TokensBrücke — Figma plugin

What is this plugin for?

The plugin converts Figma variables into design-tokens JSON that are compatible with the latest Design Tokens specification.

---

Table of contents

- TokensBrücke — Figma plugin
- What is this plugin for?
- Table of contents
- New version 2.0.0
- How to use
- Export and Import
- General settings
- Color mode
- Include styles
- Add styles to
- Include variable scopes
- Use DTCG keys format
- Include .value string for aliases
- Include Figma metadata
- Use as cli tool
- Installation
- Usage
- Options
- CLI Configuration File
- Push to server
- JSONBin
- GitHub
- GitHub PR
- GitLab
- Custom server
- Show output
- Config autosaving
- Styles support
- Typography
- Colors
- Grids
- Shadows
- Blur
- Multiple Shadow and Blur styles support
- Tokens structure
- Aliases handling
- Include .value string for aliases
- Handle variables from another file
- Handle modes
- Variables types conversion
- Design tokens types
- Scopes lemitations
- Style Dictionary support
- Contribution 🚧
- Feedback

---

New version 2.0.0

In the new version of the plugin all mode variables moved into the $extensions / modes object.
This is how Terrazzo (formerly “Cobalt UI”) works with multiple modes. Check it here — https://terrazzo.app/docs/

You can download and install previos version 1.6.1 here — github.com/tokens-bruecke/figma-plugin/files/13536853/build.zip

How to use

1. Install the plugin from the Figma Community.
2. Make sure you have variables in your Figma file.
3. Run the plugin.
4. Adjust the settings.
5. Then you can download the JSON file or push it to on of the supported services.

$3

The plugin supports both exporting and importing design tokens:

#### Export (Variables → JSON)
- Click "Download JSON" to export your Figma variables as a design tokens JSON file
- The exported file is compatible with the Design Tokens specification
- You can also push directly to supported services (JSONBin, GitHub, GitLab, etc.)

#### Import (JSON → Variables)
- Click "Import JSON" to import design tokens from a JSON file back into Figma
- The plugin will create variable collections, modes, and variables based on the JSON structure
- Supports both DTCG format ($value, $type) and standard format (value, type)
- Handles alias references between variables
- Creates new collections and variables as needed, or updates existing ones

Import Features:
- ✅ Creates variable collections from top-level objects
- ✅ Supports multiple modes (from $extensions.mode or extensions.mode)
- ✅ Handles all variable types (color, number, string, boolean)
- ✅ Resolves alias references between variables
- ✅ Supports various color formats (HEX, RGBA CSS, RGBA Object)
- ✅ Preserves variable descriptions and metadata

---

General settings

$3

Allows you to choose the color mode for the generated JSON. Default value is HEX. The plugin supports the following color modes:

- HEX — HEX color format. Could be converted into HEXA if the color has an alpha channel.
- RGBA CSS — RGBA color format in CSS syntax, e.g. rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5).
- RGBA Object — RGBA color format in object syntax, e.g. { r: 0, g: 0, b: 0, a: 0.5 }.
- HSLA CSS — HSLA color format in CSS syntax, e.g. hsla(0, 0%, 0%, 0.5).
- HSLA Object — HSLA color format in object syntax, e.g. { h: 0, s: 0, l: 0, a: 0.5 }.

$3

Allows you to include styles into the generated JSON. See more about styles support in the Styles support section.

There is an option to rename each style's group and give it a custom name for better organization.

!rename-styles

$3

Allows you to choose where to put styles in the generated JSON. By default, the selected value is Keep separate. In this case styles will be added into the root of the JSON and will be treated as collections. There is also an option to add styles into the corresponding collection (fig.4).

!fig.4

$3

Each Figma variable has a scope property. The plugin allows you to include scopes into the generated JSON. It will be included as an array of strings without any transformations.

``json
{
"button": {
"background": {
"type": "color",
"value": "#000000",
"scopes": ["ALL_SCOPES"]
}
}
}
`

$3

Is off by default. Currently many design tokens tools doesn't support DTCG keys format. All DTCG keys are prefixed with $ symbol.

`json
// Without DTCG keys format
{
"button": {
"background": {
"type": "color",
"value": "#000000"
}
}
}

// With DTCG keys format
{
"button": {
"background": {
"$type": "color",
"$value": "#000000",
}
}
}
`

$3

Is off by default. Allows you to include .value string to the end of the path for aliases. It will be added to the alias string.

`json
{
"button": {
"background": {
"type": "color",
"value": "{colors.light.primary.10.value}"
}
}
}
`

If the format is DTCG:

`json
{
"button": {
"background": {
"$type": "color",
"$value": "{colors.light.primary.10.$value}"
}
}
}
`

!fig.13

$3

Is off by default. Allows you to include Figma metadata like styleId, variableId, etc. into the generated JSON. It will be added to the $extensions object.

`json
"figma": {
"codeSyntax": {},
"variableId": "VariableID:1:4",
"collection": {
"id": "VariableCollectionId:1:3",
"name": "Primitives",
"defaultModeId": "1:0"
}
}
`

---

Use as cli tool

> [!WARNING]
> ⚠️ You need a Figma Enterprise plan to use the Figma REST API for variables.

$3

To install the CLI globally, run:

`bash
pnpm add -g tokens-bruecke
#or npm install -g tokens-bruecke
`

This will make the tokens-bruecke command available globally on your system.

$3

After installation, you can run the CLI tool using:

`bash
tokens-bruecke [options]
`

For example:

`bash
tokens-bruecke --api-key $FIGMA_TOKEN --file-key $FIGMA_FILE --config config.json --output out/tokens.json
`

This will fetch figma variables and export them in out/tokens.json

$3

Same options than the plugin are available throught the usage of a json file.

$3

You can use a JSON configuration file to specify the export options for the CLI.

`json
{
"includedStyles": {
"text": { "isIncluded": true, "customName": "typography" },
"effects": { "isIncluded": false, "customName": "effects" },
"grids": { "isIncluded": false, "customName": "grids" },
"colors": { "isIncluded": false, "customName": "colors" }
},
"includeScopes": true,
"useDTCGKeys": false,
"includeValueStringKeyToAlias": true,
"includeFigmaMetaData": false, // Include Figma metadata like styleId, variableId, etc.
"colorMode": "hex", // "hex" | "rgba-object" | "rgba-css" | "hsla-object" | "hsla-css";
"storeStyleInCollection": "none" // Name of one of your collection or "none" to keep them separated
}
`

Save this JSON file and pass it to the CLI using the --config option:

---

Push to server

With this feature you can connect a server and push the generated JSON directly to it. At the moment the plugin supports JSONBin, GitHub and custom servers.

!fig.5

If you connected multiple servers, the plugin will try to push the tokens to all of them one by one.
In ordere to test if your credentials are valid you can make a test request by clicking the Push to server button (fig.6).

!fig.6

$3

1. Open JSONBin and create an account.
2. Generate a new API key.
3. If you want to use an existing bin, copy its ID. Otherwise just leave the ID field empty in the plugin settings.
4. Add a name for the bin.

!fig.7

$3

1. You need to create a personal access token with repo scope.
2. In the plugin settings paste the token into the Personal access token field.
3. Add an owner name, repository name and a branch name.
4. In the file name field you can specify a path to the file. If the file doesn't exist, it will be created. If the file exists, it will be overwritten. File name should include the file extension, e.g. tokens.json.
5. You can also specify a commit message.

!fig.8

$3

All the steps are the same as for the GitHub server, except the last two.

- PR title. You can specify a title for the PR. If you leave it empty, the plugin will use chore(tokens): update tokens as a default title.
- PR body. You can specify a body for the PR. If you leave it empty, the plugin won't add any body to the PR.

!fig.12

$3

1. You need to create a project access token with api scope.
2. In the plugin settings paste the token into the Project access token field.
3. Add an owner name, repository name and a branch name.
4. In the file name field you can specify a path to the file. If the file doesn't exist, it will be created. If the file exists, it will be overwritten. File name should include the file extension, e.g. tokens.json. 5. You can also specify a commit message.

!fig.11

$3

There is a possibilty to connect a custom server. In order to do that you need to specify a URL, a method (by default it's POST) and headers.

!fig.9

---

Show output

If you want to see the generated JSON, you can enable the Show output option. The plugin will show the JSON in the sidebar. The output doesn't update automatically, in order to optimize the performance. So, if you want to see the updated JSON, you need to click the Update button.

!fig.10

---

Config autosaving

The plugin saves the config automatically. So, you don't need to set it up every time you run the plugin.

---

Styles support

The plugin can support some styles and effects too. Until Figma will support all the styles and effects, the plugin will convert them into the corresponding design tokens types. But it's not a backward compatibility, it's a temporary solution until Figma will support all the styles and effects as variables.

Supported styles:

- Typography
- Colors
- Grids
- Shadows (including inset shadows)
- Blur (including background and layer blur)

$3

`json
"extralight": {
"type": "typography",
"value": {
"fontFamily": "Inter",
"fontWeight": 400,
"fontSize": "18px",
"lineHeight": "28px",
"letterSpacing": "0%"
},
"description": "",
"extensions": {
"styleId": "S:0ffe98ad785a13839980113831d5fbaf21724594,"
}
}
`

$3

The plugin supports solid colors and gradients (linear, radial, angular, diamond). Color styles are converted to DTCG format with support for variable aliases.

`json
// Solid color
"primary": {
"type": "color",
"value": "#ff0000"
}

// Solid color with variable alias
"secondary": {
"type": "color",
"value": "{colors.base.primary}"
}

// Gradient
"skeleton-ramp": {
"type": "gradient",
"value": [
{
"color": "{clr.scale.ntrl.80}",
"position": 0
},
{
"color": "{clr.scale.ntrl.95}",
"position": 0.5
},
{
"color": "#eae9e8",
"position": 1
}
]
}
`

$3

In Figma you can add as many grids in the style as you want. But the plugin will take only first two grids and treat the first one as column grid and the second one as row grid.

`json
// Column grid
"1024": {
"type": "grid",
"value": {
"columnCount": 12,
"columnGap": "20px",
"columnMargin": "40px"
}
}

// Row grid
"1024": {
"type": "grid",
"value": {
"rowCount": 12,
"rowGap": "20px",
"rowMargin": "40px"
}
}

// Both grids
"1024": {
"type": "grid",
"value": {
"columnCount": 12,
"columnGap": "20px",
"columnMargin": "40px",
"rowCount": 12,
"rowGap": "20px",
"rowMargin": "40px"
}
}
`

$3

The plugin supports drop-shadow and inner-shadow effects. If the effect is inner-shadow, the plugin will set the inset property to true.

`json
"xl": {
"type": "shadow",
"value": {
"inset": false,
"color": "#0000000a",
"offsetX": "0px",
"offsetY": "10px",
"blur": "10px",
"spread": "-5px"
}
}
`

$3

The plugin supports background and layer blur effects. In order to distinguish between them, the plugin adds the role property to the generated JSON.

`json
// Background blur
"sm": {
"type": "blur",
"value": {
"role": "background",
"blur": "4px"
}
}

// Layer blur
"md": {
"type": "blur",
"value": {
"role": "layer",
"blur": "12px"
}
}
`

$3

If the style has multiple Shadow or Blur styles, the plugin will add them into the array.

`json
"new-sh": {
"$type": "shadow",
"$value": [
{
"inset": false,
"color": "#e4505040",
"offsetX": "0px",
"offsetY": "4px",
"blur": "54px",
"spread": "0px"
},
{
"inset": false,
"color": "#5b75ff40",
"offsetX": "0px",
"offsetY": "4px",
"blur": "24px",
"spread": "0px"
},
{
"inset": false,
"color": "#00000040",
"offsetX": "0px",
"offsetY": "4px",
"blur": "4px",
"spread": "0px"
}
]
}
`

---

Tokens structure

Plugin first takes the collection name, then the group and then the variable name (fig.1).
Mode variables will be wrapped under the $extensions objects

!fig.1

For example, if you have a collection named clr-theme, mode named light and variable named dark, the plugin will generate the following JSON:

`json
"clr-theme": {
"container-outline/mid": {
"type": "color",
"value": "{clr-core.ntrl.40}",
"description": "",
"$extensions": {
"mode": {
"light": "{clr-core.ntrl.40}",
"dark": "{clr-core.ntrl.55}"
}
}
}
}
,
`

!fig.2

Figma automatically merges groups and their names into a single name, e.g. Base/Primary/10 (fig.2). In this case, the plugin will generate the following JSON:

`json
{
"base": {
"primary": {
"10": {
"type": "color",
"value": "#000000"
}
}
}
}
`

Aliases handling

All aliases are converted into the alias string format from the Design Tokens specification.

`json
{
"button": {
"background": {
"type": "color",
"value": "{colors.primary.10}"
}
}
}
`

$3

You can switch on the Include .value string for aliases option in the plugin settings.

---

$3

Imagine you have a library from another file with "base" variables. And you use this variables in your current file.

The plugin will generate the alias name anyway, but it will be a path to the variable as if it was in the current file.

`json
{
"button": {
"background": {
"type": "color",
"value": "{colors.primary.10}"
}
}
}
`

The plugin wouldn't include the variable into the generated JSON in order to avoid duplicates or conflicts with JSON files you can generate from another Figma files.

So you will need to merge the file with the base variables from one file with another where you use them. Otherwise tools like Style Dictionary wouldn't be able to resolve the aliases.

---

$3

If there is only one mode — the plugin wouldn't include it in a generated JSON.
If there are multiple modes, the plugin will place them under the $extensions objects.

It follows the same pattern as used by Cobalt

---

Variables types conversion

Unlike design tokens, Figma variables now support only 4 types — COLOR, BOOLEAN, FLOAT and STRING. So, the plugin converts them into the corresponding types from the Design Tokens specification.

| Figma type | Design Tokens type |
| ---------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| COLOR | color |
| BOOLEAN | _boolean_ \* |
| FLOAT | dimension \\ |
| STRING | _string_ \* |

\* native JSON types. The specification doesn't restrict the type of the value, so it could be any JSON type. Also see this issue.

\\ currently figma supports only the FLOAT type for dimensions, that could be used only for px values. So, the plugin converts FLOAT values into dimension type with px unit.

---

Design tokens types

In order to validate types, the plugin uses the Design Tokens types.

---

Scopes lemitations

In order to convert FONT-WEIGHT and OPACITY types into valid values you should specify thme as scopes in the Figma variables. The plugin will read the first scope and convert it into the valid value. If there are multiple scopes, the plugin will take the first one.

- FONT_WEIGHT scope will be converted into string type.
- OPACITY scope will be converted into number` type.

---

Style Dictionary support

There is a set of utils for Style Dictionary.

---

Contribution 🚧

Comming soon.

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Feedback

If you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to create an issue