Figma MCP Servers: First Week, First Impressions

Note: This is based on my first week of testing Figma’s Dev Mode MCP server with Cursor. Real files, real stumbles, real tea.

A week with Figma’s MCP server: notes from the trenches

I went into this week with cautious optimism. I love the idea of design context inside my editor, and I wanted to see if Figma’s Dev Mode MCP server could actually help me build faster without me quietly screaming at the CSS. Spoiler: it helped, it stumbled, and it definitely reminded me that good front‑end still needs a human steering the ship.

First, a quick translation. An MCP (Model Context Protocol) server is basically a bridge. It lets my editor (Cursor, in my case) talk to Figma Dev Mode in a structured way. The Figma server exposes little doorways like getVariables, getCode, and getImage, so I can pull tokens, code snippets, and assets straight from the design I’m staring at—without playing window‑tab whack‑a‑mole. It doesn’t “generate” code out of thin air; it surfaces what Figma already knows about the file.

My early wins were simple but real. Variables came through neatly and consistently. Images were mostly fine, and when they weren’t, it was because the editor tried to be clever and linked to a local preview (I now have a firm rule about exporting actual assets—lesson learnt). Having that design context right next to my code made the day feel… lighter. Less faff, more flow.

Where it got wobbly was the promise of “matching the design”. The code you get via Dev Mode is reference‑grade. It’s there to show intent, not to be pasted straight into prod. If your Figma uses proper Auto Layout, you’ll see Flex‑like properties show up and things generally make sense. If it doesn’t, the snippets lean static. I only bumped into absolute positioning a handful of times (mostly on image embeds), which is fair enough if you’re trying to “match pixels”, but not what I’d ship.

On modern CSS: at the time of writing, Dev Mode’s web snippets don’t emit CSS Grid. You’ll mostly see Flexbox. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t use Grid—just that you won’t get it by default. I translate layout intent to Grid when it makes sense, and I’m explicit in my prompts if I want it. Same goes for newer features: unless you ask clearly, you’ll get safe, conservative CSS.

The part that genuinely improved my day was rhythm. I now break work into small, bossy prompts: first “export these three images as files and embed them properly (no localhost)”, then “scaffold the component with Flexbox”, then “wire the tokens and states”. Tiny steps, fewer hallucinations. It feels less like arguing with an AI and more like delegating.

I’ve also started using Cursor and agents throughout my actual job, not just for this test. It does make me faster—noticeably. I spend more time on the interesting bits (state, accessibility, reuse) and less on boilerplate. And yes, there’s that occasional flicker of “is this here to replace me?” I’m choosing to treat it like any other tool. Someone has to drive the agents, set the standards, and decide what “good” looks like. That someone is still us.

If you’re about to try this yourself, a few gentle nudges from me: be explicit about assets, push for responsive layouts, and don’t expect the snippets to be perfect. They’re a head start, not a handover. The more your design files lean into Auto Layout, the nicer the output. And if you want Grid or something shinier, ask for it and refactor.

For the receipts: Figma’s own docs frame Dev Mode code as an inspection aid. Auto Layout concepts mirror Flexbox (direction, gap, alignment). Grid isn’t emitted by the default web snippets. MCP just ferries this info into your editor—nothing mystical there. If you’re curious, have a read:

• Figma Help — Guide to the Dev Mode MCP Server: https://help.figma.com/hc/en-us/articles/32132100833559-Guide-to-the-Dev-Mode-MCP-Server
• Figma Help — Use code snippets in Dev Mode: https://help.figma.com/hc/en-us/articles/15023202277399-Use-code-snippets-in-Dev-Mode
• Figma Help — Auto layout properties: https://help.figma.com/hc/en-us/articles/360040451373-Explore-auto-layout-properties
• Figma Blog — Introducing the Dev Mode MCP server: https://www.figma.com/blog/introducing-figmas-dev-mode-mcp-server/

So yes—useful, occasionally chaotic, and, with the right nudges, genuinely time‑saving. Not a replacement for front‑end craft, but a decent assistant if you set the ground rules and keep your hands on the wheel.