Choose remote or desktop based on the workflow.
Figma's remote MCP server is designed for supported clients and can provide the broadest connection surface. A desktop or local route can be useful when the workflow depends on the Figma desktop app or a local file context. Confirm the current support matrix before copying a client configuration.
The first connection should read a known file or selection and return a result the designer and engineer can recognize. Record the file, page, node, version, and permission context so the output does not become detached from the design source.
Use tools and prompts for different kinds of work.
Tools can retrieve design context, inspect components, or support an implementation workflow. Prompts can provide repeatable guidance for using that context. Keep the distinction clear: a prompt that asks for code is not the same thing as a tool that changes a design file or writes to a repository.
Use the smallest set of tools for the task. A developer asking for component context may not need a write-capable design action, and a designer reviewing generated output may want a draft or diff before anything is committed.
Preserve design-system evidence.
A useful result should carry the source selection, relevant component or style names, dimensions, tokens, and any assumptions made when translating design context into code. This gives a reviewer a way to compare the implementation with the source instead of trusting a plausible screenshot.
When the result is incomplete, say so. Figma context can be versioned, permissioned, and changed while an agent is working. A stale or partial result should lead to a re-read or handoff, not a confident write.
Keep write actions reversible.
Separate reading a design, proposing code, applying a change, and publishing a file or pull request. Require approval when an action changes shared components, tokens, or production-facing code. Keep a visible diff, file identity, and owner for the decision.
Test a denied write and a stale-context case. The safest integration is one where the person can see why a change was proposed and can clear it without reconstructing the whole agent session.