What Is Figma? How to Design a Website in Figma, A to Z

Figma is a “powerful helper” for people who design websites and software. But non-specialists may not know exactly what Figma is. If you are new to this and want to grow in design, this article is for you. The content below MONA Media shares useful knowledge to help you better understand this website interface design tool.

What is Figma?

Figma is a responsive design tool that runs in a web browser and is used to optimize interfaces and user experience (UI UX). With smart features such as letting many people collaborate online in the same file and simple customization, you can quickly design flyers, publications and infographics, or build a website in Figma. It is a go-to helper for developers, designers, marketers and business owners.

History of the Figma interface design tool

Figma first launched to users as a trial version in late 2015. It was not until September 2016 that it was officially released with its full feature set, gradually establishing itself in the design community.

In October 2019, Figma Community launched. From then on, designers could publish their work for others to view and remix. In April 2021, Figma added FigJam, a tool for taking notes, drawing or adding emoji to collaborative projects, a strong help for anyone designing websites in Figma.

Common uses of Figma

As a versatile tool, Figma is chosen and used for many kinds of design work, from product Digital Marketing to designed UX/UI. So what exactly is Figma used for? Today, it is commonly used for tasks such as:

• Prototype design
• Website wireframe design, mobile app
• Designing social media posts and marketing images

Who is Figma for?

Figma has grown into a natural fit for individuals and businesses that specialize in website design. It has all the necessary, powerful features to help designers create products and manage projects effectively.

Not only for designers, but thanks to its high compatibility, the tool is also chosen as the shared workspace for UX/UI design projects. Any member of a project can take part and need this tool, from designers, back-end, front-end developer, content writers to the CTO, and more

Figma for website design has a free version for everyone and a paid version for users who want more advanced features.

What makes Figma stand out

Design professionals have embraced Figma as a companion tool throughout their team's work thanks to strong advantages such as:

High compatibility

This design software can be used directly in a web browser or downloaded to your computer. You can access and use it on nearly every common operating system, such as Windows, macOS or even Linux, as long as you have an internet connection.

In addition, Figma now has 2 versions, for computer and for phone, so you can create or follow a project from anywhere more conveniently.

Real-time collaboration

Often compared to a mini Google Drive, Figma lets teams work remotely with ease and flexibility. Team members can be given sharing and permission settings, and can collaborate on design, edit, give feedback, check progress or flag potential issues in real time.

Many powerful plugins

The developers give Figma users a huge and very useful library of plugins. This is an attractive resource for fixing small design problems and boosting productivity. Managing colors, images and animations also becomes easier than ever.

Multiple layouts in one product

With the ability to manage many artboards at once, Figma users can easily create many layout in different sizes within the same product without adding new files.

Export high-resolution images in many formats

Like Illustrator, Figma lets you export your designs in many file formats such as PNG, JPG, SVG or even PDF.

>>> Read more: Which image format is best for website design

Cloud storage support

When designing a website with Figma, you can rest easy because all data and product changes are automatically saved in the cloud. You no longer need to worry about a full hard drive or forgetting to back up, which is convenient and safe.

Figma also offers plenty of other useful features to support your work, such as: 

• Real-time activity tracking: Figma lets you see what your collaborators are doing, and where, in a Team Project file. This is very useful in website design projects in Figma, helping instructors or team leaders keep track of progress and project status and step in on time when adjustments are needed.
• Built-in prototyping: Figma has a built-in Prototype (an interactive simulation of the design) feature, so you can preview how the interface works once finished. With it, you no longer need to export PNG files or use third-party software as before.
• Comment directly on design files: Users can leave notes, comments or replies directly on each element of the design without taking screenshots or using outside tools. Comment threads can also be updated via email or Slack, making team communication more efficient when designing websites in Figma.
• Switch easily between multiple Figma accounts: If you have several Figma accounts for different purposes (personal, company, clients…), you can switch between them in a few clicks. Note that Figma supports up to 10 accounts.
• Version control with Version History: Figma automatically saves your work every 30 minutes if there is no new activity. With this feature, you can open Show Version History to see the full editing timeline.

Figma vs. Sketch vs. Adobe XD

Before Figma, there were many other design tools such as Sketch and Adobe XD. So how do these 3 tools differ? See the comparison table below for a clearer picture.

Comparison of Figma, Sketch and Adobe XD

Basic Figma operations you need to know

When you start designing websites in Figma, mastering the basic operations helps you work more efficiently, save time and keep every project consistent. Below are the key operations anyone should be comfortable with when designing for the web in Figma or working in a team on this platform.

Viewing the Inspect tab

Inspect lets you see an element's color, size, spacing, font and variants. You can also export it as PNG or SVG files, or as code in CSS, XML or Swift quite easily. In addition, if your team needs deeper measurement when building a website in Figma, you can install the Zeplin plugin for detailed breakdown and checking.

Selecting an element in Figma

If you want to select an element to see its design specs and measurements, the program automatically selects the topmost element. To select an element on a deeper layer, you need to click the Command + element you want, or right-click the element to show the panel Select Layer.

Export Assets

Users can export CSS straight from a website design file in Figma and view the file on iOS and Android.

To export the assets you want, you can do either of these 2 things:

• Export a single asset by selecting it and pressing Export.
• To export all assets, press the key combination Control/Command + shift + E to open the Export Panel.

Searching for layers

In files with many design frames, finding a specific layer can take time. You can use plugins such as Find or Focus to find layers by name and zoom automatically to the right spot. This is a simple way to keep large files under control when designing web pages in Figma or building a complex project.

Locating the main component

To locate the main component on any screen, right-click the component and choose Main Component, then choose Go to Main Component from the menu. This makes it easy to update or edit it consistently across the whole design file.

Checking spacing and size

To check an element's size and its distance to surrounding objects, open the Code panel, click the element you want to measure, and move the cursor over another layer.

Previewing the design

Figma lets you create prototypes directly on linked frames. Preview mode helps you visualize how users interact with the website, making it easier to refine and optimize UI/UX. You can also turn on Live Device Preview to view the design on a real mobile device, or customize the viewport to check compatibility across devices.

A basic guide to installing and using Figma

Getting started with Figma is not hard. You can install and use Figma in 2 ways:

• Go to figma.com in your browser and sign up for an account.
• Download the Figma app to your computer.

If you are a beginner or are looking into what Figma is used for, this step-by-step guide will help you get familiar with the tool. Whether you want to design a website in Figma or build an interactive interface prototype, these steps will help you get the most out of Figma.

Step 1: Get familiar with the Figma interface 

Start by signing in to the official Figma website or opening the app on your computer or mobile device. The Figma interface is intuitive, with main parts such as the drawing toolbar, the Layers panel, the color palette and the main work area. Getting familiar with them helps you understand how Figma works before you start a design project.

Step 2: Create or open a design

Once you understand the basics of the Figma interface, you can create a new design or open an existing file. The options include:

• Design file: Used to create a new design.
• FigJam board: A collaboration space for teams to work together and share ideas in the same file.
• Import: Upload files from your computer.

You can also pick from the ready-made templates on Figma's main screen or search by a suitable keyword. To explore more, click Explore Community to access the huge library of design resources shared by the Figma community. 

Step 3: Use the drawing tools to create design elements

Figma offers a range of drawing tools such as Frame, shapes (Rectangle, Ellipse), Text and more, for designing buttons, icons and layouts in a website design project in Figma. You can freely drag and drop, copy and edit every small detail to build a professional UX/UI-standard interface.

Step 4: Integrate plugins 

If you want to extend Figma's features, you can install suitable plugins. In the navigation bar at the bottom of the screen, click Plugins, then search for the tool you need (for example a wireframe plugin, an auto-alignment plugin, an icon library,…). Select the plugin and click Install.

Step 5: Save and manage your design

Although Figma autosaves, you should still save manually with Ctrl + S (Windows) or Cmd + S (Mac) to keep your data safe. You can also use Show Version History to review earlier versions of the design.

Step 6: Share and collaborate in real time

When designing web pages in Figma, you can invite members to the project or create a share link so they can view or edit. The platform also lets you create interactive prototypes, including movement effects, clicks and transitions, as you design. When finished, you can export elements such as images, icons or CSS code to deploy on many platforms.

With its many standout features, Figma has become the top choice for anyone who wants to turn a digital interface into reality smoothly and efficiently. If you don't have the time or an in-house design team, feel free to get in touch with MONA, a custom website design company that is among Vietnam's leading professional providers. With our experience and attention to every detail, we are committed to delivering an exclusive website interface that optimizes user experience and reflects your business's spirit. Let MONA help you turn ideas into real products in the most efficient way. Contact Hotline 1900 636 648 for free advice from MONA and to get a website design quote in full detail.

Contact details for MONA Media Website Design Company

• Address: 1073/23 Cach Mang Thang Tam, Tan Son Nhat Ward, Ho Chi Minh City
• Email: info@mona-media.com