How Do You Make a Design System in Figma From Scratch?

Design systems have become an integral part of design teams, providing them with a unified set of rules that ensure consistency and scalability across projects. Figma, the popular cloud-based design platform, provides users with a powerful set of tools that make creating a design system from scratch a breeze. The following steps will walk you through the process of setting up your own design system in Figma.

Step 1: Create Your Design System File

The first step to creating a design system in Figma is to create your own custom file for it. This can be done by clicking the “New File” button in the top left corner and selecting “Design System” from the list of options. This will open up a blank canvas for you to start designing your system.

Step 2: Establish Your Base Components

Once you have your design system file open, it’s time to start establishing the base components that will form the foundation of your system. For example, you may want to start by creating basic color palettes and typography rules. This is where Figma’s powerful vector-based tools really come in handy, allowing you to quickly create custom components that can be reused throughout your project.

Step 3: Add Styles and Assets

The next step is to begin adding styles and assets to further customize your design system. For example, if you are creating a UI kit then you can use Figma’s built-in library of icons or upload custom ones from elsewhere.

You can also add text styles such as font sizes and colors as well as shape styles like fills and borders.

Step 4: Publish Your Design System

Once you have finished setting up your design system it’s time to publish it so that others on your team can access it. This can be done by going into the Publish panel located in the top right corner of Figma and clicking “Publish Design System”. This will make all of your work available for others to use within their projects.

Conclusion:


Creating a design system from scratch in Figma is an easy process thanks to its robust set of tools and features. By following these four steps – creating a file, establishing base components, adding styles and assets, and publishing – users can quickly build their own custom design systems with ease.