Framer hello world

Framer Hello World

Overview

Build a minimal Framer plugin that inserts a styled text layer onto the canvas, and a code component that renders inside Framer sites. Both use the framer-plugin SDK which provides the framer global for editor interaction.

Prerequisites

• Completed framer-install-auth setup
• Framer editor open with a project
• Plugin dev server running (npm run dev)

Instructions

Step 1: Hello World Plugin

// src/App.tsx — Plugin UI that runs inside Framer editor
import { framer } from 'framer-plugin';

framer.showUI({ width: 300, height: 200, title: 'Hello World Plugin' });

export function App() {
  const insertText = async () => {
    await framer.addText('Hello from my plugin!', {
      position: { x: 100, y: 100 },
      style: { fontSize: 24, color: '#333' },
    });
    framer.notify('Text inserted on canvas!');
  };

  const insertImage = async () => {
    await framer.addImage({
      url: 'https://picsum.photos/400/300',
      position: { x: 100, y: 200 },
    });
  };

  return (
    <div style={{ padding: 16, display: 'flex', flexDirection: 'column', gap: 8 }}>
      <h2>Hello World</h2>
      <button onClick={insertText}>Insert Text</button>
      <button onClick={insertImage}>Insert Image</button>
    </div>
  );
}

Step 2: Hello World Code Component

// Code component — renders inside Framer sites (not a plugin)
// Create via: Framer editor > Assets > Code > New Component
import { addPropertyControls, ControlType } from 'framer';

interface Props {
  text: string;
  color: string;
}

export default function HelloComponent({ text, color }: Props) {
  return (
    <div style={{
      display: 'flex',
      alignItems: 'center',
      justifyContent: 'center',
      height: '100%',
      fontSize: 24,
      fontWeight: 600,
      color,
      background: 'linear-gradient(135deg, #667eea 0%, #764ba2 100%)',
      borderRadius: 12,
      padding: 20,
    }}>
      {text}
    </div>
  );
}

addPropertyControls(HelloComponent, {
  text: { type: ControlType.String, title: 'Text', defaultValue: 'Hello Framer!' },
  color: { type: ControlType.Color, title: 'Color', defaultValue: '#ffffff' },
});

Step 3: Hello World Code Override

// Code override — modifies existing layer behavior
// Create via: Framer editor > Assets > Code > New Override
import { Override } from 'framer';

export function FadeInOnScroll(): Override {
  return {
    initial: { opacity: 0, y: 20 },
    whileInView: { opacity: 1, y: 0 },
    transition: { duration: 0.6, ease: 'easeOut' },
    viewport: { once: true },
  };
}

export function HoverScale(): Override {
  return {
    whileHover: { scale: 1.05 },
    whileTap: { scale: 0.95 },
    transition: { type: 'spring', stiffness: 400, damping: 17 },
  };
}

Step 4: Server API Hello World

// server-hello.ts — headless access without opening Framer
import { framer } from 'framer-api';

async function main() {
  const client = await framer.connect({
    apiKey: process.env.FRAMER_API_KEY!,
    siteId: process.env.FRAMER_SITE_ID!,
  });

  // List all pages
  const pages = await client.getPages();
  console.log('Pages:', pages.map(p => p.name));

  // List CMS collections
  const collections = await client.getCollections();
  for (const col of collections) {
    const items = await col.getItems();
    console.log(`Collection "${col.name}": ${items.length} items`);
  }
}

main().catch(console.error);

Output

• Working plugin that inserts text and images onto the Framer canvas
• Code component with property controls
• Code overrides for animation behaviors
• Server API script listing pages and CMS collections

Error Handling

Error	Cause	Solution
framer is not defined	Running outside editor	Plugin code only works in Framer editor iframe
Component not rendering	Missing export default	Code components must use export default
Override not applying	Wrong export name	Each override must be a named export function
Server API timeout	Invalid site ID	Check FRAMER_SITE_ID in site settings

Resources

• Framer Plugin Introduction
• Code Components
• Code Overrides
• Server API

Next Steps

Proceed to framer-local-dev-loop for development workflow.