figma-annotations — read & write node annotations
Annotations are designer-authored specs attached to a node. Each can carry a note (plain label
or rich labelMarkdown), a set of pinned properties (fills, width, fontSize, …) that link
the note to specific design attributes, and an optional category (interactions, accessibility,
dev notes, …). They live on the node, survive edits, and are undoable (Cmd+Z). They are the right
place for animation timings, easing curves, interaction behavior, and a11y requirements that don't
belong in the component description.
Skill boundaries
use_figmarules — load the officialfigma-useskill first; it is the full Figma Plugin API reference. Essentials these scripts rely on: plain JS with top-levelawait+return(no IIFE, nofigma.closePlugin();console.logis not returned), inputs inlined asconstat the top of each script, colors in 0–1 range, load fonts before any text op,await figma.getNodeByIdAsync(...), and atomic errors (a failed script applies nothing — read the error, fix, retry).- Valid property types + shapes → references/annotation-properties.md.
- Comments (file-level discussion threads, not node specs) → use the
figma-commentsskill instead.
Workflow
- Get the node ID. Use the current selection or a node ID the user gives you. Annotations only apply to nodes whose type supports them (frames, components, instances, shapes, text — not pages).
- List categories first when writing categorized annotations. Run the categories snippet so you
can pass a real
categoryId(category names are per-file and not guessable). See the script. - Read with
scripts/get-annotations.js— setINCLUDE_CHILDRENto walk a component tree for full-component documentation. - Write with
scripts/set-annotations.js. ChooseMODE:'replace'(default — overwrites all annotations on the node) or'append'(keeps existing). PassANNOTATIONS = []with'replace'to clear all annotations. - Validate. Re-run the read script and confirm the annotation count and labels match what you set.
Notes
- Note any text op needs a font load. Annotations themselves don't render text you author, but
if a workflow also writes text nodes,
await figma.loadFontAsync(...)first (see conventions). - Figma auto-populates BOTH
labelandlabelMarkdownon read, but rejects writing both — when appending, preferlabelMarkdownif present, elselabel. The append script already does this. propertiesonly pins which attributes the note is about; it does not set their values. Use the exact strings from references/annotation-properties.md.- These tools require the Figma Desktop app (the Plugin API isn't available in the browser).
