Figma officially announced the launch of its Dev Mode MCP (Model Context Protocol) server Beta, marking further integration between design and development workflows. This service standardizes the protocol to directly transfer Figma's design data to AI coding tools, significantly enhancing the efficiency and accuracy of converting designs into code.
Dev Mode MCP Service Goes Live
Figma’s Dev Mode MCP server is now in Beta testing, supporting seamless integration with various AI coding tools, including VS Code with Copilot, Cursor, Windsurf, and Claude Code. Users can enable the Dev Mode MCP server in the "Preferences" section of the Figma desktop application and input the corresponding URL in the development environment that supports MCP to achieve real-time data transfer. This service allows AI tools to directly access Figma's design context, such as components, variables, styles, spacing, and colors, eliminating manual steps and errors in the traditional design-to-code conversion process.
According to Figma's official blog, the MCP server is currently available only to users with Dev or Full Seat licenses. Future plans include remote server functionality and deeper code library integration to expand its application scenarios.
MCP: The “Universal Interface” Between Design and Development
The Model Context Protocol (MCP), developed and open-sourced by Anthropic, is hailed as the "USB-C interface" for AI applications. By leveraging this protocol, Figma's official MCP server provides structured data from design files (such as layouts, design tokens, and component names) directly to AI coding assistants, enabling them to generate more precise code. Compared to traditional methods that rely on visual guessing, MCP significantly improves the fidelity and consistency of code outputs.
Social media reactions indicate that developers highly anticipate Figma's official MCP service, deeming it more stable and feature-rich than previous community-provided unofficial MCP solutions. Many users note that Figma's native support will drive deeper integration between design systems and development environments, particularly beneficial for startups and large teams that require rapid iteration.
Complementary Synergy with Figma Make
Figma's MCP service complements the recently launched Figma Make platform. Figma Make enables users to create interactive UIs and prototypes through natural language prompts, while MCP focuses on transferring design data to development tools. Together, these two tools provide a complete workflow from rapid prototyping to production-grade code for product teams. For example, developers can use Figma Make to create initial UIs and then utilize the MCP server to convert design details into code formats like React, SwiftUI, or Jetpack Compose.
Commentators note that Figma's move directly challenges Adobe, Canva, and AI-driven design and development platforms like WordPress and Wix. The introduction of MCP further solidifies Figma's leadership in the design-development collaboration space.
The official launch of Figma's MCP service signifies a deeper role for AI in design and development collaboration. Social media feedback highlights high praise for MCP's ease of use and stability, particularly in integrations with Cursor and VS Code, which significantly reduce the manual workload involved in design-to-code conversions. However, the Beta version still has limitations, such as being limited to local server operations and not yet open to non-Full Seat users.
As Figma plans to introduce remote server functionality and deeper code library integration in the coming months, MCP is expected to become the standard tool for design and development collaboration. AIbase suggests that this service not only lowers the technical barriers for developers but also offers new possibilities for cross-functional team collaboration, further driving AI-powered digital product development.
Official Introduction: https://www.figma.com/blog/introducing-figmas-dev-mode-mcp-server/
