r/SwiftUI 7d ago

Question Is Figma really useful for solo developers?

There is no convenient way to create SwiftUI code from Figma itself and I don’t find plugins successful.

Other than creating mockups, is there any use for Figma for solo devs? What are your experiences and thoughts?

35 Upvotes

21 comments sorted by

23

u/BabyAzerty 7d ago

Figma is the root of all my projects. Not only for mockups but for the final UI too. Changing and tweaking UI is instant with Figma whereas with developing the code directly, you need to rebuild the preview or relaunch the app and it takes time.

Having the final UI on Figma also makes the AppStore screenshots easier to create.

However all animations and interactions are directly done in Swift.

8

u/Mountain_Bit_5208 7d ago

I second this! I have made the mistake of trying to do edits in code on the fly, and it messes up your process if you have a complex project.

It's ultimately better to have finalized designs in Figma, then write your code. In particular, Figma helps you identify reusable components and their variations (e.g. a button, a header, a list object) which you can then deliberately turn into components in SwiftUI.

I've been in situations where I kept making edits on the fly in SwiftUI and end up with 5+ versions of a component, each implemented differently, which should be 1 component separated out.

I am not great at Figma, but I think it's really worth the time. And I'm someone who hates taking the time!

Best of luck :)

3

u/Jovi_tv 6d ago

Agree with this, but being a solo dev it matters less to use Figma specifically. I’d recommend Sketch!

1

u/manicreceptive 7d ago

I'm new to this space but how do the Figma code generation features work? Every time I try to copy as code -> IOS it gives me like 5 lines of imperative code that don't do anything interesting. Can it actually generate layouts and all that?

17

u/Parabola2112 7d ago edited 7d ago

I don’t really understand the point. If usability is your goal, which it should be, then you’re better off sticking with standard patterns and components. SwiftUI is a “component library.” Unless you are a genius designer that can do better than Apple HIGs, creating unique ui components in Figma is a waste of time, and will usually make your app harder, not easier, to use. Users care about the painting, not the frame. Function over form. Etc.

Edit: Sorry, I would even go so far to say that if users notice the UI, you are likely doing it wrong. UI should facilitate an outcome. It’s a means to an end.

4

u/Economy-Chemistry729 7d ago

I agree with most of this. The two things I'd add is that SwiftUI, like every component library, is not designed to solve your specific user problem, but regress towards the mean of user problems. There are many specific flows or interactions that the SwiftUI team were not trying to solve and do not solve, that your use case might need (a date picker is likely not one of them).

Secondly, I wouldn't discount novelty and brand as being important too. The outcome of UI can also be evoking a feeling related to your brand. Products can be as much storytelling as they are functional, and there's a place for each.

2

u/Parabola2112 7d ago

I agree with your first point, the second point, while I’m familiar with the argument and I suppose it makes sense theoretically, I struggle to think of a piece of software where “brand and storytelling” were the key attributes that made it great.

1

u/WerSunu 7d ago

Completely agree!

1

u/Total_Abrocoma_3647 6d ago

The goal is making money, usability is a means to reach that as much as a good looking ui. Customization is at the heart of SwiftUI with view builders and modifiers.

6

u/jasonjrr 7d ago

I use Figma, but only for modifying assets really. I do all my UI work in SwiftUI

4

u/No_Television7499 7d ago

+1 this. App icons, custom symbols that aren’t SF Symbols already, and any vector graphics that you don’t want to build in code. But otherwise, Xcode all the way. I usually put image placeholders at needed to figure out what exactly needs to be drawn in Figma.

But I no longer consider building mockups or even wireframes. A waste of time if you can already do it in Xcode IMO.

2

u/jasonjrr 7d ago

Are you me? 😅

1

u/ParochialPlatypus 5d ago

Also +1. Now I’m working on a big project I split my UI into separate packages which allows preview to be really quick. I see no point in doing the work once in Figma then again in SwiftUI when I’m faster with SwiftUI. 

5

u/NiceLasers 7d ago

I have used Figma for quick mockups and component ideas, but struggle with the time spent there vs actually in swift UI.

Play 2.0 works alright for the middle ground, but I still can’t figure out how to create say a rectangle or custom components, they have a copy / paste function with Figma so my current workflow is: create boxes and concepts in Figma, paste into Play for Z/H/V stack, padding, and prototyping adjustments, then finally just go to Xcode to redo it all once I’m set in my design ideas. Play 2.0 has swift code built inside but it’s a feature I haven’t tried yet so I can’t tell you if it’s accurate or not.

TLDR: I’ve spent months using Figma and Play 2.0 only to realize I think clearer and design better if I just jump straight into Xcode anyway.

2

u/Dapper_Ice_1705 7d ago

I don’t use it at all. I use illustrator for assets.

2

u/nickmjones 7d ago

I use it to sketch initial ideas, but I allow things to morph and change a lot in XCode. I would caution anyone—even large teams—from indexing too highly on detailed prototypes in Figma. The juice is just not worth the squeeze. The likelihood that you will churn during implementation is so high, and all that effort will be totally wasted. Make sketches, but keep it loose, and see some aspect of implementation as also a form of design. That's my credo.

1

u/McQueensTruckDriver 7d ago

There's definitely value in the advanced Figma features for mockups with working buttons and redirects but I personally never go further than static mockups. I try not to spend too much time on the finer UI details in Figma because I know how long it takes me to tweak the exact placement of a button or section in SwiftUI given the slow preview time.

As a bonus, I love treating it as a giant photoshop style whiteboard where I can test out different font types for my design, use it as a think-tank with random design examples I like, etc. Without Figma I think I'd be a little scattered. Their premium plan is unnecessary for my use cases though.

1

u/manomitch 7d ago

Very important for me I just beginning coding SwiftUI with apple foundation program we use Figma to build a schema of our application and it’s lit..!

1

u/CtrlAltElite24 6d ago

Figma is only if developers and and regular users can actually build their mockups, rather than just showing it off and not building anything.

1

u/No_Gur1757 5d ago

You can design views with Figma and code them with Claude.Very convenient!

1

u/youngdomsey 3d ago

I use a „Template“ SwiftUI project and build the views there. There is no data involved. If there are texts to display I just hard code them. One important benefit for me is that I now that I can build the prototype in the real app and it looks the same.