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Introducing: Figma’s first API Challenge | Figma Blog (opens in new tab)

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Figma announced a $15,000 API challenge to encourage developers to build an open-source Figma-to-Sketch converter. The contest reflected Figma’s goal of supporting an open design ecosystem, even when that meant exporting files to a competitor. However, after community concerns, Figma paused the challenge and ultimately cancelled it in November 2018.

Open Design Platform and API Challenge

  • Figma wanted to make it easier for designers to move projects between tools.
  • The challenge focused on building a Figma-to-Sketch exporter using Figma’s read API.
  • Figma positioned this as a natural extension of its existing Sketch import support.
  • The company was also responding to community-built API projects, such as style-guide generators and Alexa integrations.
  • Future challenges were intended to reward developers who open-sourced useful Figma integrations.

Evaluation Criteria

  • Submissions had to export two test files:
    • A basic file containing common Figma objects.
    • A more complex file involving typography, components, styles, and prototypes.
  • The basic file was expected to have clearer correctness criteria.
  • The advanced file required subjective judgment because Figma and Sketch do not always have equivalent one-to-one features.
  • Judges would consider:
    • Accuracy of the exported designs.
    • Ease of use.
    • Creativity in translating incompatible features.
    • Code quality and GitHub documentation.
  • Code quality and documentation accounted for 5% of the score.

Rules, Prizes, and Submissions

  • First place would receive $10,000; second place would receive $5,000.
  • Teams could include up to three people.
  • Entrants generally had to be over 21 and located in an eligible country.
  • Projects were submitted through a Google Form.
  • Each project needed a GitHub repository containing a README and MIT License.
  • The planned contest period was October 2 through November 16, 2018.

Judges and Community Focus

  • The judging panel combined design expertise with experience building tools and community resources.
  • Members included Emily Plummer, Raph D’Amico, Cat Noone, and Roy van Rooijen.
  • Their backgrounds covered design systems, interaction design, accessibility tools, plugins, and design-tool development.

Cancellation

  • Figma initially announced that the challenge would be paused and potentially relaunched after community feedback.
  • On November 19, 2018, the company said it would not proceed with any version of the challenge at that time.

The challenge demonstrated Figma’s ambition to promote interoperability and an open platform, but its eventual cancellation showed the importance of addressing community concerns before incentivizing integrations involving a direct competitor.