Introduction: Tokens Aren’t Just for Designers
Design tokens are powerful—but only when developers can actually see and use them. That’s where Figma Dev Mode comes in. It bridges the gap between design and code by making tokens visible, inspectable, and exportable—right from the canvas.
This guide explains what developers see when they inspect a token-driven design in Figma, and how you as a designer can set things up for a smooth, accurate handoff.
1. What Is Dev Mode in Figma?
Dev Mode is a developer-focused view in Figma that:
- Shows code-friendly specs (tokens, spacing, styles)
- Highlights variables and properties used in components
- Surfaces design system logic (instead of raw values)
- Allows copy-paste of values or code snippets
- Connects to GitHub for documentation and versioning
🔍 Think of it as “Inspect Element” but for real design systems.
2. What Developers See (and Don’t See)
When your file is properly tokenized and set up:
| Element | Dev Mode Shows |
|---|---|
| Fill Color | Token name (e.g. color.primary) |
| Text Style | Text style + token (e.g. type.body.sm) |
| Spacing | Value or variable (e.g. space.16) |
| Radius | Token (e.g. radius.md) |
| Component Props | Toggle switches and states |
If you didn’t use tokens? Dev Mode just shows raw hex codes, px values, and “Custom style”—which means more work for devs.
3. How to Expose Tokens Correctly
To ensure Dev Mode shows the right info:
- Use Figma Variables (not local styles) for:
- Colors (fill, stroke, text)
- Spacing (padding, margin, gaps)
- Radius, elevation, borders
- Use Text Styles tied to your typography tokens
- Set up Component Properties for toggles, icons, variants
- Apply consistent naming (
color.surface.bg,space.8,type.label.sm)
🎯 Your goal: make every design element traceable to a reusable token.
4. Use Collections and Modes Wisely
Dev Mode reflects the structure of your tokens, including:
- Collections (e.g. Core Tokens, Semantic Tokens)
- Modes (e.g. Light, Dark, Brand X)
For example, a button background in Light Mode might show:
bash color.button.primary.bg → #1E40AF
And in Dark Mode:
bash color.button.primary.bg → #93C5FD
🌓 Developers can toggle modes and see live value changes in the UI.
5. Add Dev Notes Inside Figma
Dev Mode now supports code annotations and developer notes.
You can:
- Write usage notes (e.g. “Use this icon only with button.primary”)
- Reference token names for copy/paste
- Link to design system documentation or Storybook
💬 Keep your component page clean but informative—think of it as internal API documentation.
6. Sync Tokens with Codebases
You can integrate token systems directly into code with:
- Figma Variables API
- Tokens Studio plugin (with GitHub/JSON sync)
- Style Dictionary
- Custom token pipelines
This means tokens used in Figma become source of truth for both design and code.
📦 One source → all platforms.
7. Don’t Forget Interaction Properties
Dev Mode also shows:
- Component properties (booleans, variants, swaps)
- Interactive states like hover or focus
- Prototypes and transitions (if linked)
🎯 A good handoff includes both visual specs and interaction logic.
8. Bonus: Set Up a Dev Handoff Page
Create a dedicated page in your Figma file labeled 🚀 Dev Handoff.
Include:
- All key components
- Light + Dark previews
- Token inspection instructions
- Links to code/token repos
- A summary of naming conventions
✅ Make it frictionless for your dev team to grab what they need.
Conclusion: Design Tokens + Dev Mode = Seamless Handoff
If you want design systems that scale, you can’t stop at visuals. Developers need access to tokens, specs, and logic—all clearly exposed in Dev Mode.
By setting up your tokens and properties properly, you empower your dev team to build faster, more accurately, and with full confidence.
Next up: “Multi-Brand Design Systems in Figma: How to Use Tokens, Modes, and Smart Components” — a deep dive into building cross-brand UIs at scale.
Designilo 