Figma to Code: My Workflow for Pixel-Perfect UIs

The Gap Between Design and Code

Every developer has experienced it — you stare at a Figma file, try to recreate it in CSS, and the result looks... close but not quite right. Shadows are off. Spacing feels wrong. Typography doesn't match.

The problem isn't your CSS skills. It's your workflow.

Step 1: Extract the Design Tokens First

Before touching a single component, I extract all design tokens from the Figma file:

• Color palette (with semantic naming: primary-500, not #7c3aed)
• Typography scale (font families, sizes, weights, line heights)
• Spacing scale (Figma's auto-layout gap values become your spacing tokens)
• Shadow definitions
• Border radius values

I put these in a tokens.css file (or tailwind.config.ts if using Tailwind) before writing any component code.

Step 2: Build Atoms First

Start with the smallest, most reusable components — buttons, inputs, badges, avatars. Get these exactly right before building anything composed from them.

Step 3: Use Figma's Dev Mode

Figma's Dev Mode gives you exact values for every property. Don't guess — inspect. It even generates CSS snippets now.