How (and why) we built branching | Figma Blog (opens in new tab)
Figma built branching to preserve the benefits of real-time collaboration without letting unfinished or experimental work disrupt approved designs. Branches provide isolated spaces for exploration while keeping the main file a reliable source of truth. The design prioritizes simplicity, familiar multiplayer behavior, and protection against data loss. ## The Need for Branching at Scale - Figma’s real-time multiplayer model usually helps teams work in one shared file. - As organizations grow, however, design workflows become harder to manage: - Unapproved changes can reach production code. - Work may be overwritten. - Teams may struggle to distinguish work in progress from approved designs. - Branches let designers experiment, iterate, contribute to libraries, or preview work without changing the main file. - Changes can be incorporated into the main file only after review and approval. ## Balancing Freedom and Structure - Growing design teams increasingly requested stronger version-control workflows. - Traditional branching comes from software development, where files and changes are stored locally. - Figma had to adapt the concept for cloud-based files, asking: - Whether people should continue editing the main file simultaneously. - How collaboration should work within branches. - How to introduce version control without overwhelming designers with complexity. ## Designing Around Figma’s Multiplayer Model - Figma chose a purpose-built approach rather than copying existing development tools. - Simplicity and consistency became core principles: - The main file remains multiplayer. - A branch behaves like a regular Figma file. - Existing editor and viewer permissions continue to apply. - The system emphasizes data safety so users’ changes remain protected. - Figma intentionally limited complexity, including preventing branches from being created from other branches. ## The Complexity of Merging - Merging involved more than simply resolving conflicting edits. - Figma also had to handle operational problems such as: - The file changing while someone reviews a merge. - A user losing their connection midway through the process. - These cases required safeguards to ensure merges remain understandable, recoverable, and safe. Branching is therefore presented as a structured layer on top of Figma’s collaborative model: teams can explore freely in branches while maintaining a dependable, approved main file.