Skip to content

Figma MCP Overview

When to Use

When you want AI agents to generate code directly from Figma designs — using structured layout data, design tokens, and component mappings rather than screenshots alone.

Decision

If you need... Use... Why
Maximum compatibility, no desktop app Remote server Works on all plans, all seats, any editor
Selection-based workflow (select in Figma → generate) Desktop server Only desktop server can read active Figma selections
Lowest friction Claude Code setup Claude Code plugin One command install, bundled skills
Dev/Full seat on paid plan Either Desktop unlocks selection workflow; remote still provides link-based access
Starter plan or View/Collab seat Remote only Desktop server requires Dev or Full seat on paid plan

Pattern

The MCP server exposes 13 tools to AI agents. Agents call these tools automatically based on prompts, or you can trigger them explicitly:

# Remote endpoint
https://mcp.figma.com/mcp

# Desktop endpoint (Figma app running)
http://127.0.0.1:3845/mcp

# Verify who is authenticated (remote only)
Prompt: "Who am I in Figma?"  → calls whoami tool

Common Mistakes

  • Assuming the desktop server works without a paid Dev/Full seat — it requires one
  • Using the desktop SSE endpoint (/sse) instead of the current HTTP endpoint (/mcp) — Figma updated this; use /mcp for both
  • Expecting the remote server to read your active Figma selection — it cannot; it needs a link
  • Treating MCP output as production-ready code without reviewing against design — treat it as a strong first draft

See Also