Figma mcp express

! tmpdir="${TMPDIR:-${TEMP:-${TMP:-/tmp}}}"; tmpdir="${tmpdir%/}"; sid="${CLAUDE_CODE_SESSION_ID:-${CLAUDE_SESSION_ID:-${CODEX_SESSION_ID:-}}}"; sid="$(printf "%s" "$sid" | tr -cd 'A-Za-z0-9_-')"; touch "${tmpdir}/fme-skill-loaded-${sid:-default}" 2>/dev/null || true; touch "${tmpdir}/fme-skill-loaded-default" 2>/dev/null || true

Figma MCP Express

Use the compact core tool surface first. Full plugin capability lives behind validated batch ops; legacy top-level tools appear only with FIGMA_MCP_TOOL_PROFILE=full.

First Checks

1. Figma Desktop must be open with the Figma MCP Express plugin running.
2. Start with get_metadata; if multiple files are open, call list_channels.
3. For multi-file work, channel is mandatory: pass it on every file-specific tool. For batch, put channel only on the outer call.
4. If the plugin is not connected, ask the user to open the file and run the plugin. Do not retry in a loop.
5. Empty get_variable_defs means no local variables, not no design system. Check subscribed libraries with list_library_variable_collections.
6. For the beta remote follower, read references/remote-follower.md. The AI client connects to the follower's local /mcp, never the leader .ts.net URL; ask the user to set up Tailnet services rather than attempting it itself.

Tool Surface

• Unfamiliar ops: search_batch_ops -> get_batch_op_spec -> batch(validateOnly:true) -> batch.
• Exact operation names and params live in BatchOpCatalog; do not copy op schemas into skill docs.
• Do not write raw Plugin API JS, use_figma scripts, eval, or code strings. Use declarative batch ops only.

Working Rules

• Read wide-shallow, then targeted-deep. For large nodes: get_design_context detail:"minimal" depth:1, then scan_text_nodes or get_node depth:2-3.
• After every write, validate structurally with a follow-up read; use save_screenshots only as the final visual pass.
• Build one logical section per batch; use continueOnError:true for scanned lists.

Reference Router

Need	Read
Read-tool choice, detail levels, style audit, common errors	references/tool-selection.md
Batch refs, projection, map, validation-first recipes, write-workflow recipes	references/batch-recipes.md
Workflow recipes: rename, text replacement, annotations, overrides	references/workflow-recipes.md
Prototype wiring/audit/reaction maps/scroll-fixed chrome	Load companion skill figma-prototype; keep MCP execution discipline here
Native effects (GLASS/NOISE/TEXTURE), set_effects, create_effect_style	references/effects.md
Permanent Figma Plugin API constraints (instance children, clone IDs, auto-layout children, etc.)	references/platform-constraints.md
Server bugs + workarounds with issue tracking (#33, #34)	references/mcp-known-bugs.md
Remaining failure modes: stale IDs, node format, spilled cache, text/font/image	references/gotchas.md
Beta private-Tailnet leader/follower setup and remote readiness	references/remote-follower.md
Parallel agents, channel partitioning, shared-resource handoff	references/multi-agent.md
Watch-agent presence (origin, set_presence, status/task, per-session no-clobber)	references/presence.md
Parameterized generators (type scale, color palette, component variants, design tokens)	MCP prompts: generate_type_scale, generate_color_palette, generate_component_variants, design_token_generation_strategy — invoke via the MCP prompts list

Cannot Do

• Create new Figma files.
• Work on unopened files through the plugin, except REST-backed fetch_library_catalog with FIGMA_TOKEN.
• FigJam or Slides.
• Publish libraries.
• Arbitrary script execution.