Figma Variants and Components Lecture

Introduction to Variants

• Variants in Figma allow storing similar types or states of components into one single component.
• Useful for organizing components in a more efficient manner.

Creating Variants

1. Identify Components: Select similar components (e.g., different button states like default, hover, pressed).
2. Combine as Variants:
   • Go to the right-hand menu and select "Combine as Variants."
   • Results in a component set with a dotted purple line around variants.
3. Edit and Manage Variants:
   • Use the asset panel to preview and manage components.
   • Figma turns the naming convention into component names and states automatically.
   • Use instances to interact with components and adjust states (e.g., hover, pressed).

Naming Conventions and Properties

• Importance of naming conventions: Helps in identifying components easily, especially when components differ in states and sizes.
• Use slash naming for automatic conversion by Figma into properties and states.
• Edit property names and values to be more descriptive (e.g., change from 'Property 1' to 'State').

Managing Complex Variants

• Create variants for size along with states (e.g., large, small).
• Use Auto Layout to neatly arrange components and manage spacing.

Adjusting Properties

• Add new properties using the properties row in Figma.
• Adjust values and order of states for better organization and usability.
• Option to use Boolean properties (e.g., true/false, on/off) to toggle states easily.

Advanced Component Configuration

1. Adding More Complexity:
   • Create new properties (e.g., "is hovered", "is pressed") with true/false values.
   • Use toggle switches to control component states.
2. Organizing with Auto Layout:
   • Use Auto Layout for resizing based on content, and manage gaps and padding.
   • Choose between horizontal or vertical layouts.
3. Error Management: Address errors by ensuring all variants are supported with proper properties.

Developer Integration

• Developers can view different component states in Dev mode and adjust properties.

Conclusion

• Variants in Figma help streamline the design process by managing different component states efficiently.
• The practice enhances collaboration, especially when components are shared across a team.
• Customize components with naming conventions that suit individual or team needs.

Final Remarks

• Reach out for questions about variants, organization, or naming.
• Share your setup if you have a good variant management system.

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This module emphasized the importance of variants in Figma for creating dynamic and organized design systems. More advanced topics will be covered in the next modules focusing on Boolean, instant swap, and text properties.