Figma Kiwi Protocol Decode

Figma Kiwi Protocol Skill

Skill by ara.so — Design Skills collection.

What This Does

Figma uses Kiwi (binary serialization by Evan Wallace) over WebSocket for real-time sync. This library decodes those binary frames to extract the full scenegraph, SVG vectors, and CSS — then writes mutations back to live files. No REST API rate limits, no paid plan required.

Read path: Intercept WebSocket frames via Chrome DevTools Protocol, decode binary data. Write path: Open standalone Node WebSocket to Figma's multiplayer endpoint, apply mutations that propagate live.

Ships as lib, CLI, MCP server, and Claude Code plugin.

Installation

npm install figma-kiwi-protocol

CLI Quick Start

Read: Capture and Decode

# 1. Open Figma file in Chrome with remote debugging enabled
chrome --remote-debugging-port=9222

# 2. Set environment variables
export CDP_WS_URL="ws://localhost:9222/devtools/browser/<id>"
export FIGMA_TOKEN="figd_..."
export FIGMA_FILE_KEY="abc123def"  # from Figma URL

# 3. Capture all pages (auto-discovers pages via REST API)
npx figma-kiwi-protocol capture-all-pages

# 4. Decode binary frames to JSON scenegraph
npx figma-kiwi-protocol decode

# 5. Extract SVG files from vector nodes
npx figma-kiwi-protocol extract-svgs

# 6. Decode individual frames for inspection
npx figma-kiwi-protocol decode-frames

# 7. Extract all comments (with threaded replies and flattened metadata)
npx figma-kiwi-protocol comments $FIGMA_FILE_KEY --threads --flat

Write: Mutations and Cloning

# 1. One-time recon: steal cookies + multiplayer URL from Chrome
#    Writes /tmp/figma_handshake.json (rerun when cookies expire)
npx figma-kiwi-protocol recon-handshake

# 2. Rename a layer by guid (format: sessionID:localID)
npx figma-kiwi-protocol write rename 2004:16177 "NEW_NAME"

# 3. Enable auto-layout on a frame
npx figma-kiwi-protocol write enable-al 2010:16169 \
    --direction HORIZONTAL --hug both --padding 16 --spacing 8

# 4. Deep-clone a component (creates new guids, independent subtree)
npx figma-kiwi-protocol clone 41:1923 --name-suffix " (clone)"

# 5. Batch mutations from JSON file (dry-run first)
npx figma-kiwi-protocol write batch ./changes.json --dry-run

Library Usage

Read: Decode Binary Data

import {
  commandsBlobToPath,
  vectorNetworkBlobToPath,
  extractSvgs,
  extractCSSFromKiwi,
  isFigWireFrame,
  extractCompressedSchema,
  mergePages,
  buildTree
} from 'figma-kiwi-protocol';

// Decode commandsBlob (pre-computed SVG path) to SVG path string
const blobBytes = Buffer.from(node.commandsBlob);
const svgPath = commandsBlobToPath(blobBytes);
// Returns: "M 0.00 0.00 L 24.00 0.00 L 24.00 24.00 Z"

// Decode vectorNetworkBlob (editable path data) to SVG
const vectorBlob = Buffer.from(node.vectorNetworkBlob);
const editablePath = vectorNetworkBlobToPath(vectorBlob);

// Extract CSS from decoded scenegraph node
const nodeChange = scenegraph.nodeChanges.find(n => n.guid === '41:1923');
const css = extractCSSFromKiwi(nodeChange);
// Returns: { width: "100px", display: "flex", background: "#1a1a1a", ... }

// Check if binary frame contains Kiwi schema
const frameBytes = fs.readFileSync('/tmp/figma_kiwi/frame_000.bin');
if (isFigWireFrame(frameBytes)) {
  const compressedSchema = extractCompressedSchema(frameBytes);
  // Decompress with zstd, generate decoder with kiwi CLI
}

// Merge multiple page captures into single scenegraph
const page1 = JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync('/tmp/figma_kiwi/page1.json'));
const page2 = JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync('/tmp/figma_kiwi/page2.json'));
const merged = mergePages([page1, page2]);

// Build tree structure from flat nodeChanges
const tree = buildTree(merged.nodeChanges);

Write: Mutations and Session Management

import { FigmaSession } from 'figma-kiwi-protocol/session';

// Connect using handshake data from recon-handshake command
const session = await FigmaSession.connect();
// Reads /tmp/figma_handshake.json by default

// High-level mutation helpers (each resolves when server echoes)
await session.rename(
  { sessionID: 2004, localID: 16177 },
  'ButtonPrimary'
);

await session.setStackMode(
  { sessionID: 2010, localID: 16169 },
  'HORIZONTAL'
);

await session.setPadding(
  { sessionID: 2010, localID: 16169 },
  { all: 16 }
);

await session.setSpacing(
  { sessionID: 2010, localID: 16169 },
  8
);

await session.setSizing(
  { sessionID: 2010, localID: 16169 },
  'HORIZONTAL',
  'HUG'
);

// Low-level mutate: send raw nodeChanges and blobs
await session.mutate({
  nodeChanges: [
    {
      guid: '2004:16177',
      guidState: 'SYNCED',
      properties: { name: 'Footer' }
    }
  ],
  blobs: []
});

// Close connection
await session.close();

Clone: Deep Copy Components

import { cloneSubtree } from 'figma-kiwi-protocol/clone';
import { FigmaSession } from 'figma-kiwi-protocol/session';
import fs from 'fs';

// Load decoded scenegraph
const scenegraph = JSON.parse(
  fs.readFileSync('/tmp/figma_kiwi/scenegraph.json')
);

const session = await FigmaSession.connect();

// Deep-clone a component with all children (generates new guids)
const { nodeChanges, blobs } = cloneSubtree({
  scenegraph,
  sourceGuid: '41:1923',  // Component to clone
  sessionID: session.sessionID,
  nameSuffix: ' (Clone)'
});

// Apply clone mutation (propagates live to all connected editors)
await session.mutate({ nodeChanges, blobs });

await session.close();

Builder: Author Nodes from Scratch

import { FigmaBuilder } from 'figma-kiwi-protocol/builder';
import { FigmaSession } from 'figma-kiwi-protocol/session';

const session = await FigmaSession.connect();
const b = new FigmaBuilder({ sessionID: session.sessionID });

// Create vertical auto-layout frame
const card = b.frame({
  name: 'Card',
  stackMode: 'VERTICAL',
  padding: { all: 16 },
  spacing: 12,
  size: { x: 320, y: 200 }
});

// Add rectangle child (builder handles parentIndex uniqueness)
b.rectangle({
  parent: card,
  size: { x: 288, y: 120 },
  fills: [{ type: 'SOLID', color: { r: 0.1, g: 0.1, b: 0.1, a: 1 } }]
});

// Add text child
b.text({
  parent: card,
  name: 'Title',
  characters: 'Hello World',
  fontSize: 24,
  fontName: { family: 'Inter', style: 'Bold' }
});

// Build and apply
const nodeChanges = b.build();
await session.mutate({ nodeChanges });

await session.close();

Configuration

Environment Variables

# CDP capture (read path)
CDP_WS_URL="ws://localhost:9222/devtools/browser/<id>"
FIGMA_TOKEN="figd_..."      # For page discovery
FIGMA_FILE_KEY="abc123def"  # From Figma URL

# Write path (after recon-handshake)
# Reads /tmp/figma_handshake.json by default
# Override with:
FIGMA_HANDSHAKE_PATH="/custom/path/handshake.json"

# MCP server
FIGMA_KIWI_DIR="/tmp/figma_kiwi"  # Where decoded data lives

MCP Server Setup

Add to .mcp.json or ~/.claude/settings.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "figma": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["/path/to/figma-kiwi-protocol/mcp/server.mjs"],
      "env": {
        "FIGMA_KIWI_DIR": "/tmp/figma_kiwi"
      }
    }
  }
}

MCP tools: figma_pages, figma_page, figma_node, figma_search, figma_css, figma_texts, figma_components.

Common Patterns

Extract All Text Content

import { buildTree } from 'figma-kiwi-protocol';
import fs from 'fs';

const scenegraph = JSON.parse(
  fs.readFileSync('/tmp/figma_kiwi/scenegraph.json')
);

const tree = buildTree(scenegraph.nodeChanges);

function extractText(node, texts = []) {
  if (node.type === 'TEXT' && node.characters) {
    texts.push({
      name: node.name,
      text: node.characters,
      fontSize: node.fontSize,
      guid: node.guid
    });
  }
  if (node.children) {
    node.children.forEach(child => extractText(child, texts));
  }
  return texts;
}

const allTexts = extractText(tree);
console.log(JSON.stringify(allTexts, null, 2));

Batch Rename Layers

import { FigmaSession } from 'figma-kiwi-protocol/session';
import fs from 'fs';

const session = await FigmaSession.connect();

// Load changes from JSON
const changes = JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync('./renames.json'));
// Format: [{ guid: "2004:16177", newName: "Header" }, ...]

for (const { guid, newName } of changes) {
  const [sessionID, localID] = guid.split(':').map(Number);
  await session.rename({ sessionID, localID }, newName);
  console.log(`Renamed ${guid} → ${newName}`);
}

await session.close();

Find Components by Name

import { buildTree } from 'figma-kiwi-protocol';
import fs from 'fs';

const scenegraph = JSON.parse(
  fs.readFileSync('/tmp/figma_kiwi/scenegraph.json')
);

function findByName(node, search, results = []) {
  if (node.name && node.name.toLowerCase().includes(search.toLowerCase())) {
    results.push({
      guid: node.guid,
      name: node.name,
      type: node.type
    });
  }
  if (node.children) {
    node.children.forEach(child => findByName(child, search, results));
  }
  return results;
}

const tree = buildTree(scenegraph.nodeChanges);
const buttons = findByName(tree, 'button');
console.log(buttons);

Convert Auto-Layout Frame

import { FigmaSession } from 'figma-kiwi-protocol/session';

const session = await FigmaSession.connect();
const guid = { sessionID: 2010, localID: 16169 };

// Enable horizontal auto-layout
await session.setStackMode(guid, 'HORIZONTAL');

// Set padding
await session.setPadding(guid, { all: 16 });

// Set spacing between children
await session.setSpacing(guid, 12);

// Hug contents in both directions
await session.setSizing(guid, 'HORIZONTAL', 'HUG');
await session.setSizing(guid, 'VERTICAL', 'HUG');

await session.close();

Binary Format Reference

commandsBlob Structure

Byte  Command      Parameters
0x01  MoveTo       x(f32) y(f32)
0x02  LineTo       x(f32) y(f32)
0x03  ClosePath    (none)
0x04  CubicBezier  x1(f32) y1(f32) x2(f32) y2(f32) x(f32) y(f32)
0x00  (separator)  subpath boundary

vectorNetworkBlob Structure

Header: vertexCount(u32) segmentCount(u32) regionCount(u32)

Per vertex (12 bytes):
  flags(u32) x(f32) y(f32)

Per segment (28 bytes):
  flags(u32) startVertexIdx(u32) tangentStartX(f32) tangentStartY(f32)
  endVertexIdx(u32) tangentEndX(f32) tangentEndY(f32)

Troubleshooting

"CDP WebSocket connection failed"

• Ensure Chrome is running with --remote-debugging-port=9222
• Get correct CDP URL from chrome://inspect or http://localhost:9222/json/version
• Check no other process is using port 9222

"No frames captured"

• Verify Figma file is open in Chrome tab
• Reload Figma page after starting capture
• Check CDP_WS_URL points to browser, not a specific tab

"Handshake failed" (write path)

• Run recon-handshake first to capture cookies
• Cookies expire — rerun recon if writes fail with auth errors
• Ensure Figma file is open in Chrome during recon

"Invalid guid format"

• Guids are sessionID:localID format (e.g. 2004:16177)
• Find guids in decoded scenegraph JSON
• Session ID changes per Figma session; use current decoded data

SVG paths look incorrect

• Composite icons need transform composition (known limitation)
• For SYMBOL nodes with VECTOR children, extract each VECTOR separately
• Check if node has rotation/translation transforms applied

Mutations not appearing in Figma

• Ensure Figma file is open in browser (WebSocket must be connected)
• Check session.mutate() resolved (server echoed ack)
• Verify guid exists in current scenegraph
• Some properties require specific node types (e.g. stackMode only on FRAME)

MCP tools return empty data

• Run capture-all-pages and decode first
• Check FIGMA_KIWI_DIR points to directory with scenegraph.json
• Ensure scenegraph.json is valid JSON (run jq . scenegraph.json)