Components and Variants in Figma

Components and Variants in Figma are powerful features that allow you to create reusable and flexible design elements. Understanding these concepts can significantly enhance your design efficiency and consistency. Here are seven key concepts related to Components and Variants:

1. Components

Components in Figma are reusable elements that maintain a consistent appearance and behavior across your design. When you update a component, all instances of that component automatically update, ensuring consistency throughout your project.

For example, if you create a button component, you can reuse it across multiple screens. If you need to change the button's color, you only need to update the master component, and all instances will reflect the change.

2. Master Component

The Master Component is the original version of a component from which all instances are derived. Any changes made to the Master Component are propagated to all instances, ensuring that your design remains consistent.

Imagine you are designing a logo. By creating a Master Component for the logo, you can ensure that any updates to the logo's design (e.g., color, size) are applied uniformly across all instances of the logo in your design.

3. Instance

An Instance is a copy of a Master Component that retains a connection to the original. Instances can be customized while still maintaining a link to the Master Component, allowing for flexibility without losing consistency.

For example, if you have a card component with a title and description, you can create instances of this card for different pieces of content. Each instance can have its own title and description, but the overall design (e.g., layout, colors) remains consistent.

4. Overrides

Overrides allow you to make specific changes to an instance without affecting the Master Component. This feature is useful for customizing individual instances while keeping the overall design consistent.

Imagine you have a button component with a default text label. By using overrides, you can change the text label for each instance of the button without altering the Master Component. This allows you to create unique buttons for different sections of your design.

5. Variants

Variants are a set of related components that share common properties but have different states or variations. Variants allow you to create flexible and reusable design elements that can adapt to different contexts.

For example, if you are designing a toggle switch, you can create variants for the "on" and "off" states. Each variant can have its own unique styling (e.g., color, icon), but they are still part of the same component family.

6. Variant Sets

Variant Sets group related variants together, making it easier to manage and apply them in your design. Variant Sets ensure that all related variants are organized and accessible in one place.

Imagine you are designing a set of icons for different social media platforms. By creating a Variant Set for the icons, you can easily switch between different icons (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) while maintaining a consistent design style.

7. Component Properties

Component Properties allow you to define specific attributes that can be customized across instances of a component. This feature enhances the flexibility of your components by allowing you to change properties like text, color, or size without altering the Master Component.

For example, if you have a card component with a title and background color, you can define these as component properties. This allows you to change the title and background color for each instance of the card, providing a high degree of customization while maintaining consistency.