I’m just starting out with frontend development and I’m confused about something. When I create designs in Figma, everything is measured in pixels for fonts and spacing. But I know that for making websites that work well on different screen sizes, I should be using rem units in my CSS instead of pixels.
My current process looks like this:
Create website mockups in Figma with all typography set in px values
Need to code the CSS using rem measurements for better responsiveness
What’s the best way to handle this conversion? Do I need to calculate each pixel value and turn it into rem manually? What formula should I use for this math? Is there a standard approach that most developers follow when going from Figma designs to rem-based CSS code?
After working on client projects for years, I’ve learned that rigid rem conversions kill your workflow. Don’t convert afterwards - set rem values during design. I set up Figma to show pixels and rems at the same time using custom grids. Base grid at 16px, then design with rem-friendly measurements from the start. Your spacing lands on clean numbers like 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2rem instead of ugly decimals. Stop converting during development. Build it into your design process instead. You’ll get cleaner designs, cleaner CSS, and you won’t end up with nonsense like 1.1875rem values. Bonus: this forces better consistency since you’re working with a real typographic scale, not random pixel values.
Here’s what I learned the hard way: don’t get obsessed with perfect 16px base conversions. Sure, it works for most stuff, but I think about design systems now instead of just doing math.
I set up a modular scale in CSS first, then match Figma values to the closest rem that makes sense. Figma says 18px for body text? I’ll use 1.125rem. If it’s 19px, I still use 1.125rem because consistent spacing beats pixel perfection.
Responsive design isn’t about matching exact pixels anyway. You want proportional relationships that feel right on different screens. Once you stop trying to replicate everything exactly and focus on proportional harmony instead, conversions get way easier and your designs actually respond better.
1rem is equivalent to 16px, which is the default value in most browsers. To convert Figma pixel measurements to rem units, simply divide the pixel value by 16. For example, if your design indicates 24px for a font size, this would convert to 1.5rem, and 32px would be 2rem. This method has proven effective across devices. Most developers maintain this 16px base for consistency. You don’t need any special tools for this conversion; basic arithmetic suffices. Remember to keep your base size consistent throughout your project, as this ensures that everything scales appropriately should you alter the root font size later on.
You’re struggling with the manual conversion of pixel values from your Figma designs to rem units in your CSS, finding the process tedious and error-prone. You want a more efficient way to handle this conversion, ideally automating the process as much as possible, and ensuring consistency in your design system.
Understanding the “Why” (The Root Cause):
Manually converting pixel values to rem units for every element in a complex design is time-consuming and increases the risk of errors. Inconsistencies in rem values can lead to a disjointed design system and make maintaining your codebase more difficult. The core problem isn’t just the mathematical conversion (which is simple division), but the sheer volume of conversions needed, especially as your designs become more complex. A more efficient approach prioritizes automation and a well-defined design system to minimize manual intervention.
Step-by-Step Guide:
Automate the Pixel-to-Rem Conversion: The most effective solution is to automate the entire process. Build a workflow that directly imports design tokens (including typography, spacing, and sizing) from your Figma file. This workflow should then perform the necessary pixel-to-rem conversions, applying rounding rules or other logic based on your design system to ensure consistency. This automation eliminates the need for manual conversion of individual values. Several methods exist to achieve this. You could create a custom script (using Figma’s API and a scripting language like JavaScript), use a third-party tool or plugin designed for this purpose (many are available, both free and commercial), or leverage a dedicated design-to-code platform that offers this functionality as part of its workflow.
Establish a Consistent Design System: Before automating, define clear rules within your design system. Decide on a base font size (often 16px, resulting in 1rem = 16px) and define how you want to handle rounding or approximation during conversion. For example, will you round to the nearest 0.125rem for cleaner values, or will you stick to more precise conversions? A well-defined system will significantly enhance consistency and reduce manual intervention. This step also helps in better handling of responsive design scenarios, where you might want certain conversions to occur only at specific breakpoints.
Choose Your Automation Method: Select the method of automation that best suits your skills and resources. If you are comfortable with scripting and APIs, a custom solution provides maximum flexibility. For a quicker solution, investigate existing tools or plugins. If you are using a design-to-code platform, leverage its inherent features for design token extraction and conversion.
Test Thoroughly: After implementing your automated workflow, thoroughly test the resulting CSS on different screen sizes and devices. Ensure that the converted rem values maintain the intended visual fidelity and responsive behavior from your Figma design. Address any inconsistencies or unexpected behaviors.
Common Pitfalls & What to Check Next:
Inconsistent Base Font Size: Ensure your base font size (which defines the 1rem value) is consistent across all your stylesheets and documents.
Rounding Issues: Carefully consider your rounding strategy; overly precise rem values can lead to inconsistent spacing.
Responsive Design Considerations: Remember to account for responsive design. You may need to use media queries to apply different rem values or even use different units altogether (like vw or vh) for optimal responsiveness at different screen sizes.
Testing Across Browsers: Test your implementation across different browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge) to ensure consistency and handle any browser-specific quirks.
Still running into issues? Share your (sanitized) config files, the exact command you ran, and any other relevant details. The community is here to help!
You’re trying to automate the conversion of pixel values from your Figma designs to rem units in your CSS, finding the manual process tedious and error-prone. You want a more efficient, automated workflow to handle this conversion and ensure consistency in your design system.
Understanding the “Why” (The Root Cause):
Manually converting every pixel value to rems is inefficient and error-prone, especially in complex designs. Inconsistencies in rem values lead to a broken design system and harder-to-maintain code. The core issue isn’t the math (simple division), but the sheer volume of conversions needed. A better approach prioritizes automation and a well-defined design system to minimize manual work.
Step-by-Step Guide:
Automate Pixel-to-Rem Conversion: The best solution is automation. Build a workflow that imports design tokens (typography, spacing, sizing) directly from your Figma file. This workflow will perform the pixel-to-rem conversions, applying rounding rules based on your design system for consistency. This eliminates manual conversions. Several methods exist:
Custom Script: Create a custom script (using Figma’s API and JavaScript) for maximum flexibility.
Third-Party Tools/Plugins: Use existing Figma plugins or tools (many are available, both free and commercial) that automate this.
Design-to-Code Platforms: Leverage design-to-code platforms offering this as a built-in feature. This often provides the smoothest experience.
Establish a Consistent Design System: Before automating, define clear rules. Decide on a base font size (often 16px, meaning 1rem = 16px) and how to handle rounding (e.g., round to the nearest 0.125rem). A well-defined system ensures consistency and reduces manual adjustments. This also improves handling of responsive design scenarios where you might need different conversions at specific breakpoints.
Choose Your Automation Method: Select the best method based on your skills and resources. Consider starting with simpler methods and moving to custom solutions only if you require highly customized workflows.
Common Pitfalls & What to Check Next:
Inconsistent Base Font Size: Ensure your base font size (defining 1rem) is consistent.
Rounding Issues: Carefully consider your rounding strategy; overly precise rem values can lead to inconsistent spacing.
Responsive Design Considerations: Account for responsiveness. Use media queries to apply different rem values or units (vw or vh) for optimal behavior at different screen sizes.
Testing Across Browsers: Test across different browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge) to ensure consistency.
Still running into issues? Share your (sanitized) config files, the exact command you ran, and any other relevant details. The community is here to help!
Honestly, just grab a browser extension or Figma plugin for this. There are tons of free ones that automatically convert px to rem when you’re inspecting elements. Way faster than doing the math every time, and you won’t mess up when you’re tired.
Understanding the “Why” (The Root Cause):
Step-by-Step Guide:
Common Pitfalls & What to Check Next:
Still running into issues? Share your (sanitized) config files, the exact command you ran, and any other relevant details. The community is here to help!