Figma

Figma is a collaborative interface design tool that enables real-time teamwork on UI and UX projects. It combines powerful vector editing with cloud-based file storage, prototyping capabilities, and a design system infrastructure called libraries. Multiple designers can work on the same file simultaneously, seeing each other cursors and changes in real time, similar to Google Docs.

The platform runs in the browser and as a desktop application backed by the same cloud infrastructure, eliminating version control problems and file sharing friction from earlier design tools. Figma component system allows teams to build reusable UI elements with variants, auto-layout for responsive behavior, and properties that mirror how components work in code. Styles and components can be published to shared libraries.

For web development, Figma has become the dominant design tool because it bridges the gap between design and development. Dev Mode provides developers with CSS values, spacing measurements, and asset exports directly from design files. Plugins can generate code from designs, sync design tokens to repositories, and integrate with project management tools. The inspect workflow means developers no longer need design software expertise to extract implementation details, reducing handoff friction significantly.