# desigma, a free Figma alternative in Rust

desigma is a free, open-source design tool written in Rust. Its repository is barely two weeks old and already has a thirteenth alpha, and it opens Figma and Pencil files.

- Language: en
- Published: 2026-10-28
- Tags: design-system, desigma, tooling
- URL: https://devs7ud.io/en/blog/desigma-rust-figma-alternative-en
- Translation (ko): https://devs7ud.io/blog/desigma-rust-figma-alternative.md

## A free Figma alternative written in Rust

desigma is a desktop design tool written in Rust. The repository describes it in one line, a free Figma alternative. The README also leans on the fact that it runs natively, with no web view and no Electron.

The [repository](https://github.com/deepfounder-ai/desigma) was created on October 11. When I checked on the afternoon of October 28 it had 830 stars and 91 forks. GitHub lists the license as Apache-2.0, while the README badge says MIT or Apache-2.0. The two read slightly differently, so check it yourself before you rely on it.

![The desigma app icon](/blog-img/desigma-rust-figma-alternative-en/1.png)

_Image: [desigma repository](https://github.com/deepfounder-ai/desigma)_

## Thirteen alphas in barely two weeks

The [release list](https://github.com/deepfounder-ai/desigma/releases) shows thirteen alphas between October 11 and October 27. Here are the latest three, taken apart.

**The latest three alphas**

| Version | Date \(UTC\) | What changed |
| --- | --- | --- |
| alpha.13 | Oct 27 | Opens Pencil .pen files, fit-to-screen on a 9,000-layer file goes from seconds to milliseconds, six .fig import fixes |
| alpha.12 | Oct 25 | Update from inside the app, comments and styles and variables and votes edited at the same moment merge entry by entry |
| alpha.11 | Oct 25 | A guest who drops rejoins automatically, adds desigma-server to keep a file shared |

_Source: desigma release notes_

[v0.1.0-alpha.13](https://github.com/deepfounder-ai/desigma/releases/tag/v0.1.0-alpha.13) includes several fixes from outside contributors. [alpha.12](https://github.com/deepfounder-ai/desigma/releases/tag/v0.1.0-alpha.12) changed the sharing protocol version, so alpha.11 and alpha.12 cannot join each other's sessions. From [alpha.11](https://github.com/deepfounder-ai/desigma/releases/tag/v0.1.0-alpha.11) on, editing together through a link, with no server, got sturdier.

## It opens Figma files and saves in its own format

What it can import: `.fig` files, Figma REST JSON, Pencil `.pen` files and SVG. What it can export: PNG, JPG, SVG, PDF, and animated GIF and WebM. One catch is that an imported file is not written back to its original format. Save goes to `.desigma`.

**How files come and go**

- .fig file → desigma
- Pencil .pen → desigma
- Figma REST JSON → desigma
- desigma → .desigma save
- desigma → PNG, SVG, PDF
- desigma → GIF, WebM

_Source: desigma README_

The README is frank about the weak spot. The `.fig` format has no public documentation, so the decoder follows what the community has worked out, and real-world files may show gaps.

![A scene from the shapes desigma draws](/blog-img/desigma-rust-figma-alternative-en/2.png)

## This is what it looks like

These are the screens from the README. The README says they show the app's built-in showcase file.

![The desigma editor with the showcase file open](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/deepfounder-ai/desigma/main/docs/images/desigma-hero.png "Four phone screens and the auto layout inspector")

_Image: [desigma repository](https://github.com/deepfounder-ai/desigma)_

![Picking a component instance](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/deepfounder-ai/desigma/main/docs/images/desigma-components.png "Variants and properties of a Button component")

_Image: [desigma repository](https://github.com/deepfounder-ai/desigma)_

![Prototype connectors](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/deepfounder-ai/desigma/main/docs/images/desigma-prototype.png "Connectors that lead from screen to screen")

_Image: [desigma repository](https://github.com/deepfounder-ai/desigma)_

![Dev mode](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/deepfounder-ai/desigma/main/docs/images/desigma-dev.png "Measurements and SwiftUI code")

_Image: [desigma repository](https://github.com/deepfounder-ai/desigma)_

Installation is covered in the [install guide](https://github.com/deepfounder-ai/desigma/blob/main/docs/install.md). Release builds are not code-signed yet, so Windows and macOS warn you the first time you open the app. The guide says so itself.

## View

I would not move real work over yet. The repository calls itself alpha, and it says `.fig` import has gaps. Still, it is worth a look. Open one copied `.fig` file and see how far components and variables follow. That alone is enough to judge it.

The pace stands out. Thirteen alphas in barely two weeks, and 5 contributors. Whether that keeps up, I don't know. I also could not find out from the repository who the team behind it is.

![An illustration of several pieces in motion](/blog-img/desigma-rust-figma-alternative-en/3.png)

### Sources

- [deepfounder-ai/desigma](https://github.com/deepfounder-ai/desigma), stars and forks
- desigma releases: [v0.1.0-alpha.13](https://github.com/deepfounder-ai/desigma/releases/tag/v0.1.0-alpha.13), [alpha.12](https://github.com/deepfounder-ai/desigma/releases/tag/v0.1.0-alpha.12), [alpha.11](https://github.com/deepfounder-ai/desigma/releases/tag/v0.1.0-alpha.11), [release list](https://github.com/deepfounder-ai/desigma/releases)
- [Install guide](https://github.com/deepfounder-ai/desigma/blob/main/docs/install.md)