Figma vs Sketch vs Adobe XD - Practice Questions

Challenge - 5 Problems

🧠 Conceptual

intermediate

Which tool allows real-time collaboration in the browser?

Among Figma, Sketch, and Adobe XD, which tool supports real-time collaboration directly in a web browser without needing to install software?

A Adobe XD

B Figma

C Sketch

D All three support real-time browser collaboration

💡 Hint

Think about which tool is cloud-based and works on any device with a browser.

Figma is cloud-based and allows multiple users to work together live in the browser. Sketch requires Mac and local files, and Adobe XD supports collaboration but mainly through desktop apps.

🎯 Scenario

intermediate

Choosing a tool for a Mac-only design team

Your design team works exclusively on Mac computers and prefers a tool with strong plugin support and offline use. Which tool fits best?

A Sketch

B None of these tools support Mac offline use

C Adobe XD

D Figma

💡 Hint

Consider which tool is Mac-only and has a large plugin ecosystem.

Sketch is Mac-only, supports offline use, and has many plugins. Figma is browser-based and Adobe XD is cross-platform but less plugin-rich than Sketch.

❓ visualization

advanced

Identify the tool by its interface screenshot

Look at the screenshot of a design tool interface. Which tool is shown?

Figma

Screenshot shows a left sidebar with layers, a top toolbar with prototyping options, and a right panel with design properties. The interface uses a dark theme with a blue accent color.

A InVision Studio

B Sketch

C Adobe XD

D Figma

💡 Hint

Think about which tool uses blue accent and has a browser-based UI style.

Figma's interface uses blue accents and a sidebar layout consistent with the description. Sketch and Adobe XD have different color accents and layouts.

🔧 Formula Fix

advanced

Why does Sketch fail to open a file on Windows?

A user tries to open a Sketch file on a Windows PC but gets an error. Why does this happen?

A Sketch files are only compatible with Mac OS and cannot be opened on Windows.

B The Sketch file is corrupted and cannot be opened on any system.

C Windows needs a special plugin to open Sketch files.

D The user needs to update Windows to open Sketch files.

💡 Hint

Consider the platform support of Sketch.

Sketch is a Mac-only application and its files cannot be opened natively on Windows. The error is due to platform incompatibility, not file corruption or plugins.

❓ data_modeling

expert

Modeling design asset sharing across tools

You want to create a dashboard showing how many design assets are shared between Figma, Sketch, and Adobe XD projects in your company. Which data model best supports this analysis?

A A flat table with one row per project and a comma-separated list of assets

B Separate tables for each tool's assets with no links between them

C A table for assets and a many-to-many relationship table linking assets to projects across tools

D A single table listing assets with columns: AssetID, ToolUsed, ProjectID, SharedWithProjects (list)

💡 Hint

Think about how to represent assets used in multiple projects and tools efficiently.

A many-to-many relationship table allows tracking which assets belong to which projects across different tools, enabling accurate sharing analysis. Other models either lack links or are inefficient for querying.

Practice

1. Which design tool is best known for real-time collaboration and works on multiple platforms?

easy

A. InVision

B. Sketch

C. Adobe XD

D. Figma

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand collaboration features

   Figma allows multiple users to work on the same design file simultaneously online.

2. Step 2: Check platform support

   Figma works on Windows, Mac, and even in browsers, unlike Sketch which is Mac-only.

3. Final Answer:

   Figma -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Collaboration + cross-platform = Figma [OK]

Hint: Collaboration + cross-platform = Figma [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing Sketch as cross-platform
• Thinking Adobe XD has better collaboration
• Choosing InVision which is not in the list

2. Which of the following is a correct statement about Sketch?

easy

A. Sketch is available on Windows and Mac.

B. Sketch is ideal for Mac users who want powerful plugins.

C. Sketch supports real-time collaboration natively.

D. Sketch integrates best with Adobe Creative Cloud.

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify platform availability

   Sketch is only available on Mac, not Windows.

2. Step 2: Check plugin support

   Sketch has a strong ecosystem of plugins, making it powerful for Mac users.

3. Final Answer:

   Sketch is ideal for Mac users who want powerful plugins. -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Mac + plugins = Sketch [OK]

Hint: Mac-only + plugins = Sketch [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Assuming Sketch works on Windows
• Thinking Sketch has built-in collaboration
• Confusing Adobe integration with Sketch

3. If a designer wants to use Adobe Creative Cloud apps and needs a cross-platform design tool, which tool fits best?

medium

A. Adobe XD

B. Sketch

C. Figma

D. Affinity Designer

Solution

1. Step 1: Check Adobe integration

   Adobe XD integrates well with Adobe Creative Cloud apps like Photoshop and Illustrator.

2. Step 2: Confirm cross-platform support

   Adobe XD works on both Windows and Mac, unlike Sketch which is Mac-only.

3. Final Answer:

   Adobe XD -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Adobe integration + cross-platform = Adobe XD [OK]

Hint: Adobe apps + cross-platform = Adobe XD [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Choosing Sketch for cross-platform
• Confusing Figma with Adobe integration
• Selecting unrelated tools like Affinity Designer

4. A user tries to open a Sketch file on Windows but it fails. What is the most likely reason?

medium

A. Sketch is Mac-only software and does not run on Windows.

B. Sketch files require Adobe XD to open on Windows.

C. The Sketch file is corrupted and cannot open anywhere.

D. Windows needs a special plugin to open Sketch files.

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand platform compatibility

   Sketch is designed only for Mac OS and does not have a Windows version.

2. Step 2: Analyze file opening failure

   Trying to open Sketch files on Windows fails because the software is unavailable, not due to corruption or plugins.

3. Final Answer:

   Sketch is Mac-only software and does not run on Windows. -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Sketch Mac-only = Windows open fail [OK]

Hint: Sketch Mac-only means no Windows support [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Assuming Adobe XD can open Sketch files
• Blaming file corruption without checking platform
• Thinking Windows plugins fix Sketch file issues

5. A team uses Mac and Windows computers and wants a design tool that supports plugins, Adobe integration, and real-time collaboration. Which tool should they choose?

hard

A. Sketch

B. Adobe XD

C. Figma

D. Photoshop

Solution

1. Step 1: Check cross-platform support

   Figma works on Mac, Windows, and browsers, supporting all team members.

2. Step 2: Evaluate collaboration and plugins

   Figma offers real-time collaboration and has plugin support, though Adobe XD also supports plugins and Adobe integration.

3. Step 3: Compare Adobe integration

   Adobe XD has Adobe integration but lacks the same level of real-time collaboration as Figma.

4. Final Answer:

   Figma -> Option C

5. Quick Check:

   Cross-platform + collaboration + plugins = Figma [OK]

Hint: Cross-platform + collaboration + plugins = Figma [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Choosing Sketch which is Mac-only
• Picking Adobe XD missing real-time collaboration
• Selecting Photoshop which is not a UI design tool