How to see CSS in Figma

Figma is a popular design tool for creating and prototyping user interfaces, but it doesn’t directly generate or show CSS code in the same way that a code editor does. Figma provides features that allow you to inspect designs and get CSS code for specific elements.

1. Inspect Panel

The Inspect panel in Figma allows you to view the CSS properties for individual elements. This feature is particularly useful for developers to understand the styles applied to a design.

Steps to View CSS in the Inspect Panel:

1. Open Your Figma File: Open the design file you are working on.
2. Select an Element: Click on the element for which you want to see the CSS.
3. Open the Inspect Panel: On the right-hand side of the Figma interface, click on the Inspect tab. This will show you the CSS properties for the selected element.
4. View CSS Code: The Inspect panel will display CSS properties like width, height, margin, padding, border, font styles, and more. You can copy these properties and use them in your CSS code.

Example:

2. Copy as CSS

Figma also allows you to copy the styles of an element directly in CSS format.

Steps to Copy CSS:

1. Select an Element: Click on the element you want to copy.
2. Right-Click on the Element: Open the context menu by right-clicking (or using a Mac’s Control-click).
3. Choose “Copy/Paste”: Select Copy as CSS from the menu. This will copy the CSS styles of the element to your clipboard.

3. Figma Plugins

Several Figma plugins can generate CSS and other code formats. These plugins can be installed from Figma’s community and offer additional features for code generation.

Popular Plugins:

• “CSS Tools”: This plugin provides various CSS utilities and tools.
• “Figmify”: Generates CSS and HTML code from Figma designs.
• “Design to Code”: Converts Figma designs into code, including CSS.

How to Use a Plugin:

1. Open Figma: Go to the Figma file you are working on.
2. Access Plugins: Click on the Plugins menu at the top of the interface, and select Manage Plugins.
3. Search and Install: Search for a CSS-related plugin, install it, and follow the plugin’s instructions to generate CSS code.

4. Figma-to-Code Tools

Some tools and services can convert Figma designs into code (including CSS) and integrate with your development workflow.

Examples:

• Figma to Code: Tools like Figma-to-Code provide more advanced code generation, including CSS, HTML, and React components.
• Zeplin: A design handoff tool that integrates with Figma and generates CSS and other code formats.

How to Use These Tools:

1. Export Your Design: Export your Figma design or integrate it with the tool.
2. Generate Code: Use the tool’s features to generate CSS and other code formats.

5. Manually Extracting Styles

If the CSS properties provided by Figma are not sufficient, you may need to manually extract and refine styles based on your design:

1. Inspect Styles: Use the Inspect panel to view basic CSS properties.
2. Supplement with Manual Code: Manually write CSS for more complex styles, such as animations or advanced layout techniques.

Summary

• Inspect Panel: Use Figma’s Inspect panel to view and copy CSS properties for elements.
• Copy as CSS: Directly copy CSS styles from Figma’s context menu.
• Plugins: Utilize Figma plugins to generate CSS and other code formats.
• Code Conversion Tools: Use third-party tools to convert Figma designs to code.
• Manual Refinement: Complement Figma’s CSS output with manual adjustments for more complex styling.