Figma Dev Mode

A new tool that helps develop apps faster

In today's fast-paced digital landscape, businesses constantly seek ways to accelerate their app development process while maintaining high-quality standards. At Hi Mum! Said Dad, we understand the importance of efficiency and innovation in bringing apps to market. In this context, we explore how Figma’s Dev Mode can help developers go from design to a reusable prototype app faster.

How does Figma Dev Mode work?

Figma Dev Mode is a powerful tool within Figma that streamlines the transition from design to a functional prototype. It facilitates direct code extraction and inspection from design files, fostering seamless collaboration and iteration between designers and developers. This functionality expedites the app development process, aligning with the industry's demand for rapid product deployment without compromising quality.

Figma Dev Mode offers developers a range of features, including:

• “Ready for dev” statuses to know which screens can be developed and which ones are still being designed
• A clear history log with side-by-side frames that allows developers to compare changes between two versions
• Code is automatically generated in a range of programming languages for either a whole screen or a selected component. Android, iOS, CSS are generated by default, but a selection of plugins offer more options such as Flutter or React
• Easy way to find component properties such as size and margins
• Assets and icons are automatically detected and presented to download in the desired format (jpg, png, svg or pdf)

What are the limitations?

Despite its advantages, Figma Dev Mode does present some limitations. While it generates code across multiple programming languages and streamlines certain aspects of development, manual intervention is often required to fine-tune elements such as functional components and asset integration. 

However, these necessary manual tasks are outweighed by the overall efficiency gains achieved through the tool's ability to swiftly generate reusable components and high-fidelity prototypes.

Figma Dev Mode In Practice

In our experience with recent projects, Figma Dev Mode proved instrumental in accelerating the development timeline. By leveraging the generated code to construct reusable components, our team significantly reduced the time required to build the prototype. This allowed for a more rapid visualisation of the potential product, enabling our clients to make informed decisions and move closer to bringing their vision to fruition.

If the client decides to take the prototype to production, we can use the fully functional prototype app we created as a base and simply add the business logic to it rather than having to start from scratch. 

Looking beyond our recent project, the broader implications of Figma Dev Mode are evident. Its capacity to expedite prototype creation and streamline production processes can help bring mobile apps to market faster. By enabling developers to repurpose prototype code for production, Figma Dev Mode minimises waste and optimises resource utilisation, ultimately enhancing app development efficiency. 

Conclusion 

At Hi Mum! Said Dad, we continually explore new avenues for delivering value to our clients, embracing technologies like Figma Dev Mode to enhance our development capabilities.

As the tech landscape evolves, the bridging of design and development becomes increasingly pronounced. Figma Dev Mode exemplifies this trend, offering a glimpse into the future of app development where efficiency and innovation blend seamlessly. Using tools like Figma Dev Mode enables our clients to navigate the digital landscape with agility.