Featured image courtesy of Figma.

Figma has opened its code layers feature to public beta. This quickly follows the company’s recent unveiling of a strategy to merge design, code, and AI agents onto a single collaborative canvas. The move, first reported by TechCrunch, also includes new features to define how these AI agents will work within Figma.

This development follows a major product update announced at Config India in Bengaluru, detailed by Entrackr on October 15. At that event, Figma laid out its plan to simplify how designers, developers, and product managers build products. The company aims to put design tools, code generation, and AI-powered automation into one platform. The initial announcement included code layers, Figma Specs, centralized design system management, and deeper integration with Payload, an open-source backend framework.

The near-simultaneous timing of the broader announcement and the open beta for code layers reveals Figma’s accelerated pace in deploying its AI-driven strategy. The Entrackr report from October 15 described the unveiling of this integrated vision. The TechCrunch report from October 14 confirmed that a core component, code layers, was already moving into a testable phase. This rapid progression from announcement to public beta indicates Figma is actively making its key AI-powered tools available for real-world application.

Bridging Design and Development with Code Layers

Code layers represent Figma’s direct attempt to reduce friction between design and development teams. For years, designers created visual mockups in tools like Figma. Developers then manually translated those designs into functioning code. This process often involved misinterpretations, extensive back-and-forth communication, and time-consuming adjustments. By bringing code directly into the design canvas, Figma aims to make this handoff faster.

With code layers, designers can see how their visual decisions translate into code in real time. They can even generate code snippets directly from their designs. This capability creates a shared language and environment for both disciplines. Developers can access design specifications and code representations within the same file designers use, minimizing the need to jump between tools or interpret static design files.

Defining AI Agent Behavior

Beyond code generation, Figma’s strategy includes AI agents. These agents can automate repetitive tasks, suggest design improvements, or generate design variations based on user prompts. The announcement of new features to define how these agents work is an important step in their implementation.

Allowing users to define agent behavior means offering control and predictability. In a professional design and development environment, autonomous AI actions can be powerful and risky. Providing tools to set parameters, constraints, and specific roles for these agents helps ensure they augment human creativity and efficiency, not create unexpected outcomes. This control is essential for enterprise adoption, where consistency, brand guidelines, and specific workflow requirements are paramount. It allows teams to customize AI assistance to their unique processes, making the agents truly useful rather than generic.

Implications for Product Workflows

Figma’s continuous updates illustrate a clear commitment to reshaping how product teams operate. The “single canvas” concept, now populated with features like code layers and defined AI agents, moves beyond a simple design tool. It is becoming a platform for the entire product development lifecycle. Centralized design system management, also part of the Config India announcements, supports this by ensuring consistency and scalability across projects and teams.

The integration with Payload, an open-source backend framework, suggests an ambition to connect front-end design and code with back-end functionality, closing the loop on the entire product stack. This indicates Figma aims for product development to be highly integrated, automated, and collaborative, driven by AI capabilities that directly interact with visual design and underlying code. This strategy could significantly alter traditional roles and responsibilities within product teams, demanding new skills and fostering closer collaboration across disciplines.

What new features did Figma announce?

Figma announced new features to define how AI agents work on its platform and released its code layers feature in open beta.

When did Figma first announce its AI-powered tools?

Figma first announced its AI-powered tools, including code layers, Figma Specs, and AI agents, on October 15, 2026, at Config India in Bengaluru.

Compiled by Launch91 Desk from the sources linked above. More about Launch91.