Design System Builder — Figma MCP Skill

Build professional-grade design systems in Figma that match code. This skill orchestrates multi-phase workflows across 20–100+ use_figma calls, enforcing quality patterns from real-world design systems (Material 3, Polaris, Figma UI3, Simple DS).

Prerequisites: The figma-use skill MUST also be loaded for every use_figma call. It provides Plugin API syntax rules (return pattern, page reset, ID return, font loading, color range). This skill provides design system domain knowledge and workflow orchestration.

Always pass skillNames: "figma-generate-library" when calling use_figma as part of this skill. This is a logging parameter — it does not affect execution.

1. The One Rule That Matters Most

This is NEVER a one-shot task. Building a design system requires 20–100+ use_figma calls across multiple phases, with mandatory user checkpoints between them. Any attempt to create everything in one call WILL produce broken, incomplete, or unrecoverable results. Break every operation to the smallest useful unit, validate, get feedback, proceed.

2. Mandatory Workflow

Every design system build follows this phase order. Skipping or reordering phases causes structural failures that are expensive to undo.

Phase 0: DISCOVERY (always first — no use_figma writes yet)
  0a. Analyze codebase → extract tokens, components, naming conventions
  0b. Inspect Figma file → pages, variables, components, styles, existing conventions
  0c. Search subscribed libraries → use search_design_system for reusable assets
  0d. Lock v1 scope → agree on exact token set + component list before any creation
  0e. Map code → Figma → resolve conflicts (code and Figma disagree = ask user)
  ✋ USER CHECKPOINT: present full plan, await explicit approval

Phase 1: FOUNDATIONS (tokens first — always before components)
  1a. Create variable collections and modes
  1b. Create primitive variables (raw values, 1 mode)
  1c. Create semantic variables (aliased to primitives, mode-aware)
  1d. Set scopes on ALL variables
  1e. Set code syntax on ALL variables
  1f. Create effect styles (shadows) and text styles (typography)
  → Exit criteria: every token from the agreed plan exists, all scopes set, all code syntax set
  ✋ USER CHECKPOINT: show variable summary, await approval

Phase 2: FILE STRUCTURE (before components)
  2a. Create page skeleton: Cover → Getting Started → Foundations → --- → Components → --- → Utilities
  2b. Create foundations documentation pages (color swatches, type specimens, spacing bars)
  → Exit criteria: all planned pages exist, foundations docs are navigable
  ✋ USER CHECKPOINT: show page list + screenshot, await approval

Phase 3: COMPONENTS (one at a time — never batch)
  For EACH component (in dependency order: atoms before molecules):
    3a. Create dedicated page
    3b. Build base component with auto-layout + full variable bindings
    3c. Create all variant combinations (combineAsVariants + grid layout)
    3d. Add component properties (TEXT, BOOLEAN, INSTANCE_SWAP)
    3e. Link properties to child nodes
    3f. Add page documentation (title, description, usage notes)
    3g. Validate: get_metadata (structure) + get_screenshot (visual)
    3h. Optional: lightweight Code Connect mapping while context is fresh
    → Exit criteria: variant count correct, all bindings verified, screenshot looks right
    ✋ USER CHECKPOINT per component: show screenshot, await approval before next component

Phase 4: INTEGRATION + QA (final pass)
  4a. Finalize all Code Connect mappings
  4b. Accessibility audit (contrast, min touch targets, focus visibility)
  4c. Naming audit (no duplicates, no unnamed nodes, consistent casing)
  4d. Unresolved bindings audit (no hardcoded fills/strokes remaining)
  4e. Final review screenshots of every page
  ✋ USER CHECKPOINT: complete sign-off