Comparing Code Connect UI and Code Connect CLI
Code Connect provides two approaches to linking design components in Figma with production code: the Code Connect UI (Beta) and the Code Connect CLI. Both contribute to the same MCP infrastructure, but they differ in how they integrate with your workflow, how they access code, and what context they provide to MCP.
Overview
The Code Connect CLI is developer-focused and runs locally in your repository. It allows you to define property mappings, generate dynamic code examples, and publish connections to Figma from the terminal. With built-in parsers for React, Web Components, SwiftUI, and Jetpack Compose, plus support for writing Code Connect docs in JavaScript, it offers both depth within common frameworks and flexibility to support any language. This makes it well-suited for engineering teams that want precision and control.
The Code Connect UI (Beta) is designed for accessibility and collaboration. It runs entirely within Figma, so mappings can be created directly in design files or libraries without installation. By connecting to your GitHub repository, it gains access to component paths and names in your codebase, which are then linked back to design components. It also allows for manually adding component path and name without connecting to a repo. While it doesn’t yet support property mapping or dynamic examples, it is language-agnostic, easy to set up, and scales well across design and engineering teams.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Code Connect CLI | Code Connect UI (Beta) |
|---|---|---|
| MCP context | Property mapping and dynamic code examples | Component path and component name |
| User experience | Runs locally in your repo; publishing from the terminal | Integrated with Figma; map directly in design files or libraries; currently limited to one code library |
| Access to codebase | Local to your machine and repository | Connects to your repository via Figma |
| Framework & language | Parsers for React, Web Components, SwiftUI, Jetpack Compose; supports JS docs for any language | Requires only code path and component name; language-agnostic |