Figma slots let designers swap content inside component instances without detaching. That means adding a new menu item, button, or icon to an existing instance while keeping it linked to the main component and eligible for future updates.
The feature targets four specific pain points: repeating-element components like tabs and task lists, frequently customized components like cards and modals, bloated design systems carrying too many variants, and the chronic detach problem that severs instances from their source. One mechanism addresses all four.
The full video is worth watching for how slots actively reduce variant sprawl, which is the technical argument for adoption inside large design systems. Figma also published a hands-on playground file at figma.com/community/file/1610367877471727305 and official documentation at help.figma.com for teams ready to implement this now.
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