figma-mcp-express — Claude Code MCP server: Figma without quotas
Lets an agent work inside the live Figma Desktop file: nodes, components, variables, styles and prototype links. Handy for design-system migrations.
claude mcp add figma-mcp-express -- npx -y figma-mcp-expressWhat figma-mcp-express does
The server talks to Figma through a local plugin. Your agent inspects and edits real nodes, components, variables, styles and prototype reactions in the file a designer already has open, instead of guessing from screenshots. Batch edits and per-channel routing of several open files cover library swaps and big audits.
Large reads spill to disk, so only the useful slice reaches the model context. The default tool surface stays small; FIGMA_MCP_TOOL_PROFILE=full brings back the legacy compatibility and debugging set, and FIGMA_MCP_TOOL_SCHEMA_MODE=verbose restores full in-schema descriptions.
Live tools need the target file open in Figma Desktop with the plugin running. fetch_library_catalog is the exception and reads through REST, so it wants a FIGMA_TOKEN from Account Settings -> Personal access tokens — keep that token out of commits. Plugin execution stays single-threaded per file, and components from community kits have to be published as a library before import_component_by_key can reach them.
What it helps with
- move components and tokens from a source library into a product file
- audit a large file and rebind its styles
- read a prototype flow and set its reactions
- build a screen from real library components instead of raw shapes
- keep several open files on separate channels
Example prompts for the agent
- List the components in the open file that are not bound to variables
- Pull the buttons from the library into the product file and swap the old variants
- Read the prototype reactions on
Checkoutand add a transition toSuccess
How to install figma-mcp-express
Platform CLI
claude mcp add figma-mcp-express -- npx -y figma-mcp-expressPlatform CLI
codex mcp add figma-mcp-express -- npx -y figma-mcp-expressConfig file
{
"mcpServers": {
"figma-mcp-express": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"figma-mcp-express"
]
}
}
}Config file
{
"servers": {
"figma-mcp-express": {
"type": "stdio",
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"figma-mcp-express"
]
}
}
}Platform CLI
gemini mcp add figma-mcp-express npx -y figma-mcp-expressStep by step, with commands for each platform: How to add an MCP server to Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, VS Code, Gemini CLI and more
Questions about figma-mcp-express
How do I install figma-mcp-express in Claude Code?
Run claude mcp add figma-mcp-express -- npx -y figma-mcp-express. Then import the plugin in Figma Desktop via Plugins -> Development -> Import plugin from manifest... and start it.
What does figma-mcp-express do?
It connects an agent to the open Figma Desktop file for reading and editing nodes, components, variables and styles, plus screenshots and prototype work. Batch operations run through the local plugin, so the official Figma MCP limits stay out of the way.
Do I need a Figma token?
Only for fetch_library_catalog. Every other live tool goes through the plugin to Figma Desktop and needs no token.
