Scope ambiguity at plan-lock (0d) | What's clearly in, what's clearly out, what's ambiguous | "Spec lists `Button` and `Input`; `Field` is referenced but not defined. In or out of v1?" | **If the user rejects an option you already built on:** fix before moving on. Never build on rejected work. --- ## 7. Naming Conventions Match existing file conventions. If starting fresh: **Variables** (slash-separated): ``` color/bg/primary color/text/secondary color/border/default spacing/xs spacing/sm spacing/md spacing/lg spacing/xl spacing/2xl radius/none radius/sm radius/md radius/lg radius/full typography/body/font-size typography/heading/line-height ``` **Primitives**: `blue/50` → `blue/900`, `gray/50` → `gray/900` **Component names**: `Button`, `Input`, `Card`, `Avatar`, `Badge`, `Checkbox`, `Toggle`