Graphic Design & Illustration · Tools
What is Figma and what is it used for?
Figma is a browser-based design tool for interfaces. It became the standard because several people can work in the same file at once, which changed how design teams operate.
The Nextversity teamGraphic Design & Illustration schoolUpdated August 10, 20265 min read
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The short answer
Figma is a design tool for interfaces: app screens, websites, and the prototypes that show how they behave. It runs in a browser, and several people can work in the same file at the same time.
That last part is why it took over. Design used to be a solo activity with files emailed around. Figma made it a shared surface, and once one team worked that way the rest followed.
What people actually make in it
Interface design. App screens, website layouts, dashboards. The core use.
Prototypes. Link screens together so a button leads somewhere, then send a link that behaves like the real thing. This is how designs get tested before anyone writes code.
Design systems. Reusable components, styles and rules. Change the button once and every screen using it updates, which is the feature that makes large projects survivable.
Handoff to developers. Developers open the file, read the exact spacing, colors and fonts, and export assets themselves. No spec document.
Wireframes and diagrams. The canvas is flexible enough that plenty of non-designers use it for flowcharts, moodboards and workshops.
Why it beat what came before
- Browser-based. No install, no version files, no "which one is the latest".
- Real-time collaboration. Several cursors in one file, comments in place.
- One link for everything. Stakeholders view without owning the software.
- Components and auto layout. Designs that respond to content instead of breaking when text gets longer.
- A free tier that is genuinely usable, so students and small teams could adopt it without a purchase order.
Adobe XD was the main competitor, and Adobe stopped active development on it, which settled the question for most teams. There is a guide to what that means for XD users.
Who uses it
Designers, obviously. But also product managers writing requirements next to the screens, developers reading specs, marketers grabbing assets, and founders sketching an idea before hiring anyone.
That breadth is unusual for a design tool and it is why "can you use Figma" appears in a lot of job listings that are not design jobs.
Figma's real innovation was not a drawing feature. It was making design a place other people could walk into.
What Figma is not for
- Photo editing and retouching. Photoshop.
- Print production. CMYK, bleed and press-ready files are not its territory.
- Complex vector illustration. Illustrator is deeper for drawing.
- Video and motion. Basic transitions only. After Effects for real motion work.
Should you learn it?
Yes, if you want to design apps or websites, work with a product team, or move into UX. It is the standard, so it is the safe investment.
Yes, if you are a developer, marketer or founder who needs to read design files and grab assets. A few hours is enough for that.
Not yet, if you are learning design fundamentals from scratch and your interest is print, branding or illustration. Learn typography and layout first, in whichever tool suits that work.
Getting started
Sign up for free, open a blank file, and rebuild a screen from an app you use daily. That single exercise teaches more than any feature tour, because you keep hitting the specific thing you do not know yet.
Figma's help center is thorough, and the pricing page sets out what the free plan includes. There is also a step-by-step first design guide here.
Where to learn it properly
The UX/UI design course covers Figma from first frame through components, auto layout and prototyping, alongside the design thinking that makes the output good. One subscription opens the whole Graphic Design & Illustration school.
Open a file today. It is free, and the first hour is genuinely enjoyable.
Questions people ask
What is Figma used for?
Designing app and website interfaces, building clickable prototypes, and maintaining design systems. It is also used for wireframes, presentations and diagrams because the whiteboard side is flexible.
Is Figma only for UX designers?
No. Product managers, developers, marketers and founders use it too, often to view, comment or copy assets rather than to design. That breadth is a large part of why it took over.
Do I need to install Figma?
No. It runs in a browser, which is one reason it spread so quickly. There are desktop apps if you prefer, and they use the same files.
Is Figma replacing Photoshop?
For interface design, it already did. For photo editing, retouching and print work, Photoshop is still the tool. They do different jobs and most designers have both.
Is Figma hard to learn?
The basics take an afternoon. Auto layout and components take a few weeks to use well, and they are the parts that make Figma genuinely powerful rather than just convenient.