Anima for Figma: Bridging Design and Code with Lovable and Anima

The gap between design and development is one of the major problems in product design. All too often, what we have in design and what we have in code are not the same. Depending on the skills of both designers and developers, the gap can be subtle or drastic. But what I tell you is that we can minimize this gap by using the right tools. And the great thing is that these tools already exist. In this article, I want to explore my process of turning design into code using Lovable and Anima, and share pros and cons of each tool.

Disclosure: I’m sharing my personal experience working with the tools. Your experience could be different, and that’s okay. Also, I’m using the same Figma source design for both tools (Positivus landing page by Olga).

Lovable: AI-assisted export from Figma through Builder.io

Lovable is an AI-powered solution for product creators that promises to go from idea to app in seconds. Let me walk you through the process of turning Figma design into code using Lovable.

Step 1: Ensure we use auto layout in Figma. We start in Figma. If you want to minimize the number of errors during the export of Figma design to code, you need to ensure that you use auto layout. Ensure that auto-layout is used for all sections of your design. Checking auto-layout for the hero section of the page.

Step 2: Using Builder.io to prepare code for export. Lovable uses a plugin called Builder.io as an in-between step when exporting design to code. Select a layer you want to export, click on the Actions in the bottom panel, search for Builder.io, and launch it. You should see a preview of your design. Click Export Design. Builder.io shows a preview of design ready to export.

Step 3: Choosing a version of design for export. By default, Builder.io provides 3 versions of design to choose from. The version you choose will be exported to code. Each version can have minor differences (sometimes defects), so at this step, you need to do a visual inspection and select the version you like the most. Builder.io shares 3 versions of design to choose from.

Step 4: Exporting design to Lovable and first tweaks in Lovable. After you choose a version, Builder.io will ask you to connect it to Lovable so it can export the design. Once you do it, you will see an in-between state with code export. Exporting code to Lovable. Once the export is completed, Builder will invite you to launch the project in Lovable. When you launch the project, you will see a Lovable working environment in a new tab of your browser. Quite funny is that the Lovable will continue to write the code at this step.

The first preview of a new project often reveals defects not visible in Builder.io previews. We can use AI to fix issues, for example requesting Lovable to fix logos that were lost during the export. Asking Lovable to fix the issue with logos. AI does not always perfectly understand the intent and may add unexpected assets, requiring back-and-forth prompts. Nevertheless, a real-time editor in Lovable allows paddings and spacing to be adjusted without diving into code.

Pros and cons of Lovable

• Pros: Simple process of exporting design from Figma to code; contextual menus for UI elements that allow editing them without diving into code.
• Cons: Uses a 3rd party tool for export (Builder.io), which can make the process long and cranky; visual defects after export require manual or AI-assisted fixes; AI’s average understanding of context can require multiple prompts.

In sum, Lovable streamlines initial export and quick tweaks directly in the UI, but it bears the complexity of an extra tool in the chain and occasional defects that must be addressed post-export.

Anima: a more integrated Figma-to-code path with AI-assisted refinement

Anima is a long-standing tool with a strong reputation in the design community, especially for prototypes with interactive 3D objects. Recently, Anima Playground extends capabilities to transfer design to code and refine in a live environment. Step by step, here is how the process unfolds.

Step 1: Ensure we use auto layout. Similar to Lovable, we begin in Figma and ensure auto layout is used for the hero section and other areas. Checking auto-layout for the hero section of the page.

Step 2: Running Anima plugin and switch to Dev mode to export design. To activate Anima, we click Actions and search for Anima. Running Anima plugin. We activate the Anima plugin for this project. We switch to Dev mode in the right-side panel and select the Anima plugin. Selecting the layer to export, such as the entire home page, yields a progress preview with an “Analyzing section” indicator as Anima analyzes the design.

Step 3: Choosing tech stack for your project. Anima allows you to select technologies for your project, including React, Vue, and HTML. Project tech stack that Anima offers. Once you choose a tech stack, Anima generates code. The time to generate code depends on complexity, generally around 1-2 minutes. A preview of files appears that you can export to Anima Playground for development.

Step 4: Exporting project to Anima Playground and project refinement. Prompt in Playground opens a new tab with a dev environment where you will see your project files and an AI assistant on the left. Initial builds may show missing assets or layout issues that were not apparent in the preview. For example, the second section cards might be misaligned, and the cards’ images may be missing. It is possible to fix problems with AI prompts like “fix the grid in services.” Anima's AI has a good understanding of context, meaning it can figure out what you need with detailed prompts. Design fixes can range from layout adjustments to component-level refinements.

Pros and cons of Anima

• Pros: Simple process of exporting design from Figma to code with a single plugin; ability to choose tech stack (React, Vue or HTML); fewer visual defects after export compared to Lovable; AI assistant shows good contextual understanding.
• Cons: Still in beta in some areas-possible instability when running a dev server; reliance on prompts for fine-tuning; some gaps may require manual adjustments.

In practice, Anima tends to produce fewer defects after export and provides a more integrated experience through the Dev Playground. It supports a broad range of outputs such as React with Tailwind, Material UI, Ant Design, and more, making it a flexible tool for teams aiming for production-ready code quickly.

Comparative workflow and practical notes

Both tools aim to turn Figma designs into code faster and with higher fidelity. Lovable emphasizes an end-to-end export flow with an AI-assisted editor, but depends on an external Builder.io step which can add latency. Anima offers a more consolidated path within Figma’s ecosystem and a robust Playground for iterative refinement, often delivering cleaner initial exports and richer technology support.

For best results, use Auto Layout in your Figma files, name layers clearly, and consider multi-screen flows when appropriate. Anima’s multi-screen import feature allows bringing in entire user flows from Figma to create linked, responsive pages with working navigation. These practices help ensure that the generated code remains maintainable and aligned with your design system.

In terms of deployment and handoff, Anima provides a seamless route to production-ready code with the option to export to a React project, Tailwind classes, or HTML. Lovable offers rapid prototyping capabilities with real-time tweaks inside its workspace, while relying on Builder.io as an export intermediary. Both paths recognize the value of keeping design and brand fidelity intact while accelerating development timelines.

Practical outcomes and how to choose

If your priority is speed and a straightforward export from a clean Figma file, Anima often yields fewer post-export issues and strong code outputs with browser-ready previews. If you value an adjustable in-app editing experience and don’t mind an extra export step, Lovable provides a helpful alternative with useful AI-assisted fixes and in-editor fine-tuning.

Whether you choose Lovable or Anima, you can expect to reduce back-and-forth between design and code, achieve closer alignment with your design system, and accelerate from concept to interactive prototypes or production-ready code.

In short, both Lovable and Anima represent important steps toward harmonizing design and development. They enable designers to hand off more complete, executable concepts and empower developers with starter code that respects the original design intent.

Tables and data-driven notes

Key points at a glance:

Ultimately, the choice depends on your team’s workflow, desired level of integration, and the balance between speed and fidelity you need for handoff to developers.

tags: #anima #for #figma