Published 13 July 2026 · Source dated 1 January 2024
An open-source plugin exports Figma files into Penpot's format, carrying across most supported features. That's an early but genuine sign design tokens are becoming tool-portable, not tool-locked.
There's an open-source Figma plugin that exports files into a Penpot-compatible format, carrying across most supported features. For design systems work, that matters: it suggests tokens and components are starting to be treated as portable assets rather than something locked to one vendor's file format. Labelled adoption, not hype, because it's a working, maintained tool rather than a proof-of-concept — though it's still early: large files export slowly, and not every feature maps cleanly across tools. Worth knowing about if you're building a portfolio piece around design systems thinking, since 'my tokens survive a tool switch' is a genuinely useful thing to be able to demonstrate.
Coach
If you've got any components or tokens sitting in Figma, run one file through the exporter and note what breaks — that's useful intel for any 'why not just use Figma' conversation.
Design tokens: the shared language for Figma & Penpot
The W3C's Design Tokens format is becoming the standard way colour, spacing and type values move between tools. If you use both Figma and Penpot, tokens are how your work stays portable.
designsystems.news ·
Adoption
Penpot's design system tooling is catching up
A walkthrough of Penpot's plugin system, template library and learning centre shows open-source tooling is building out real design-system support, not just basic shapes. Worth a look if you're on Figma + Penpot.
youtube.com ·
Established
Design Tokens Are Now Just... How Design Systems Work
Token-based design systems have moved from nice-to-have to default practice for keeping design and dev in sync. This is settled, multi-year practice, not a new trend.