Designilo

The Anatomy of a Bulletproof Figma Component

Introduction: Components Are More Than Shapes

A great component in Figma isn’t just a visual—it’s a system. It adapts, scales, responds, and empowers teams to move fast without breaking things. But too often, components are fragile: spacing breaks, variants are missing, or overrides don’t work.

In this guide, we’ll break down exactly what makes a bulletproof Figma component—from structure and naming to auto layout, variants, and variables.

1. Start with a Clear Naming Convention

A strong component begins with a predictable, scalable name.

✅ Recommended Format:

css [Category] / [Component Name] / [Variant or State]

Examples:

  • Button / Primary / Hover
  • Input / Password / Error
  • Modal / Confirmation / Mobile

This structure keeps your asset panel organized and future-ready.

2. Use Auto Layout Like a Pro

Auto Layout is the foundation of flexible components.

Apply it to:

  • Button containers
  • Card wrappers
  • Navigation bars
  • Tags, badges, alerts

Tips:

  • Nest Auto Layouts to separate internal vs external padding
  • Use “hug contents” to keep labels flexible
  • Use “fixed” widths for breakpoints when needed

💡 Pro Tip: Keep a layer labeled Text or Content so devs know what’s editable.

3. Build Responsive Behavior

Your component should scale without hacks. Use:

  • Constraints (Top/Bottom, Left/Right, Center)
  • Auto Layout direction (horizontal/vertical)
  • Min/max width components for cards, modals, drawers
  • Padding tokens tied to spacing variables

🎯 A button that breaks on resize = not bulletproof.

4. Embrace Variants Strategically

Variants allow one component to express many states.

Use cases:

  • Button states: Default, Hover, Pressed, Disabled
  • Sizes: Small, Medium, Large
  • Styles: Primary, Secondary, Tertiary

Use Boolean and property controls:

  • isDisabled
  • iconPlacement: Left | Right | None
  • theme: Light | Dark

✅ Limit to what’s necessary—too many variants = messy panels.

5. Use Figma Variables for Design Tokens

Variables keep your components consistent across themes and products.

Assign variables for:

  • Fill colors
  • Border radius
  • Padding and spacing
  • Text color and style

Then tie those variables to modes (Light/Dark, Brand A/B), so your component updates automatically.

🌈 Example:
Color/Primary/Default → different hex values in each mode.

6. Make It Easy to Inspect in Dev Mode

Your component should work beautifully in Dev Mode:

  • Text uses shared styles
  • Colors are tokenized
  • Assets are marked for export
  • Auto layout clearly defines spacing
  • Component name and variants are descriptive

💬 Add developer notes inside the file to explain anything not obvious.

7. Support Real Content and Edge Cases

Design for actual usage:

  • Long button labels (e.g. “Continue to Payment Portal”)
  • Multi-line descriptions
  • Keyboard focus states
  • Disabled + loading states

⚠️ Your “perfect” label like “OK” isn’t how users will interact with it.

8. Organize Your Layers Thoughtfully

Clean layer hierarchy = less confusion for everyone.

Use groups or frames like:

  • Icon Left
  • Label
  • Icon Right
  • Container

Lock background or decorative layers to prevent accidental changes.

🎯 Use naming like 🧱 Label to indicate primary override points.

9. Test Before You Publish

Before publishing a component:

  • Test all variants at different breakpoints
  • Resize and stretch components
  • Check behavior in Light/Dark modes
  • Use the Instance Menu to simulate overrides
  • Invite a teammate to stress-test it

🔍 Better to break it in testing than in production.

Conclusion: Bulletproof Is Reusable + Resilient

Great Figma components are clear, flexible, tokenized, and tested. They reduce design debt, speed up collaboration, and hold up through real-world use cases—not just the happy path.

Next up: “Component Debugging: Why Your Button Keeps Breaking and How to Fix It” — a hands-on guide to solving common Figma component issues.

Ben Kemp
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