Real-World Use Cases
Learn how to apply Variables Studio features to solve common design challenges
Multi-Brand Design Systems
Scenario: You maintain design systems for multiple brands (e.g., Brand A, Brand B, Brand C) with different color palettes but similar structure.
Workflow
Export master brand
Export your primary brand's variable collections to JSON as the template
Modify for each brand
Edit the JSON file to update colors for each brand variant
Import brand variants
Import each brand as a separate collection (Brand-A, Brand-B, Brand-C)
Swap between brands
Use Swap to quickly switch designs between brand variants
💡 Pro Tips
- Keep collection structure identical across brands for reliable swapping
- Use consistent variable names (e.g., Primary/500) in all brand collections
- Create a master template file that can be duplicated for each brand
Design Token Migration
Scenario: You're migrating from another design tool or token system to Figma variables.
Workflow
Convert to Variables Studio format
Transform your existing tokens (CSS variables, Style Dictionary, etc.) into Variables Studio JSON format
Validate the JSON
Use a JSON validator to ensure proper format and structure
Import with preview
Import the JSON and carefully review the preview before executing
Verify and adjust
Check imported variables and make any necessary adjustments in Figma
💡 Pro Tips
- Start with a small subset to test the conversion process
- Use Rename strategy for first import to keep existing variables
- Document the mapping between old and new token names
File-to-File Sharing
Scenario: You need to share variables between Figma files without using Team Libraries.
Workflow
Export from source
Export variables from the source file where they're defined
Open target file
Switch to the file where you want to import the variables
Import variables
Import the JSON file, choose Replace or Rename based on your needs
Update designs
Apply the imported variables to your design elements
💡 Pro Tips
- Export regularly to keep files in sync
- Use version control to track variable changes
- Consider using Replace strategy to stay updated with source file
Theme Switching
Scenario: You have designs that need to work in both Light and Dark modes.
Workflow
Set up modes
Create a collection with Light and Dark modes, each with the same variable names
Apply variables
Apply variables from Light mode to all design elements
Swap to Dark
Use Swap to switch from Light to Dark mode instantly
Fine-tune
Adjust any elements that need mode-specific tweaks
💡 Pro Tips
- Ensure identical variable names in Light and Dark modes
- Start with page scope to test before swapping the entire file
- Use Figma's native mode switcher alongside Swap for best results
More Use Cases
Version Control
Track design token changes over time using Git
- • Export to JSON after each update
- • Commit to version control
- • Review diffs to see changes
Design System Audits
Export variables to review and audit your design tokens
- • Export all collections
- • Review JSON structure
- • Find inconsistencies
Developer Handoff
Share design tokens with engineering teams
- • Export to JSON format
- • Convert to CSS/SCSS variables
- • Automate with build tools
A/B Testing
Create and test multiple design variants
- • Create variant collections
- • Swap between test variants
- • Compare side-by-side
Responsive Scaling
Manage spacing and sizing across breakpoints
- • Create Desktop/Mobile modes
- • Define scale-specific values
- • Swap between breakpoints
Client Customization
Quickly adapt designs for different clients
- • Maintain client-specific collections
- • Export/import for each project
- • Swap to client's brand
Ready to Try These Workflows?
Start applying these use cases to your own projects