Learn FIGMA-PLUGIN-API with Real Code Examples

The API provides a structured way to read and manipulate Figma documents.

Plugins can create, modify, and delete nodes such as frames, rectangles, text, and components.

It supports UI elements via HTML/CSS/JS panels rendered inside the Figma plugin window.

Enables communication between plugin code (main thread) and UI thread (frontend panel).

Supports asynchronous operations and event-driven architecture for responsive plugins.

Node manipulation (create, read, update, delete)

Selection API to read user-selected nodes

Event listeners for document changes

Plugin UI API for custom interface panels

Storage API for persisting plugin data

Node: any object in Figma (frame, component, shape, text)

Selection: nodes currently selected by user

Properties: width, height, fills, strokes, constraints, etc.

UI panel: HTML/CSS/JS frontend for plugin interaction

Message passing: communication between main and UI threads

manifest.json - plugin metadata and permissions

code/ - main plugin logic (JS/TS)

ui/ - optional HTML/CSS/JS panel

assets/ - images, icons, fonts for plugin

tests/ - automated or manual test scripts

Define plugin goal (e.g., rename layers, generate charts)

Create manifest.json with permissions

Develop main plugin script for Figma operations

Optionally create plugin UI panel

Test, debug, and iterate within Figma

Beginner: simple layer manipulations

Intermediate: batch node operations

Advanced: interactive UI with real-time updates

Expert: complex automation workflows with external APIs

Architect: enterprise-level plugins for team-wide design systems

Figma Plugin API vs Sketch Plugins: cross-platform vs Mac-only

Figma Plugin API vs FigJam Widgets: document manipulation vs collaborative widgets

Figma Plugin API vs Lottie: design manipulation vs animations

Figma Plugin API vs AnimXYZ: design tooling vs UI animation

Figma Plugin API vs Figma Widgets: custom interactive tools vs static plugins

2018 - Initial Figma Plugin API release

2019 - Added event listeners and UI messaging

2020 - ClientStorage API introduced

2021 - Expanded API with node type improvements

2025 - Continuous improvements, community-driven enhancements

Node - any object in Figma document (frame, shape, component, text)

Selection - currently selected nodes by user

UI thread - HTML/CSS/JS panel in plugin

Main thread - plugin code interacting with Figma document

ClientStorage - persistent storage for plugin data