How do you combine component sets in Figma?

You can combine components into a component set in Figma by selecting the desired components and then using the "Combine as Variants" option. Here's a detailed breakdown:

Steps to Combine Components into a Component Set:

1. Select the components: In your Figma design, select all the individual components you want to group together as a single component set. You can do this by clicking and dragging a selection box around the components, or by holding down the Shift key and clicking on each component individually. Make sure you are selecting entire components, not just layers within components.

2. Combine as Variants: With the desired components selected, look to the right sidebar (the Properties panel). Near the top, you should see a button labeled "Combine as Variants". Click this button.

3. Component Set Created: Figma will now automatically combine all the selected components into a single component set. The first component selected becomes the "default" variant. Each variant within the component set is automatically assigned a property that determines how they switch. Figma uses the most common differences to determine which properties to assign to each variant. You can edit these variant properties in the right sidebar.

Why Combine Components into Component Sets?

Combining components into sets significantly improves design system efficiency and workflow in Figma. Here's why:

• Organization: Component sets keep related component variations grouped together, making your design files cleaner and easier to navigate.
• Efficiency: Instead of switching between separate components, you can switch between variants of a single component directly within the design. This streamlines the design process.
• Consistency: Using component sets encourages a consistent design language by ensuring that variations of a component remain linked and are updated together.

Example Scenario:

Imagine you have three button components: a primary button, a secondary button, and a disabled button. Instead of managing each button as a separate component, you can combine them into a single "Button" component set with a "State" property that has values "Primary," "Secondary," and "Disabled." When you use the "Button" component, you can easily switch between these different states directly in the Properties panel.

In Summary: Combining components as variants in Figma is accomplished by selecting the desired components and clicking the "Combine as Variants" button. This streamlines workflow and ensures consistency in your design system.