Figma MCP Express - install, status & alternatives [2026]

01 · Install Figma MCP Express

before you install - you'll need

FIGMA_TOKEN

Environment variables documented in the project's README - it lists which are required and which have defaults.

Claude Code

claude mcp add sunhome243-figma-mcp-express -- npx -y figma-mcp-express

Claude Desktop / Cursor / VS Code - add to config

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "sunhome243-figma-mcp-express": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "figma-mcp-express"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Same JSON for Cursor. For VS Code, rename the top-level key from `mcpServers` to `servers`.

Using another client? Same JSON, different key

Claude Desktop · mcpServers

Cursor · mcpServers

VS Code · servers

Windsurf · mcpServers

Zed · context_servers

Cline · mcpServers

Roo Code · mcpServers

Continue · mcpServers

LibreChat · mcpServers

Gemini CLI · mcpServers

Codex CLI · mcp_servers

Full setup guides: every client.

02 · Evidence

Security posture

What to check before giving this server access to your agent - from the registry, GitHub, and our own probes. We don't score safety; we show what's verifiable.

runs as local process (stdio) - runs on your machine with your user's permissions

license MIT - declared in the repository

npm package figma-mcp-express - unscoped; check the name against the project README before installing

registry namespace io.github.sunhome243 is GitHub-verified and matches the repo owner

03 · What Figma MCP Express can do

Prose above is summarized from the project's README and registry record - no invented capabilities.

Limitations (from the README)

- Most live tools require the target file to be open in Figma Desktop with the plugin running. - fetch_library_catalog is the main REST-only exception and requires FIGMA_TOKEN. - Plugin execution is still single-threaded per file; the server reduces contention, but it does not make one file fully parallel. - Community kits must be published as a library before import_component_by_key can use them. - Remote follower (

Latest releases

v2.8.1 · 2026-08-06

Fix marketplace plugin bundle installs · Fix Claude hook discovery and changelog · Bump plugin version to 2.7.1 · harden MCP schemas and restore MIT licensing · harden craft/mechanics from /figma-slides retrospective…

v2.8.0 · 2026-07-11

Fix marketplace plugin bundle installs · Fix Claude hook discovery and changelog · Bump plugin version to 2.7.1

v2.7.0 · 2026-06-24

refresh README with demo video + still image · scroll-ready + tidy-component-page + redundant-element craft rules (token-efficient) · default figma mcp origin to orchestrator + tighten skills/hooks · declare hooks in…

04 · Who maintains Figma MCP Express

figma-mcp-express is maintained by sunhome243. It's the only MCP server we track from this author; the repo dates to Jun 2026.

05 · Facts

repository: github.com/sunhome243/figma-mcp-express
category: design - ranked #23 of 74 actively-maintained design servers as of 2026-08-25.
release cadence: 10+ releases in the last 90 days (latest 2026-08-06)
registry: io.github.sunhome243/figma-mcp-express (active, first published 2026-06-12 · 18 versions)
packages: npm:figma-mcp-express

06 · Figma MCP Express FAQ

What is Figma MCP Express?

Fast, quota-free, stable Figma automation for coding agents. figma-mcp-express lets Claude Code, Codex, and other local agents read, edit, migrate, audit, screenshot, and prototype inside the real Figma Desktop file. It is built for serious design-system work: batch edits, multi-file routing, large-file reads, visible multi-agent activity, and prototype wiring without burning through official Figma MCP tool-call…

Is Figma MCP Express still maintained?

Yes - as of 2026-08-25, its last commit was 2026-08-11 and it shipped 10+ releases in the last 90 days. We re-verify nightly.

How do I install Figma MCP Express?

Run `npx -y figma-mcp-express`. The README documents one environment variable (FIGMA_TOKEN) to set first. You can also paste the ready-made client config above.

Does Figma MCP Express run locally?

Yes - it's a stdio server: it runs on your machine (via npx) with your user's permissions. Your data stays local unless the server itself calls external APIs.

07 · Alternatives to Figma MCP Express

Alternatives to Figma MCP Express

Maintained design servers if Figma MCP Express isn't the fit.

More design MCP servers · Validator · Openroad MCP (the-openroad-project) · Figma UI MCP · Contextatlas · melta UI

More Go MCP servers · Supr Send · Synapbus · Wass MCP · Teamwork MCP Server · Thunder Compute · see all