Feature Guide
Feature Guide
Feature Guide
Feature Guide
5 min read
Plugins in Framer
Extend the Editor With Custom Tools, Automation & Intelligent Workflows
Benjamin Libor
Benjamin Libor
Benjamin Libor
Benjamin Libor
Key value of this Guide
Extend the Framer Editor with custom tools, workflow automation, and intelligent in-editor capabilities
Extend the Framer Editor with custom tools, workflow automation, and intelligent in-editor capabilities
Extend the Framer Editor with custom tools, workflow automation, and intelligent in-editor capabilities
Extend the Framer Editor with custom tools, workflow automation, and intelligent in-editor capabilities
Topics
Audience
Framer Plugins allow you to extend the Framer Editor with custom functionality, automation, UI panels, and interactive tools that enhance the way you design, build, and manage websites. Plugins can create layers, modify components, sync CMS data, insert assets, and integrate with external APIs — all inside a floating window directly on the canvas.
Plugins are the “developer power feature” of Framer:
lightweight, flexible, reactive tools that empower teams and scale your workflow beyond native features.
What Are Plugins?
Plugins in Framer are small applications that run inside the Editor.
They can:
Add, modify, or remove layers
Insert images, SVGs, components, or custom nodes
Manipulate properties and styling
Read or write CMS data
Integrate with external services or AI
Build custom UI panels directly inside Framer
Generate visual elements on the canvas
Automate repetitive design and development tasks
They use Framer’s API to safely interact with your project, and they run only inside the Editor (not on your published website).
Core Capabilities of Framer Plugins
Plugins are incredibly versatile. Here’s what they enable:
1. Nodes — Create & Manipulate Layers on the Canvas
You can insert any layer or modify existing layers via plugin logic:
Draw frames, text, shapes
Duplicate or transform elements
Rename or reorganize the layer tree
Apply styles, colors, fills
Create multiple layers programmatically
Plugins can automate the “heavy design work” traditionally done manually.
2. Components — Insert & Configure Components Programmatically
Plugins have full access to components, including Code Components:
Insert components into the canvas
Set or update property controls
Generate multiple instances
Build complex UI setups programmatically
Perfect for design systems, template builders, or automated layout tools.
3. CMS — Sync Content Automatically Into CMS Collections
Framer Plugins can now:
Import external content
Update CMS items
Push structured data into nested collections
Sync Notion, Airtable, Sheets, APIs, or your internal systems
Automate migration workflows
This makes Plugins powerful for building “content pipelines” right into Framer.
4. Sites — Access Metadata About the Published Site
Plugins can read settings from the published site, helping you:
Preview SEO structure
Validate page metadata
Check for missing alt tags
Review sitemap + locale configuration
Generate internal documentation
Perfect for QA, SEO teams, or automated site audits.
5. Assets — Insert Images, SVGs, or External Media
Plugins can load:
SVG icons
Image assets
External media
Generated graphics from AI or APIs
…and place them directly onto the canvas as editable layers.
This is ideal for Icon libraries, brand kits, AI image generation plugins, or reusable asset managers.
When Should You Use Plugins?
Plugins are ideal when you need to:
Automate repetitive tasks (renaming, restructuring, duplicating)
Import external content (documentation, product data, blog posts)
Build custom UI tools (color pickers, spacing utilities, layout helpers)
Integrate external systems directly into the design workflow
Insert visual elements dynamically (icons, images, patterns, illustrations)
Scale design systems or content workflows without manual actions
Create advanced tooling for your internal teams or clients
If your workflow requires a combination of automation, UI, and editor-level access, Plugins are the most powerful way to extend Framer.
What Plugins Are Not
(Important to understand)
Plugins do not:
Run on the published website
Replace CMS dynamic content logic
Replace Fetch APIs for live data
Replace Code Components for UI rendering
They exist purely inside the Editor, enhancing creation and collaboration.
How Plugins Compare to Other Developer Features in Framer
Feature | Where It Runs | Ideal For |
|---|---|---|
Plugins | Editor only | Automation, tools, UI panels, CMS syncing, inserting assets |
Fetch | Published site | Live API data, dynamic rendering |
Code Components | Canvas, Preview, Site | Building UI, custom visuals, custom logic |
Code Overrides | Preview + Site | Modifying existing layers’ behavior |
Custom Page Code | Published site | Scripts, tracking, structured data |
Plugins sit at the “creative tooling” level — bridging design, code, and content.
Building Plugins: Key Concepts
1. You write plugins in the built-in editor
Framer includes a plugin editor with:
Live reloading
Built-in UI primitives
Access to the Framer API
A floating plugin window
2. Plugins can show full interactive UIs
Using built-in components, you can build:
Forms
Panels
Lists
Sidebar tools
Custom generators
Settings windows
3. Plugins can be shared easily
Each plugin has a versioned URL, meaning:
You can share a plugin with your team
Clients can use it without installation hurdles
Updates propagate automatically
Examples of What You Can Build With Plugins
Design Workflow Tools
Auto-spacing utility
Layer renamer / cleaner
Multi-resolution image inserter
Icon library browser
Color style generator
CMS Tools
Blog sync from Google Sheets
Product sync from an API
Multi-locale content generator
SEO checker / metadata autofill
AI Tools
AI text rewrite
AI alt-text generator
AI layout generator
AI image generation (Visual Electric, etc.)
Team Tools
Brand consistency checker
Internal component inserter
Template builder for onboarding
Documentation generator
Plugins can become the “internal design OS” for your team.
Why Teams Love Plugins
✓ Supercharge workflows Everything from spacing tools to asset managers becomes automated.
✓ Extend the editor without breaking anything Plugins use safe APIs, meaning no canvas breakage.
✓ Perfect for agencies and product teams Create reusable tools for client projects, design systems, or rapid production.
✓ Integrate external systems easily Sync content, fetch assets, bridge tools, automate updates.
✓ Build full custom UI tools Floating plugin windows feel like real apps.
Conclusion
Framer Plugins unlock a new layer of power inside the design and build process.
They turn Framer into a platform — one you can extend infinitely with automation, AI, CMS syncing, and custom tooling tailored to your workflow.
Whether you’re building:
a content importer
a design system helper
an AI-powered generator
a CMS sync tool
an asset manager
a visual tooling panel
or a workflow automation script
Plugins enable you to do it all — right inside the editor, with real-time feedback and zero friction.
More insights by Allsite
More insights by Allsite
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Insights
Insights
Allsite designs and builds high-end, production-ready websites - from strategy and design direction to Framer development and launch. The website is treated as a core business asset: product narrative, trust layer, and conversion surface in one.
Yes - brand work as it relates to the website. This includes visual identity refinement, design systems, typography, color, layout logic, and tone. Allsite does not position itself as a full-service branding agency - focus beats breadth.
Framer enables faster iteration, cleaner handover, and a more modern editing experience - especially for content-driven, design-forward teams. For complex, CMS-heavy, or AI-native products, Framer offers a better balance of flexibility and maintainability.
No. Projects can start from anything - from rough ideas to existing designs. If a Figma file exists, great. If not, design direction and structure are part of the process.
Projects typically start with a short design & strategy phase, followed by design, build, and launch. Most projects take 3–6 weeks, depending on scope and feedback speed.
Send a short message with: What you’re building Why now A rough scope or goal That’s enough to start the conversation.
Allsite designs and builds high-end, production-ready websites - from strategy and design direction to Framer development and launch. The website is treated as a core business asset: product narrative, trust layer, and conversion surface in one.
Yes - brand work as it relates to the website. This includes visual identity refinement, design systems, typography, color, layout logic, and tone. Allsite does not position itself as a full-service branding agency - focus beats breadth.
Framer enables faster iteration, cleaner handover, and a more modern editing experience - especially for content-driven, design-forward teams. For complex, CMS-heavy, or AI-native products, Framer offers a better balance of flexibility and maintainability.
No. Projects can start from anything - from rough ideas to existing designs. If a Figma file exists, great. If not, design direction and structure are part of the process.
Projects typically start with a short design & strategy phase, followed by design, build, and launch. Most projects take 3–6 weeks, depending on scope and feedback speed.
Send a short message with: What you’re building Why now A rough scope or goal That’s enough to start the conversation.
Request a premium website
You'll receive a fix-price proposal 24hrs post exploration-call.
Request a premium website
You'll receive a fix-price proposal 24hrs post exploration-call.
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