use_figma — Figma Plugin API Skill for Slides

This skill contains Slides-specific context for the use_figma MCP tool. The figma-use skill provides foundational context for plugin API execution via MCP as well as the full Figma plugin API for more advanced use-cases that are not described here.

Always pass skillNames: "figma-use-slides" when calling use_figma for Slides operations. This is a logging parameter used to track skill usage — it does not affect execution.

Critical Rules (Slides-specific)

1. Newly created Slides files have a default light theme. When a Slides file is created via create_new_file, a default light theme is automatically initialized. This theme is structural scaffolding — you should overwrite the theme's color variables and text styles with your own design direction for the deck you're building. Do not rely on or be influenced by the default light theme tokens.
2. MUST appendChild to the slide BEFORE setting x/y position. Slides have an internal coordinate origin; positioning before parenting causes silent offsets that produce broken/overlapping layouts. Do all property configuration after appending for safety. See slide-gotchas.md.
3. SLIDE_GRID and SLIDE_ROW are opaque nodes — do not access .fills, .effects, or layout properties on them. Only SLIDE nodes (type 'SLIDE') extend BaseFrameMixin. Exception: SLIDE_ROW.name IS settable — that's how plugins rename slide sections (e.g. slideRow.name = "Intro"). See slide-lifecycle.md.
4. get_metadata does NOT work on Slides files. Use use_figma read-only scripts for validation. Return created node positions in closePlugin() output and verify no overlapping bounding boxes.
5. Do NOT call figma.createPage() in Slides. It throws TypeError: figma.createPage no such property 'createPage' on the figma global object — createPage() is a Design-file API only (figma.com/design/...); the Slides URL is figma.com/slides/.... Use the slide grid (SLIDE_GRID / SLIDE_ROW / SLIDE) to organize deck structure instead — see slide-lifecycle.md and slide-grid.md.

Design Thinking

Not every task needs the same depth of design thinking. Before doing anything, identify which gear you're in: