Figma is a vector graphics editor and prototyping tool, created by Dylan hourigan, Evan you, and Alex schleifer. It is available for macOS, Windows, and Linux. The software is primarily aimed at web designers and front-end developers.
In Figma, constraints provide a way to control how elements are sized and positioned on the canvas. By default, elements are not constrained and can be freely moved around. However, when constraints are applied, the element will resize or move automatically based on the rules set by the constraint.
There are four types of constraints that can be applied in Figma: width, height, horizontal center, and vertical center. Each type of constraint has its own unique options and behavior.
Width constraints control the width of an element. There are three options for width constraints: auto, percentage, or pixels.Auto means that the element will resize automatically based on the content inside of it.
Percentage means that the element will resize based on a percentage of the parent container’s width. For example, if an element has a width constraint of 50%, it will be half the width of its parent container.Pixels means that the element will have a set width in pixels. The element will not resize automatically based on content or parent container size.
Height constraints control the height of an element. There are three options for height constraints: auto, percentage, or pixels.
Percentage means that the element will resize based on a percentage of the parent container’s height. For example, if an element has a height constraint of 50%, it will be half the height of its parent container.Pixels means that the element will have a set height in pixels.
Horizontal center constraints control the horizontal positioning of an element within its parent container. There are two options for horizontal center constraints: auto or percentage.Auto means that the element will be horizontally centered within its parent container automatically.
Percentage means that the element will be horizontally positioned based on a percentage of the parent container’s width. For example, if an element has a horizontal center constraint of 50%, it will be positioned half way across its parent container from left to right.
Vertical center constraints control the vertical positioning of an element within its parent container. There are two options for vertical center constraints: auto or percentage.Auto means that the element will be vertically centered within its parent container automatically.
Percentage means that the element will be vertically positioned based on a percentage of the parent container’s height. For example, if an element has a vertical center constraint of 50%, it will be positioned half way up its parent container from top to bottom.
Constraints are a powerful tool in Figma that can save you time and help keep your designs consistent and organized.
