Figma launches Specs editor so AI agents follow brand design rules
Design platform Figma unveiled Figma Specs, a Markdown editor for defining a company's design language for people and AI agents, at its first Config event in India. It also widened testing of code layers and integrated the Payload content management system.
Design platform Figma has introduced Figma Specs, a Markdown-based editor where companies can define their design language. It was announced at the company's first Config event in India. The document is meant to act as a reference for teams and for artificial intelligence (AI) agents, including third-party ones, so that they follow a brand's design rules more closely when creating with AI.
How Specs works
Specs can be a standalone file or sit within the design canvas. Beyond text editing, users can reference other Figma elements, embed FigJam diagrams, code layers and designs. Teams can also add design libraries, code libraries and guidelines to manage context for the design system. Agents can consult this centralized system to stick to the rules.
Last week, the company made its agent on canvas available to a wider group of users. Because AI is non-deterministic, Figma is offering tools meant to steer it toward more predictable results.
Code layers and MCP
Figma has moved its code layers feature, which adds coding to designs for more interactive prototypes, into public beta. It was announced in private beta in June. Users can ask the agent to turn a design into code or change part of the code to iterate on a prototype. The company also supports more than 20 new tools through its MCP, including Open Code, Dia, Grok Bot and Indian AI startup Sarvam.
Figma's chief design officer, Loredana Crisan, told TechCrunch that 17 times more lines of code are being produced today than in the past, yet releases have risen only 1.3 times. In her view, much of that code is built to discover what the product is rather than to ship.
Payload and India
Last year Figma acquired Payload, an open-source headless content management system. It is now being integrated with Figma Make, a product for generating dynamic websites and managing content directly. The company says Payload downloads have grown sixfold over the past 12 months.
Figma opened its first office in India late last year. The country is its biggest market by users outside the United States, and the platform works with 40% of the top 100 India-based companies listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange.
