Figma Variant Matrix Skill
Defines all variants, properties, and states a component needs before building it in Figma — preventing missing variants discovered after the component is already used across 40 screens.
Required Inputs
- Component name (Button, Card, Input, Badge, Navigation item, etc.)
- Component purpose (what does it do, where is it used?)
- Platform (iOS / Android / Web / Multi-platform)
- Design system context (standalone / part of existing system)
Output Structure
1. Component Overview
Name, category (Interactive/Display/Layout/Form/Navigation/Feedback), used in contexts.
2. Variant Properties
| Property |
Values |
Notes |
| Type |
Primary, Secondary, Tertiary, Destructive |
|
| Size |
Large, Medium, Small |
|
| State |
Default, Hover, Active, Disabled, Loading |
|
| Icon |
None, Leading, Trailing, Only |
|
Total combinations: [N]. Flag if over 50 — consider splitting into multiple components.
3. State Definitions
For each state, list only what changes from Default:
- Default: [Full visual spec]
- Hover (web): [Delta from default]
- Active/Pressed: [Delta]
- Disabled: [Delta — use layer-level properties, not opacity on whole component]
- Loading: [What replaces label, interactive during loading?]
- Error (forms): [Border colour, helper text, icon changes]
4. Anatomy Breakdown
| Layer name |
Purpose |
Required? |
Notes |
| container |
Background and bounds |
Yes |
|
| label |
Text |
Conditional |
Hide when icon-only |
| icon-leading |
Leading icon slot |
No |
|
5. Token Mapping
| Property |
Token |
Fallback |
| Background default |
color.brand.primary |
#hex |
| Border radius |
radius.medium |
8px |
6. Build Order
- Default state, most common variant
- Convert to component, add properties
- Size variants
- State variants
- Type variants
- Icon slot variants last
Quality Checks
Anti-Patterns
Example Trigger Phrases
- "Define the variants for a [component] in Figma"
- "What states does my [component] need?"
- "Help me plan the variant matrix for [component]"
- "Set up the Figma properties for a [button/card/input]"
- "What are all the combinations I need for my [component]?"
1---2name: figma-variant-matrix3description: Define component variants and states systematically for Figma. Use when asked to plan component variants, define states for a component, set up a Figma variant matrix, or work out what properties a component needs before building it. Produces a complete variant matrix with all properties, values, and combinations needed.4---5
6# Figma Variant Matrix Skill
7
8Defines all variants, properties, and states a component needs before building it in Figma — preventing missing variants discovered after the component is already used across 40 screens.
9
10## Required Inputs
11
12- **Component name** (Button, Card, Input, Badge, Navigation item, etc.)
13- **Component purpose** (what does it do, where is it used?)
14- **Platform** (iOS / Android / Web / Multi-platform)
15- **Design system context** (standalone / part of existing system)
16
17## Output Structure
18
19### 1. Component Overview
20Name, category (Interactive/Display/Layout/Form/Navigation/Feedback), used in contexts.
21
22### 2. Variant Properties
23
24| Property | Values | Notes |
25|---|---|---|
26| Type | Primary, Secondary, Tertiary, Destructive | |
27| Size | Large, Medium, Small | |
28| State | Default, Hover, Active, Disabled, Loading | |
29| Icon | None, Leading, Trailing, Only | |
30
31Total combinations: [N]. Flag if over 50 — consider splitting into multiple components.
32
33### 3. State Definitions
34
35For each state, list only what changes from Default:
36- Default: [Full visual spec]
37- Hover (web): [Delta from default]
38- Active/Pressed: [Delta]
39- Disabled: [Delta — use layer-level properties, not opacity on whole component]
40- Loading: [What replaces label, interactive during loading?]
41- Error (forms): [Border colour, helper text, icon changes]
42
43### 4. Anatomy Breakdown
44
45| Layer name | Purpose | Required? | Notes |
46|---|---|---|---|
47| container | Background and bounds | Yes | |
48| label | Text | Conditional | Hide when icon-only |
49| icon-leading | Leading icon slot | No | |
50
51### 5. Token Mapping
52
53| Property | Token | Fallback |
54|---|---|---|
55| Background default | color.brand.primary | #hex |
56| Border radius | radius.medium | 8px |
57
58### 6. Build Order
591. Default state, most common variant
602. Convert to component, add properties
613. Size variants
624. State variants
635. Type variants
646. Icon slot variants last
65
66## Quality Checks
67- [ ] All interactive states defined
68- [ ] Total variant count calculated, flagged if over 50
69- [ ] Every layer named semantically
70- [ ] Token mapping covers all visual properties
71- [ ] Disabled state uses layer-level properties not opacity
72
73## Anti-Patterns
74
75- [ ] Do not create a variant matrix with properties that overlap or conflict — each property must be independently variable
76- [ ] Do not use opacity for disabled states — disabled states must use layer-level properties, not opacity
77- [ ] Do not enumerate every mathematical combination if many are invalid — document only valid, buildable combinations
78- [ ] Do not define variants without considering responsive behaviour — specify which properties change across screen sizes
79- [ ] Do not produce a matrix without Figma implementation guidance — variant naming conventions must follow Figma's property system
80
81## Example Trigger Phrases
82- "Define the variants for a [component] in Figma"
83- "What states does my [component] need?"
84- "Help me plan the variant matrix for [component]"
85- "Set up the Figma properties for a [button/card/input]"
86- "What are all the combinations I need for my [component]?"
gabrielmoreira