Figma Launches Specs Editor and Code Layers Public Beta at Config India
By Ali Al-Montaser — Senior AI Technical Editor
Figma announced Figma Specs, a Markdown editor for defining design rules for AI agents, and opened Code Layers to public beta at its first Config India event. The platform also integrated Payload CMS into Figma Make and added support for over 20 MCP tools. Figma now works with 40% of India's top 100 BSE-listed companies.
Executive Overview
Figma used its first Config India event to announce Figma Specs, a new Markdown editor that lets teams define design rules for AI agents, and to move Code Layers into public beta. The company also integrated Payload CMS into Figma Make and added support for more than 20 new tools via the MCP protocol. The announcements come as Figma works with 40% of India's top 100 companies listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange, underscoring the country's role as its largest market outside the United States.
📊 Official Data & Technical Specifications Card
| Technical Axis | Confirmed Official Data |
|---|---|
| 💰 Pricing & Usage Cost | Figma has not announced separate pricing for Specs or Code Layers; features are available within existing Figma plans (Starter free, Professional, Organization, Enterprise). Payload CMS integration is open-source and free for self-hosting. |
| 🌐 Platforms & Immediate Availability | Figma Specs: available on Figma platform (web and desktop). Code Layers: Public Beta on Figma. Payload integration: within Figma Make. MCP support for over 20 external tools. |
| ⚡ Performance & Speed Metrics | 17x increase in lines of code produced compared to the past, versus only 1.3x in releases. Payload downloads up sixfold over 12 months. |
| 🛡️ Security & Breach Resistance | No specific security standards or prompt injection protection were mentioned in the announcement; Figma focused on controlling the non-deterministic nature of AI via Specs to guide agents toward predictable outputs. |
| 🧠 Context Window | Not applicable; Figma Specs works as a reference Markdown editor that can accommodate design libraries, code, and guidelines, without mentioning a token limit. |
| 🌍 Arabic Language & Regional Support | No explicit Arabic support mentioned. The announcement focused on the Indian market as the largest outside the US, with support for tools like India's Sarvam. No indication of special availability in the Middle East. |
Deep-Dive Features & Architecture
Figma unveiled Figma Specs, a Markdown editor that allows teams to define their design language in a unified reference document. This document can exist as a standalone file within Figma or inside the design canvas itself, and supports referencing other Figma elements such as canvas items, embedding FigJam diagrams, code layers, and designs. Teams can also add broader context including design libraries, code libraries, and guidelines, giving AI agents a centralized system to adhere to brand rules. This addresses the non-deterministic nature of AI by providing tools to guide it toward more predictable outcomes.
Additionally, Code Layers moved from private beta (announced in June) to public beta during the India event. The feature allows adding code to designs on the canvas to create more interactive prototypes, and users can ask the agent to convert the design to code or modify part of it to iterate the prototype. In a related move, Figma announced support for more than 20 new tools via the MCP protocol, including Open Code, Dia, Grok Bot, and Indian AI startup Sarvam. Payload, the open-source CMS Figma acquired last year, was integrated with Figma Make to generate dynamic websites and manage content directly, with Payload downloads up sixfold in the last 12 months.
In a statement to TechCrunch, Loredana Crisan, Figma's Chief Design Officer, said: "We see Figma as the place where software teams come together to decide what to build and ship. There are 17x more lines of code being produced today than in the past, but when you look at releases, it's only 1.3x. A lot of that code isn't necessarily built to ship, but to discover what the product is. It's built for design."
Benchmark & Competitive Performance
The announcement does not include direct benchmark comparisons with competitors like Adobe or Sketch. However, the figures provided by Figma point to a gap between code production (17x) and releases (1.3x), highlighting that much AI-generated code is used for exploration rather than shipping. The sixfold increase in Payload downloads also signals growing adoption of the CMS within the Figma ecosystem. The support for over 20 MCP tools positions Figma as a hub for integrating external AI agents and services directly into its platform.
Industry Impact & Enterprise Adoption
India is Figma's largest market outside the United States by users, and the platform works with 40% of the top 100 Indian companies listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange. The company opened its first office in India late last year, and the Config India event marks a significant investment in the region. The introduction of Figma Specs and Code Layers aims to standardize how AI agents interact with design systems, potentially reducing the unpredictability of AI-generated outputs. The integration of Payload CMS into Figma Make could streamline content management for dynamic websites, appealing to enterprises seeking to combine design and development workflows.
Conclusion
Figma's Config India announcements reinforce its strategy to bridge design and AI-driven development. By providing tools like Specs and Code Layers, Figma addresses the challenge of non-deterministic AI outputs, offering teams a way to enforce brand consistency and accelerate prototyping. The integration of Payload CMS and expanded MCP support further positions Figma as a central platform for AI-assisted software creation. With India as a key growth market, these updates are likely to strengthen Figma's enterprise adoption and competitive standing against rivals in the design and development space.
Media Source: TechCrunch AI | Fact Verification & Analysis: AI Tools Oasis
Frequently Asked Questions
Figma Specs is a new Markdown editor that allows teams to define their brand's design language in a reference document that AI agents can follow. The document can exist as a standalone file or within the design canvas, and supports embedding Figma elements, FigJam diagrams, code layers, and libraries.
Yes, Figma announced that Code Layers is available in public beta during the Config India event, after being in private beta since June. The feature allows adding code to designs on the canvas to create more interactive prototypes, and users can ask the agent to convert the design to code or modify it.
After Figma acquired the open-source Payload, it was integrated with the Figma Make product to generate dynamic websites and manage content directly. The company revealed that Payload downloads increased sixfold over the last 12 months.
Figma announced support for more than 20 new tools via the MCP protocol, including Open Code, Dia, Grok Bot, and the Indian AI startup Sarvam.
India is Figma's largest market outside the United States in terms of users. The platform works with 40% of the top 100 Indian companies listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange, after opening its first office in India late last year.
AI Tools Oasis Team
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