Figma Releases a Major Update: New Native Code Layers, Animation Support, and Weavy Workflow Generation Features

Productivity design platform Figma released a major version update on Wednesday, for the first time introducing a "code layer" directly into the collaborative canvas, and also launched multiple motion, shader support, and custom AI plugin features. This move marks a key step in Figma's effort to break down the "collaboration wall" between designers and engineers.

Over the past year, Figma has been focusing on code integration, following the launch of the AI prompt-based prototyping tool Figma Make, it has also integrated Claude Code and Codex to optimize development alignment. The newly updated code layer allows teams to clone repositories and extract processes from code to the design layer for testing. According to Figma's Chief Product Officer, Hayashita Masaki, the advantage of the multi-user canvas lies in reducing the obsession with perfect production code, making it easier to quickly iterate ideas in a spatialized manner.

In terms of product features, the new version now natively supports animations, transitions, and 3D transformations, eliminating the cumbersome process of creating them in external software and then converting to code. It also introduces the ability to generate shader effects and fill assets using AI. Notably, Figma is deepening its integration of Weavy, the node-based tool acquired last year, and users are expected to be able to directly generate Weavy workflows within Figma later this year.

Additionally, the platform's AI assistant has undergone an "upgrade in skills," allowing users to create reusable AI skill agents through text prompts, and support integrating data and files from multiple sources such as Notion, Excel, and GitHub to enhance contextual understanding. Users can even directly generate custom plugins like layout generators or vector path trackers through prompts. As design tools continue to penetrate upstream into development, Figma's intelligent transformation is reshaping workflows involving multiple roles, driving digital product development toward a more efficient "seamless era."