Why I Switched From Figma Prototyping to Building in Code
Prototyping in Figma is great for some things. But for landing pages and marketing sites, building directly in code changed everything.
For years, I followed the standard workflow: design in Figma, prototype interactions, hand off to developers, and then watch the final product look slightly different from my mockups.
Then I started building in code. Here’s why.
The Gap Between Design and Reality
No matter how pixel-perfect your Figma file is, the browser interprets things differently. Fonts render differently. Scrolling behaves differently. Responsive breakpoints feel different.
Building directly in code eliminates this gap entirely.
My Current Stack
- Astro — For static sites and landing pages
- Tailwind CSS — Rapid styling without context-switching
- Figma — Still used for exploration and complex UI, but not for final deliverables
When I Still Use Figma
Figma isn’t dead in my workflow. I use it for:
- Early exploration and ideation
- Complex app interfaces with many states
- Client presentations and stakeholder alignment
- Design system documentation
When I Build in Code
- Landing pages and marketing sites
- Portfolio sites
- Blog layouts
- Simple interactive components
The Benefits
- Faster iteration — Changing a heading size in code takes seconds
- Real responsiveness — You see exactly how it looks on every device
- No handoff friction — The design IS the product
- Better performance — You naturally optimize as you build
It’s Not for Everyone
This approach works because I’m comfortable with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. If you’re not, investing time in learning basic frontend is one of the highest ROI skills a designer can develop.
The future of design is closer to code than most designers want to admit.