Why is everyone talking about Figma in 2025?
In 2025, over 4 million designers around the world use Figma. If you’re interested in interface design or thinking about a career in UX/UI, chances are you’ve already come across the name.
This collaborative platform has become the global standard for digital product design. Trusted by thousands of companies and tech schools, it lets you design, prototype, share, and test interfaces... all online, straight from your browser.
And Figma keeps leveling up: AI integration, automated website creation, enhanced co-creation tools… it’s far more than just another design program.
In this updated, easy-to-follow guide, we’ll break down:
what Figma really is (and what it isn’t),
what you can actually do with it,
why it’s become essential for UX/UI design,
and how to learn it effectively, even if you’re starting from scratch.
Ready to dive into the favorite tool of UX/UI designers and make it your best ally? Let’s get into it.
What is Figma? A clear 2025 definition
Figma is a 100% online, collaborative design tool you can access from any browser, with no installation required. It’s used to create web and mobile interfaces, prototype user flows, and collaborate in real time with product, design, and development teams.
Launched in 2016, Figma completely changed the UX/UI landscape with its cloud-based approach, centralizing the entire design process in one place.
Core features of Figma ✏️ :
UI Design: responsive layouts, reusable components, design systems
Prototyping: interactive, clickable flows without code
Collaboration: real-time co-editing, built-in comments
Dev Mode: code inspection, asset export, design system variables
FigJam: digital whiteboard for UX workshops and brainstorming
AI features (2025): interface generation, freehand wireframes, site creation (Figma Make, Draw, Sites, Slides)
📌 In short: Figma brings the whole product design process together, from brainstorming to prototyping, while keeping teams aligned.
What is Figma actually used for?
Figma is way more than just a design app: it supports every stage of building a digital product, from the first concept to a ready-to-develop prototype. That’s why it’s used by designers, product managers, and engineering teams alike.
Main uses of Figma 🔧 :
Figma is designed to guide the full product journey, and it’s used daily by:
UX/UI Designers, to create intuitive interfaces
Product Designers, to map out complete user journeys
Developers, to grab assets and speed up implementation
Product Owners, to collaborate, validate, and iterate in real time
Concrete examples include:
Designing a responsive layout for a mobile app
Simulating an onboarding flow with interactive transitions
Running a live UX workshop with FigJam
👉 Key takeaway: Figma makes it easier for teams to design digital products together while reducing friction between design and development.
What makes Figma stand out?
Figma’s biggest strength is its all-in-one approach, combining design, prototyping, collaboration, and now artificial intelligence. That versatility makes it one of the most complete tools out there for designers and product teams.
Figma’s key features in 2025 🛠️
🎨 1. UI Design
Interfaces for websites, mobile applications, and software
Reusable components and design systems
Grids, responsive constraints, typography: everything is customizable
🔗 2. Interactive Prototyping
Clickable user flows
Realistic navigation simulation with animations, interactions, transitions
Easy user testing without coding
💬 3. Real-time Collaboration
No more sending files back and forth: everything lives online
Multiple teammates editing at once, just like Google Docs
Built-in comments for smoother feedback loops
🧠 4. Dev Mode
A dedicated space for developers
CSS inspection, asset exports, design system variables
Speeds up the handoff process
🗺️ 5. FigJam
Integrated whiteboard for brainstorming, UX workshops, user flows, diagrams
Perfect for research, ideation, or collaborative sessions
What’s new in 2025: AI comes to Figma
At Figma Config 2025, the platform unveiled several AI-powered tools:
Figma Make: instantly generates interfaces from prompts or templates
Draw: freehand shapes or mockups are instantly converted into clean vector elements
Figma Sites (beta): quickly build full web pages directly in Figma
Buzz: experimental features for animations and interactive content
Slides: design presentations in Figma, similar to Google Slides
👉 The goal of these new features: to speed up workflows with AI while keeping full creative control.
These updates make Figma a cornerstone of modern UX/UI training, since it now covers the entire cycle, from rough ideas to polished final prototypes.
Is Figma free? What plans are available?
Yes, Figma offers a free plan that’s perfect for getting started or working on personal projects. Depending on your situation (student, professional, product team…), you might want to upgrade to use extra features.
🎓 Good to know for students
Figma has a free Education plan, available with a school email or proof of enrollment. It unlocks advanced Professional-level features.
Which plan should you choose? 🧠
Just exploring Figma or taking a UX/UI course? The Free plan is good enough.
Freelancing or career-switching? The Professional plan offers more flexibility.
Working in a product or tech team? Organization or Enterprise plans give you the full ecosystem.
✅ At Ironhack, UX/UI students use Figma from week one, with full access to all features through the Education plan.
Figma: the must-have tool for every designer in 2025
For many designers, Figma is where it all starts: your first wireframe, your first prototype, your first usability test.
Its intuitive interface, powerful features, and collaborative nature make it the #1 tool for tomorrow’s designers.
At Ironhack, our UX/UI students start using Figma right away to design real-world products, individually or in teams, just like in the industry.
FAQ – Quick answers about Figma
Is Figma free?
Yes. The free plan lets you create up to 3 files, use unlimited FigJam boards, and collaborate in real time. Paid plans are available for freelancers and companies.
Is Figma good for beginners?
Absolutely. Even without design experience, Figma’s intuitive interface and wide range of tutorials make it an excellent way to learn UX/UI basics.
What’s the difference between Figma and FigJam?
Figma is for building interfaces and prototypes. FigJam is the built-in collaborative whiteboard for brainstorming, diagrams, flows, and UX workshops.
What is Dev Mode in Figma?
It’s a developer-focused workspace that lets you inspect designs, access CSS code, export assets, and track design system variables.
Can you build a website in Figma?
You can design website mockups in Figma, but they’re not live websites. In 2025, Figma is testing a new tool called Figma Sites, which simplifies visual page creation (Beta version).
Figma vs Adobe XD: which one’s better?
Figma is browser-based, 100% online, free in its basic version, and fully collaborative in real time. Adobe XD requires local installation and an Adobe subscription. Today, Figma is the clear industry favorite.
Can you learn Figma in a UX/UI course?
Yes. Most UX/UI programs include Figma from the start. At Ironhack, students dive into Figma in the very first weeks of the Bootcamp.
