Figma Variables Transformer

An opinionated translation utility that transforms Figma-exported CSS variables into clean, organized, production-ready CSS custom properties.

Features

• Removes comments and consolidates duplicate variables - Cleans up Figma's verbose export format
• Simplifies variable names - Removes redundant prefixes (e.g., --border-border-xs → --border-xs)
• Smart unit conversion - Converts px values to rem (with smart exceptions)
• Responsive typography - Creates fluid font-size variables using CSS clamp()
• Theme support - Separates light and dark mode variables with media queries
• Dynamic color detection - Automatically detects and groups color palettes
• Layer wrapping - Wraps output in @layer globals for better CSS cascade control
• Organized output - Groups and sorts variables logically by type and purpose

Installation

Use with npx (Recommended - No Installation Required)

The easiest way to use this tool is with npx, which runs the package without installing it globally:

# Basic usage (reads original.css, outputs output.css)
npx @netzstrategen/figma-variables

# Custom input and output
npx @netzstrategen/figma-variables ./src/figma-export.css ./src/globals.css

# Only specify input (outputs to output.css)
npx @netzstrategen/figma-variables ./src/figma-export.css

Install as Project Dependency (Optional)

If you use it frequently in a project:

npm install --save-dev @netzstrategen/figma-variables

Install Globally (Optional)

For system-wide usage:

npm install -g @netzstrategen/figma-variables
figma-variables ./src/figma-export.css ./src/globals.css

Usage

With npx (Recommended)

# Basic usage
npx @netzstrategen/figma-variables

# Transform specific files
npx @netzstrategen/figma-variables ./src/figma-tokens.css ./dist/tokens.css

# Get help
npx @netzstrategen/figma-variables --help

# Check version
npx @netzstrategen/figma-variables --version

As NPM Script

Add to your package.json:

{
  "scripts": {
    "tokens": "npx @netzstrategen/figma-variables ./src/figma-tokens.css ./src/design-tokens.css"
  }
}

Then run:

npm run tokens

Programmatic Usage (If Installed as Dependency)

import { transformCSS } from '@netzstrategen/figma-variables';

transformCSS('./input.css', './output.css');

Input Format

This tool expects CSS exported from Figma with the following structure:

:root {
  /* PRIMITIVES */
  --color-primary-50: #eaf0fc;
  --color-primary-100: #d9e5fa;
  --color-primary-500: #253fe4;
  --border-border-xs: 1px;
  --border-border-xs-rem: 0.0625rem;

  /* STYLEGUIDE */
  --surface-surface-background-light-mode: var(--color-default-50);
  --surface-surface-background-dark-mode: var(--color-default-950);
}

Output Format

The tool generates clean, organized CSS:

@layer globals {
  :root {
    --color-primary-50: #eaf0fc;
    --color-primary-100: #d9e5fa;
    --color-primary-500: #253fe4;

    --border-xs: 0.0625rem;

    --font-size-step-0: clamp(1.125rem, 1.0786rem + 0.1905vw, 1.25rem);

    --surface-background: var(--color-default-50);
  }

  @media (prefers-color-scheme: dark) {
    :root {
      --surface-background: var(--color-default-950);
    }
  }
}

Transformation Rules

Variable Name Simplification

• --border-border-xs → --border-xs
• --size-size-24 → --size-24
• --surface-surface-background → --surface-background
• --typography-font-body → --font-family-body

Unit Conversion

• Converts to rem: Most spacing, sizing, and border values
• Keeps px: spacing-px, radii-full, and specific edge cases
• Removes redundant units: 0px → 0, 0rem → 0

Mode Variables

Variables ending in -light-mode and -dark-mode are:

1. Separated into base :root (light mode) and @media (prefers-color-scheme: dark) blocks
2. Stripped of their mode suffix
3. Organized by category (surface, text, icon, outline)

Responsive Typography

Font size variables are transformed into fluid typography using clamp():

/* Input */
--font-size-min-step-0: 18px;
--font-size-max-step-0: 20px;

/* Output */
--font-size-step-0: clamp(1.125rem, 1.0786rem + 0.1905vw, 1.25rem);

Variable Grouping

Variables are automatically organized into groups:

1. Colors (primary, secondary, tertiary, etc.)
2. Layout (container, header)
3. Typography (font-family)
4. Borders & Radii
5. Spacing & Sizing
6. Semantic tokens (surface, text, icon, outline)

Dynamic Color Detection

The tool automatically detects color groups. Known colors appear in a preferred order, while new colors are added alphabetically:

Known order:

• color-default
• color-gray
• color-primary
• color-secondary
• color-tertiary
• color-highlight
• color-accent

New colors (e.g., color-brand, color-custom) are automatically detected and placed alphabetically.

Testing

Run tests with Vitest:

npm test

Run tests in watch mode during development:

npm run test:watch

Tests verify:

• Correct transformation of CSS variables
• Variable name simplification
• Unit conversion accuracy
• Mode separation (light/dark)
• Output structure and formatting
• Error handling

Continuous Integration

This project uses GitHub Actions for automated testing. Tests run automatically on:

• All push events (any branch)
• All pull requests

Tests are executed on multiple Node.js versions (20.x, 22.x) to ensure compatibility.

Testing Workflows Locally

You can test GitHub Actions workflows locally using act before pushing to the repository:

# Install act (macOS)
brew install act

# Run workflows locally
act push

# Run specific job
act -j test

# See detailed guide
cat .github/ACT.md

This allows you to test changes to workflows without polluting your git history with test commits.

Development

# Clone the repository
git clone <repository-url>

# Install dependencies
npm install

# Run tests
npm test

# Run tests in watch mode
npm run test:watch

# Transform example files (local development)
node index.js original.css output.css

# Or test with npx locally
npx . original.css output.css

Requirements

• Node.js 20.x or higher (ES Modules support)
• No external dependencies for production (uses only Node.js built-in modules)
• Vitest for testing (dev dependency only)

License

MIT

Author

italodr@gmail.com

Contributing

Issues and pull requests are welcome! Please ensure:

1. Tests pass (npm test)
2. Code follows existing style conventions
3. Commit messages are clear and descriptive

Publishing to npm

Before publishing, ensure:

1. All tests pass: npm test
2. Version is updated in package.json
3. CHANGELOG.md is updated
4. You're logged in to npm: npm login

To publish:

npm publish --access public

Roadmap

• Support for custom transformation rules
• Configuration file support
• Plugin system for custom processors
• CSS-in-JS output format option
• TypeScript type definitions generation