Managing Component Variants in Figma

Key Concepts

• Component Variants: Different states or variations of a master component.
• Variant Groups: Organizing variants into logical groups for easier management.
• Overrides: Customizing specific properties of a variant without altering the master component.
• Dynamic Switching: Easily switching between different variants within the design.
• Consistency: Ensuring that all variants maintain a consistent design language.

Component Variants

Component Variants represent different states or variations of a master component. For example, a button component might have variants for different sizes (small, medium, large) and states (default, hover, pressed). Each variant retains a connection to the master component, allowing for updates to be propagated across all variants.

Think of component variants as different outfits for the same character. Each outfit (variant) has its own unique style, but they all share the same basic character (master component).

Variant Groups

Variant Groups help organize variants into logical categories. For instance, you might group button variants by size (small, medium, large) and state (default, hover, pressed). This organization makes it easier to manage and apply variants within your design system.

Consider variant groups as drawers in a wardrobe. Each drawer contains outfits (variants) of a similar type, making it easy to find and select the right outfit for any occasion.

Overrides

Overrides allow you to customize specific properties of a variant without affecting the master component. For example, you can override the text color of a button variant to match a specific design requirement. This flexibility ensures that your design system remains adaptable while maintaining consistency.

Think of overrides as accessories that you can add to an outfit (variant) to customize it for a specific event. The accessories change the look without altering the basic outfit (master component).

Dynamic Switching

Dynamic Switching enables you to easily switch between different variants within your design. This feature is particularly useful for prototyping and testing different states or variations of a component. For example, you can quickly switch between a default button and a hover state button to see how they interact.

Consider dynamic switching as changing outfits on a mannequin. You can easily swap between different outfits (variants) to see how they look and function in different scenarios.

Consistency

Consistency is crucial when managing component variants. All variants should maintain a consistent design language to ensure a cohesive user experience. This includes consistent typography, color schemes, and spacing across all variants.

Think of consistency as maintaining a uniform theme across all outfits (variants). Each outfit might have different styles, but they all adhere to the same overall theme, ensuring a cohesive look.

Examples and Analogies

Imagine you are designing a website with multiple buttons. You create a master button component with default styles. Then, you create variants for different sizes (small, medium, large) and states (default, hover, pressed). Each variant can have its own unique properties, but they all share the same basic button design.

Another analogy is a clothing brand that designs a basic t-shirt. The master component is the basic t-shirt design. Variants of this t-shirt can be customized with different colors, logos, and sizes, but they all retain the same basic t-shirt structure. Overrides allow for these customizations without altering the original t-shirt design.