Alignment within Auto Layout in Figma - Interactive Code Practice

Practice - 5 Tasks

1fill in blank

easy

Complete the code to set the horizontal alignment of items in an Auto Layout frame.

Figma

frame.layoutAlign = '[1]'

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

ATOP

BCENTER

CRIGHT

DLEFT

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using 'TOP' which aligns vertically, not horizontally.

Using 'CENTER' when left alignment is needed.

Setting layoutAlign to LEFT aligns items horizontally to the left inside the Auto Layout frame.

2fill in blank

medium

Complete the code to set vertical alignment of items in an Auto Layout frame.

Figma

frame.layoutAlignVertical = '[1]'

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

AMIDDLE

BCENTER

CTOP

DBOTTOM

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using 'MIDDLE' which is not a valid value.

Using 'TOP' or 'BOTTOM' when vertical centering is needed.

Setting layoutAlignVertical to CENTER aligns items vertically centered inside the Auto Layout frame.

3fill in blank

hard

Fix the error in setting the alignment property for Auto Layout items.

Figma

frame.primaryAxisAlignItems = '[1]'

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

Astart

Bcenter

CSPACE_BETWEEN

DEND

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using lowercase values like 'start' or 'center' which are invalid.

Using 'END' which aligns items to the end but does not space them.

The correct value for distributing items with space between them is SPACE_BETWEEN. Other values are case sensitive or invalid.

4fill in blank

hard

Fill both blanks to set horizontal and vertical alignment inside an Auto Layout frame.

Figma

frame.layoutAlign = '[1]'
frame.layoutAlignVertical = '[2]'

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

ACENTER

BLEFT

CTOP

DBOTTOM

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Mixing up horizontal and vertical alignment values.

Using 'BOTTOM' instead of 'TOP' for vertical alignment.

Setting layoutAlign to LEFT aligns items horizontally left, and layoutAlignVertical to TOP aligns items vertically at the top.

5fill in blank

hard

Fill all three blanks to set primary axis alignment, counter axis alignment, and spacing mode in Auto Layout.

Figma

frame.primaryAxisAlignItems = '[1]'
frame.counterAxisAlignItems = '[2]'
frame.primaryAxisSizingMode = '[3]'

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

AMIN

BCENTER

CMAX

DSPACE_BETWEEN

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using 'MAX' for sizing mode which makes frame fill available space.

Using 'CENTER' for primary axis alignment which centers but does not space evenly.

primaryAxisAlignItems set to SPACE_BETWEEN spaces items evenly along the main axis. counterAxisAlignItems set to CENTER centers items on the cross axis. primaryAxisSizingMode set to MIN makes the frame size to fit its content.

Practice

1. In Figma's Auto Layout, what does the alignment property control?

easy

A. The color of the items inside the container

B. The font size of text inside the container

C. How items line up inside the Auto Layout container

D. The number of items inside the container

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand Auto Layout container behavior

   Auto Layout arranges items automatically inside a frame or group.

2. Step 2: Identify the role of alignment

   The alignment property controls how these items line up horizontally or vertically within that container.

3. Final Answer:

   How items line up inside the Auto Layout container -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Alignment = Items lining up [OK]

Hint: Alignment means how items line up inside the container [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing alignment with color or font size
• Thinking alignment changes item count
• Mixing alignment with padding or spacing

2. Which of the following is the correct way to set vertical alignment to center in Figma's Auto Layout?

easy

A. alignItems: 'center'

B. verticalAlign: 'middle'

C. alignment: 'center'

D. justifyContent: 'center'

Solution

1. Step 1: Recall Figma Auto Layout properties

   Figma uses alignItems to control vertical alignment in vertical layouts.

2. Step 2: Identify correct syntax

   alignItems: 'center' is the correct property-value pair to center items vertically.

3. Final Answer:

   alignItems: 'center' -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Vertical center alignment = alignItems: 'center' [OK]

Hint: Use alignItems for vertical alignment in Auto Layout [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using justifyContent instead of alignItems for vertical alignment
• Using non-existent property verticalAlign
• Using generic alignment property not supported in Figma

3. Given an Auto Layout frame with horizontal direction and alignItems: 'start', where will the child items be aligned vertically?

medium

A. Stretched to fill container height

B. At the bottom of the container

C. Centered vertically

D. At the top of the container

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand horizontal Auto Layout direction

   In horizontal direction, alignItems controls vertical alignment of children.

2. Step 2: Interpret alignItems: 'start'

   This means children align at the top edge of the container vertically.

3. Final Answer:

   At the top of the container -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Horizontal layout + alignItems: 'start' = top alignment [OK]

Hint: In horizontal layout, alignItems 'start' means top alignment [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing 'start' with bottom alignment
• Mixing justifyContent with alignItems effects
• Assuming 'start' means centered

4. You set an Auto Layout frame with vertical direction and justifyContent: 'center', but items are still aligned at the top. What is the likely mistake?

medium

A. Using justifyContent instead of alignItems for vertical alignment

B. Not setting the frame height to allow centering

C. Using horizontal direction instead of vertical

D. Forgetting to add padding inside the frame

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand justifyContent in vertical Auto Layout

   In vertical direction, justifyContent controls vertical distribution of items.

2. Step 2: Check container size effect

   If the frame height fits items exactly, centering won't show because no extra space exists.

3. Final Answer:

   Not setting the frame height to allow centering -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Frame height too small blocks justifyContent centering [OK]

Hint: Ensure container has extra space to see justifyContent effects [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing justifyContent with alignItems
• Ignoring container size constraints
• Assuming padding affects alignment directly

5. You want to create a horizontal Auto Layout with three buttons spaced evenly and vertically centered. Which combination of properties achieves this?

hard

A. direction: 'horizontal', justifyContent: 'space-between', alignItems: 'center'

B. direction: 'vertical', justifyContent: 'center', alignItems: 'start'

C. direction: 'horizontal', justifyContent: 'center', alignItems: 'start'

D. direction: 'horizontal', justifyContent: 'space-around', alignItems: 'stretch'

Solution

1. Step 1: Set horizontal direction for buttons

   Buttons arranged side by side require direction: 'horizontal'.

2. Step 2: Space buttons evenly and center vertically

   justifyContent: 'space-between' spaces buttons evenly horizontally, and alignItems: 'center' centers them vertically.

3. Final Answer:

   direction: 'horizontal', justifyContent: 'space-between', alignItems: 'center' -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Horizontal + spaced evenly + vertical center = direction: 'horizontal', justifyContent: 'space-between', alignItems: 'center' [OK]

Hint: Use space-between and alignItems center for horizontal even spacing [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using vertical direction for horizontal layout
• Aligning items to start instead of center vertically
• Using justifyContent center instead of space-between for spacing