Nested Auto Layout in Figma - Interactive Code Practice

Practice - 5 Tasks

1fill in blank

easy

Complete the code to set the main frame's layout direction to vertical.

Figma

mainFrame.layoutMode = '[1]'

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

AHORIZONTAL

BVERTICAL

Cgrid

Dstack

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using 'horizontal' instead of 'VERTICAL' changes the direction.

Using unsupported values like 'grid' or 'stack'.

Setting layoutMode to VERTICAL arranges child elements from top to bottom.

2fill in blank

medium

Complete the code to set the spacing between items in the nested auto layout to 12 pixels.

Figma

nestedFrame.itemSpacing = [1]

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

A12

B16

C8

D20

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using a value too small or too large for the desired spacing.

Confusing itemSpacing with padding.

The itemSpacing property controls the space between child elements. Setting it to 12 adds 12 pixels of space.

3fill in blank

hard

Fix the error in the code to correctly set the padding of the nested frame to 16 pixels on all sides.

Figma

nestedFrame.padding[1] = 16

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

Atop

BTop

CPadding

DpaddingTop

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using lowercase 'top' like 'paddingtop' causes errors.

Using incorrect property names like 'Padding'.

In Figma plugin API, padding properties use camelCase like paddingTop, so paddingTop is correct. Repeat for paddingBottom, paddingLeft, paddingRight.

4fill in blank

hard

Fill both blanks to set the nested frame's layout direction to horizontal and align items to center.

Figma

nestedFrame.layoutMode = '[1]'
nestedFrame.primaryAxisAlignItems = '[2]'

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

AHORIZONTAL

BVERTICAL

CCENTER

DMIN

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Mixing VERTICAL layout with horizontal alignment.

Using 'MIN' instead of 'CENTER' for alignment.

Setting layoutMode to HORIZONTAL arranges items left to right. primaryAxisAlignItems set to CENTER centers items along the main axis.

5fill in blank

hard

Fill all three blanks to create a nested auto layout with vertical direction, 24 pixels spacing, and padding of 16 pixels on all sides.

Figma

nestedFrame.layoutMode = '[1]'
nestedFrame.itemSpacing = [2]
nestedFrame.padding[3] = 16

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

AVERTICAL

B24

CTop

DHORIZONTAL

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using HORIZONTAL instead of VERTICAL for layoutMode.

Confusing padding property names (use capital T) or missing padding on other sides.

Set layoutMode to VERTICAL for top-to-bottom layout, itemSpacing to 24 for spacing, and paddingTop to 16 for top padding (repeat for other sides similarly).

Practice

1. What is the main benefit of using Nested Auto Layout in Figma?

easy

A. It allows combining multiple automatic layouts inside each other for flexible designs.

B. It disables resizing of frames to keep fixed sizes.

C. It automatically exports designs to code.

D. It locks layers to prevent editing.

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand Nested Auto Layout purpose

   Nested Auto Layout lets you put auto layout frames inside other auto layout frames.

2. Step 2: Identify the benefit

   This nesting creates flexible, organized designs that adjust to content and screen size.

3. Final Answer:

   It allows combining multiple automatic layouts inside each other for flexible designs. -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Nested Auto Layout = Flexible combined layouts [OK]

Hint: Remember: Nested means putting layouts inside layouts [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking it locks frame sizes
• Confusing with export features
• Assuming it prevents editing

2. Which of the following is the correct way to create a vertical nested auto layout inside a horizontal auto layout in Figma?

easy

A. Use only one Auto Layout frame with mixed directions.

B. Create a frame with vertical Auto Layout, then add a child frame with horizontal Auto Layout inside it.

C. Create two separate frames without Auto Layout and group them.

D. Create a frame with horizontal Auto Layout, then add a child frame with vertical Auto Layout inside it.

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify parent layout direction

   The parent frame should have horizontal Auto Layout to arrange children side by side.

2. Step 2: Add child frame with vertical Auto Layout

   Inside the horizontal frame, add a child frame set to vertical Auto Layout to stack items vertically.

3. Final Answer:

   Create a frame with horizontal Auto Layout, then add a child frame with vertical Auto Layout inside it. -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Parent horizontal + child vertical = Create a frame with horizontal Auto Layout, then add a child frame with vertical Auto Layout inside it. [OK]

Hint: Parent layout sets main direction; child can differ [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Mixing up parent and child layout directions
• Grouping frames without Auto Layout
• Trying to mix directions in one frame

3. Given a horizontal auto layout frame containing two child frames: the first child is a vertical auto layout with 3 text layers, the second child is a fixed-size rectangle. What happens if you add a fourth text layer to the first child frame?

medium

A. The new text layer overlaps the second child frame.

B. The second child frame resizes to fit the new text layer.

C. The first child frame grows vertically, pushing the second child frame to the right.

D. The entire parent frame resizes vertically automatically.

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand vertical child frame behavior

   Adding a text layer to the vertical auto layout child increases its height.

2. Step 2: Understand horizontal parent frame behavior

   The parent frame arranges children horizontally. When the first child's height increases, the first child frame grows vertically, pushing the second child frame to the right horizontally.

3. Final Answer:

   The first child frame grows vertically, pushing the second child frame to the right. -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Horizontal parent layout shifts children horizontally when width changes [OK]

Hint: Vertical child growth affects horizontal layout in parent [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Assuming fixed-size child resizes
• Confusing vertical growth with vertical resizing of parent
• Expecting overlap instead of shift

4. You created a nested auto layout but the inner frame does not resize when you add content. What is the most likely cause?

medium

A. The inner frame's Auto Layout is set to fixed size instead of hug contents.

B. The outer frame is set to vertical direction.

C. The inner frame has no children.

D. The outer frame has padding set to zero.

Solution

1. Step 1: Check inner frame resizing settings

   If the inner frame is fixed size, it won't grow with content.

2. Step 2: Understand Auto Layout resizing modes

   To resize with content, the frame must use 'hug contents' or 'fill container' resizing.

3. Final Answer:

   The inner frame's Auto Layout is set to fixed size instead of hug contents. -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Fixed size inner frame blocks resizing [OK]

Hint: Check inner frame resizing mode first [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Blaming outer frame direction
• Ignoring inner frame children
• Assuming padding affects resizing

5. You want to design a dashboard panel in Figma with a horizontal auto layout containing two vertical auto layout sections: one for filters and one for results. The filters section should have fixed width but flexible height, and the results section should fill remaining horizontal space and adjust height to content. How should you set the resizing properties of these nested frames?

hard

A. Set filters frame width hug contents, height fixed; set results frame width fixed, height fill container.

B. Set filters frame width fixed, height hug contents; set results frame width fill container, height hug contents.

C. Set both frames width fixed and height fixed.

D. Set filters frame width fill container, height fixed; set results frame width hug contents, height fixed.

Solution

1. Step 1: Configure filters section resizing

   Filters need fixed width to stay constant and height that grows with content, so width fixed and height hug contents.

2. Step 2: Configure results section resizing

   Results should fill remaining horizontal space and adjust height, so width fill container and height hug contents.

3. Final Answer:

   Set filters frame width fixed, height hug contents; set results frame width fill container, height hug contents. -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Fixed width filters + fill width results = Set filters frame width fixed, height hug contents; set results frame width fill container, height hug contents. [OK]

Hint: Fixed width for filters, fill container for results [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Setting filters width to hug contents
• Fixing height instead of hugging contents
• Making results width fixed