Understanding the Difference: Figma Variables vs. Design Token Studio
In the rapidly evolving world of digital design, tools and methodologies that enhance efficiency and maintain consistency across platforms are in high demand. Figma, a leading interface design application, offers a variety of features to support these needs. Two significant features in the Figma ecosystem are Figma Variables and Design Token Studio. Although they might sound similar at first, each serves distinct purposes and caters to different aspects of design workflows. This article will explore the differences between Figma Variables and Design Token Studio, helping you choose the right tool for your design needs.
What are Figma Variables?
Figma introduced Variables as a way to enhance the reusability of properties across designs directly within the Figma editor. Variables in Figma are akin to CSS variables in web development, where you can define a value once and reference it in multiple places. If the variable changes, all references automatically update. This feature is particularly useful for maintaining consistency and scalability in large design projects.
Key Features of Figma Variables:
Flexibility: You can create variables for colors, text styles, effect styles, and more.
Ease of Use: Variables can be applied directly in the Figma design interface.
Efficiency: Updating a variable updates all instances where it is used, saving time and reducing errors.
What is Design Token Studio?
Design Token Studio is a plugin developed by Six, available in Figma, which takes the concept of design tokens a step further. Design tokens are essentially individual pieces of design information — like colors, fonts, spacings, etc. — defined in a way that can be used and maintained across different platforms (e.g., iOS, Android, web). Design Token Studio allows you to manage these tokens within Figma and export them in formats usable by developers, such as JSON, CSS, SCSS, and more.
Key Features of Design Token Studio:
Cross-Platform Compatibility: Export tokens in formats that can be directly used by developers in various environments.
Comprehensive Management: Manage a wide range of design properties as tokens, beyond what Figma variables allow.
Advanced Configuration: Customize and extend tokens with advanced properties and values that are geared towards systematic design scalability.
Comparing Figma Variables and Design Token Studio
Purpose and Scope
Figma Variables are primarily designed to simplify and streamline the design process within Figma itself. They help in managing and applying repeated design properties quickly and efficiently.
Design Token Studio, on the other hand, focuses on bridging the gap between design and development. It not only helps in managing design systems within Figma but also facilitates the export of these systems into a format that can be used by developers directly in their coding environments.
Usability and Integration
Figma Variables offer a seamless experience as they are integrated directly into the Figma interface. Designers can quickly assign and modify variables without needing additional tools or plugins.
Design Token Studio requires a bit more setup and understanding of design tokens as a concept. It is ideal for teams that work closely with developers and need to ensure that their design decisions are accurately implemented across different platforms.
Target Audience
Figma Variables are ideal for designers who primarily work within Figma and need a quick and effective way to maintain consistency across their projects.
Design Token Studio is better suited for design systems architects and teams that include both designers and developers, where the design system needs to be integrated into a development environment seamlessly.
Conclusion
Both Figma Variables and Design Token Studio offer powerful ways to manage design consistency and efficiency, but they cater to different aspects of the design and development workflow. While Figma Variables are excellent for internal design consistency within Figma, Design Token Studio shines in scenarios where design needs to be translated into code across different platforms.
Choosing between them depends on your specific needs: if you are looking for an easy way to manage and apply styles within Figma, Variables might be enough. However, if your goal is to create a robust design system that aligns closely with development processes, Design Token Studio will likely serve you better. Understanding these tools and using them effectively can significantly impact the quality and coherence of your product design and development efforts.