OpenPencil

Overview:

OpenPencil is an open-source design editor currently in active development and not yet ready for production. It opens and writes .fig and .pen design files and ships as a programmable toolkit. The project is designed for developers, designers, and teams who need to inspect, modify, lint, analyze, and export design files programmatically via a CLI, a headless Vue SDK, or an MCP server for AI agents. It includes built-in AI chat for design generation and P2P real-time collaboration via WebRTC. The desktop app is a ~7 MB Tauri v2 application available for macOS, Windows, and Linux, and also runs in the browser as a PWA.

Core Features:

• Figma file compatibility: Opens and writes .fig files natively, including copy-paste of nodes between apps.

• AI chat for design editing: 100+ tools accessible via chat to create, modify, and manage design nodes, with support for multiple AI providers (OpenRouter, Anthropic, OpenAI, Google AI, Z.ai, MiniMax).

• Headless CLI and scripting: Inspect node trees, query with XPath, lint for naming/layout/accessibility, analyze design tokens, and script with the Figma Plugin API via eval.

• MCP server: Connect coding agents (Claude Code, Cursor, Windsurf) or build automation scripts to inspect, modify, and export designs headlessly.

• Vue SDK: Headless components and composables for embedding OpenPencil into other applications or building custom editing surfaces.

• Real-time P2P collaboration: Share a link to co-edit with cursors, presence, and follow mode; connections are direct via WebRTC with no server or account required.

Use Cases:

• Developers automating design workflows: Inspect .fig files from the terminal, run linters on naming and layout, extract tokens, and export assets via CLI commands without opening the editor.

• Designers or teams collaborating across devices: Share a WebRTC link to co-edit in real time with cursor and selection visibility, without setting up a server or creating an account.

• Building custom design editing tools: Embed OpenPencil’s headless Vue SDK into other applications to create workflow-specific editing experiences.

• AI agents interacting with design files: Connect Claude Code, Cursor, or Windsurf to the MCP server to inspect, modify, and export design documents programmatically.

Why It Matters:

OpenPencil is positioned as an open-source alternative to closed design platforms that restrict programmatic access. It reads the proprietary .fig format natively, making files accessible outside of Figma. All operations are scriptable via CLI, XPath, Figma Plugin API, and MCP server, and the editor can run fully offline in a small desktop app. It does not require a backend or user account for AI features or real-time collaboration. The project is licensed under MIT, though it is currently in active development and not production-ready.