Advanced Components in Figma are reusable and flexible design elements that help designers create scalable, consistent, and maintainable user interfaces. They extend the basic component concept by using component properties, variants, nested components, interactive states, variables, and responsive design techniques.
Advanced components are especially useful for design systems, large websites, mobile applications, dashboards, SaaS products, and collaborative design projects where the same UI elements need to be reused across many screens.
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A component is a reusable design element that can be used multiple times throughout a Figma file. Instead of creating the same button, card, input field, navigation bar, or modal repeatedly, a designer can create one main component and reuse its instances.
When the main component is updated, its instances can inherit those changes, helping maintain consistency across the interface.
Advanced components are components designed with additional functionality and flexibility. They can contain multiple states, configurable properties, nested components, variables, responsive behavior, and interactive prototype actions.
For example, an advanced button component can support different types, sizes, states, icons, labels, and loading behavior from a single reusable component.
A good component architecture defines how components are created, named, organized, combined, and reused.
Design System
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Components
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Variants
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Component Properties
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Nested Components
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Instances
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Screens and PrototypesThe main component is the source component that controls the structure and default properties of a reusable element. An instance is a reusable copy of that component placed elsewhere in the design.
| Feature | Main Component | Instance |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Defines the original component | Uses the component |
| Editing | Controls component structure | Can override supported properties |
| Reuse | Source of reusable design | Used throughout screens |
| Updates | Changes affect instances | Receives component changes |
Component properties allow designers to expose configurable options directly to component users. Instead of creating many separate components, one component can provide multiple configuration options.
Common property types include boolean properties, text properties, instance swap properties, and variant properties.
Boolean properties are useful when an element needs to be shown or hidden.
For example, a button may contain an optional leading icon.
Button
├── Label
└── Leading Icon
└── Visible: True / FalseThis allows designers to enable or disable the icon without creating separate button components.
Text properties allow users of a component to change text content without detaching the instance.
Examples include button labels, card titles, navigation labels, form labels, and notification messages.
Button
Label Property: "Get Started"Instance swap properties allow designers to replace a nested component with another compatible component.
For example, an input field may contain an icon component. The icon can be changed without rebuilding the entire input component.
Input Component
├── Label
├── Input Text
└── Icon
├── Search
├── Calendar
└── UserVariants allow multiple related versions of a component to be grouped together.
A button can have variants such as Primary, Secondary, Outline, Disabled, Hover, Pressed, and Loading.
Button
├── Type: Primary / Secondary / Outline
├── Size: Small / Medium / Large
├── State: Default / Hover / Pressed / Disabled
└── Icon: None / Leading / TrailingVariants are especially useful when several components share the same structure but have different visual or functional states.
| Variant Property | Example Values |
|---|---|
| Type | Primary, Secondary, Tertiary |
| Size | Small, Medium, Large |
| State | Default, Hover, Active, Disabled |
| Theme | Light, Dark |
| Icon | None, Leading, Trailing |
A professional button component can combine multiple advanced component techniques.
Button
├── Type
│ ├── Primary
│ ├── Secondary
│ └── Outline
├── Size
│ ├── Small
│ ├── Medium
│ └── Large
├── State
│ ├── Default
│ ├── Hover
│ ├── Pressed
│ ├── Disabled
│ └── Loading
├── Icon
│ ├── None
│ ├── Leading
│ └── Trailing
└── LabelNested components are components placed inside another component. They are useful for building complex UI elements from smaller reusable parts.
For example, a navigation bar may contain logo, navigation item, icon, avatar, and button components.
Navigation Bar
├── Logo Component
├── Navigation Item Component
├── Navigation Item Component
├── Search Component
└── Avatar ComponentAuto Layout is one of the most important features for creating flexible components. It allows components to automatically adjust their size and spacing based on their content.
For example, a button should expand when its label becomes longer.
Button
├── Horizontal Auto Layout
├── Padding: 16px
├── Gap: 8px
├── Icon
└── LabelAdvanced components should be designed to work across different screen sizes. Responsive components can adapt to changing content, available width, and layout requirements.
Examples include responsive navigation bars, cards, buttons, forms, tables, and dashboard panels.
Combining component properties with Auto Layout creates highly flexible UI components. For example, a card can allow users to change its title, image, description, button visibility, and action while automatically adjusting its height.
Card
├── Image
├── Content
│ ├── Category
│ ├── Title
│ └── Description
├── Action Button
└── Optional BadgePossible properties include image visibility, badge visibility, title text, description text, button text, and card state.
Form elements are ideal candidates for advanced components because they usually have multiple states.
| Component | Possible States |
|---|---|
| Input Field | Default, Focused, Error, Disabled, Success |
| Checkbox | Unchecked, Checked, Disabled |
| Radio Button | Unselected, Selected, Disabled |
| Dropdown | Closed, Open, Disabled |
| Toggle | On, Off, Disabled |
Input Field
├── Label
├── Input Container
│ ├── Leading Icon
│ ├── Text
│ └── Trailing Icon
├── Helper Text
└── Error MessageProperties can control label text, placeholder text, helper text, error visibility, icon visibility, and input state.
Interactive components can be used to create realistic prototype interactions. Different component variants can represent states such as hover, pressed, selected, expanded, collapsed, or disabled.
Default
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Hover
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Pressed
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Selected
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DisabledA button prototype can change its visual state when the user interacts with it.
Default Button
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While Hovering
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Hover Variant
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Mouse Press
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Pressed VariantVariables can help create dynamic and scalable design systems. They can be used for values such as colors, spacing, typography-related values, dimensions, and other reusable design tokens.
Using variables with components makes it easier to maintain consistent values across an interface.
Design tokens represent reusable design decisions such as colors, spacing, typography, borders, and shadows.
Design Tokens
├── Colors
├── Typography
├── Spacing
├── Radius
├── Borders
└── Shadows
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Components
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ScreensAdvanced components form the foundation of a professional design system. A design system can contain buttons, inputs, cards, dialogs, navigation elements, tables, alerts, badges, and other reusable UI elements.
Consistent naming is important for large component libraries.
Button / Primary
Button / Secondary
Button / Icon
Input / Text
Input / Search
Card / Product
Card / Profile
Navigation / Header
Navigation / SidebarComponents should be organized logically so designers can quickly locate the correct element.
A component library is a centralized collection of reusable components. It helps teams maintain consistency and reduces the time required to create new interfaces.
| Type | Usage |
|---|---|
| Local Component | Used mainly within a specific file or project |
| Shared Component | Published and reused across multiple files |
Detaching an instance separates it from its component relationship. Although this can provide complete editing freedom, excessive detaching can reduce consistency and make design systems harder to maintain.
Overrides allow designers to customize supported aspects of an instance while keeping its connection to the main component.
Good component architecture should provide useful customization options without requiring users to detach instances.
Professional UI components often require several states.
| UI Element | Common States |
|---|---|
| Button | Default, Hover, Pressed, Disabled, Loading |
| Input | Default, Focus, Error, Success, Disabled |
| Checkbox | Unchecked, Checked, Indeterminate, Disabled |
| Dropdown | Closed, Open, Selected, Disabled |
Design System
├── Foundations
│ ├── Colors
│ ├── Typography
│ ├── Spacing
│ └── Icons
├── Components
│ ├── Buttons
│ ├── Inputs
│ ├── Cards
│ ├── Navigation
│ └── Dialogs
└── Patterns
├── Login
├── Checkout
└── DashboardA navigation component can contain logo, menu items, dropdowns, search, notifications, profile controls, and responsive behavior.
Header
├── Logo
├── Navigation
├── Search
├── Notification
└── ProfileA modal can be created as a reusable component with configurable title, description, icon, buttons, and visibility.
Modal
├── Header
│ ├── Icon
│ ├── Title
│ └── Close Button
├── Content
└── Footer
├── Cancel
└── ConfirmTables can contain reusable header cells, rows, badges, buttons, checkboxes, pagination controls, and sorting indicators.
Using nested components makes complex data tables easier to maintain and reuse.
Advanced components are especially useful in mobile UI design. Designers can create reusable navigation bars, tab bars, buttons, cards, bottom sheets, dialogs, form fields, and list items.
Dashboard projects commonly contain repeated UI patterns such as statistic cards, charts, tables, filters, tabs, sidebars, and action buttons. Advanced components make these patterns reusable.
An e-commerce design system may contain product cards, product galleries, pricing components, ratings, quantity selectors, shopping cart items, checkout forms, and payment components.
SaaS products can use advanced components for dashboards, sidebars, data tables, filters, user profiles, settings panels, notifications, forms, and permission controls.
Every advanced component should be tested with different content and states.
Suppose an e-commerce application needs product cards on multiple pages. Instead of manually creating every card, create one advanced product card component.
Product Card
├── Product Image
├── Favorite Button
├── Badge
├── Product Name
├── Rating
├── Price
├── Discount
└── Add to Cart ButtonPossible properties include product name, price, discount visibility, badge visibility, favorite state, and button text.
Login Form
├── Email Input
├── Password Input
├── Remember Me
├── Forgot Password
└── Login ButtonThe input components can support default, focus, error, success, and disabled states while the button can support loading and disabled states.
A dashboard can use advanced components for statistics cards, charts, navigation, filters, tables, and user controls.
Dashboard
├── Sidebar
├── Header
├── Statistic Cards
├── Chart Card
├── Filter Bar
└── Data TableWell-structured components help developers understand the intended UI structure. Consistent component names, variants, states, spacing, and design tokens can make implementation easier.
Advanced components can make prototypes more realistic by representing real UI states and interactions. For example, a dropdown can have closed and open states, while a checkbox can switch between selected and unselected variants.
Accessibility should be considered while creating components. Designers should provide sufficient contrast, clear states, readable typography, meaningful labels, and visible focus states where appropriate.
When the same component is reused across a project, spacing, typography, colors, and interaction patterns remain consistent. This improves both visual quality and user experience.
Shared components help multiple designers work from the same source of truth. Teams can reuse approved components instead of creating independent versions of the same UI element.
A component library should be reviewed regularly. Remove outdated components, improve naming, update variants, document changes, and ensure that components continue to match the current product requirements.
Advanced Components are an essential part of professional Figma workflows. By combining components, variants, properties, nested components, Auto Layout, variables, and interactive states, designers can build flexible and scalable interfaces that are easier to maintain.
A well-designed component system reduces repetitive work, improves consistency, supports design systems, simplifies collaboration, and creates a stronger connection between design and development. Mastering advanced components is therefore an important step toward becoming an efficient professional Figma designer.
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