Boolean Operations in Figma

Key Concepts

• Union
• Subtract
• Intersect

Union

The Union operation in Figma combines two or more shapes into a single shape. The resulting shape includes all the areas covered by the original shapes. This operation is useful for creating complex shapes by merging simpler ones.

Imagine you have two overlapping circles. Using the Union operation, you combine them into a single shape that includes both circles' areas. This is like merging two pieces of clay into one, where the overlapping parts are included in the final shape.

Subtract

The Subtract operation in Figma removes the area of one shape from another. The shape you select first is the one that gets subtracted from, and the second shape is the one that does the subtracting. This operation is useful for creating cut-out effects or negative spaces.

Consider a rectangle and a circle. If you use the Subtract operation with the circle as the second shape, it will remove the area of the circle from the rectangle. This is like carving out a piece of wood with a circular saw, leaving a hole in the shape of the circle.

Intersect

The Intersect operation in Figma keeps only the overlapping area of two or more shapes. The resulting shape includes only the parts where the original shapes intersect. This operation is useful for isolating specific areas of complex shapes.

Think of two overlapping circles again. Using the Intersect operation, you get a new shape that includes only the area where the two circles overlap. This is like focusing on the shared space between two pieces of fabric, ignoring the parts that don't overlap.