When to use Frames and when Groups in Figure

One of the doubts I had the most, especially when I started using Figure, was to understand when to use a Frame and when a Group. In plain sight they seem to do the same: they group objects. But they actually have different functions and behaviors.

So in this article I'm gonna try solving that doubt to myself (and by the way, you too), explaining to you how they differ, how they are created and when it is appropriate to use one or the other.

What is a Group?

One Group is a grouping of objects that allows you to organize them within a single layer without losing their individual properties. It serves above all to keep order on the canvas and manipulate several elements at the same time without altering its internal structure.

How is a Group created?

I'll tell you how to create a group. You'll see it's very simple and you're gonna do it almost without realizing it. Group objects can help you a lot when you want to keep several elements that work together but do not need them to have special behavior.

To create a group in Figure You can:

• Select the objects you want to group.
• Right-click and choose "Group selection".
• Or use the keyboard shortcut:
  • Ο + G on Mac
  • Ctrl + G on Windows

Characteristics of a Group

To make it clearer when and why to use a group, I tell you some of its main features. So you can better assess which cases you want to apply it in your designs.

• The size of the group automatically fits the content within.
• You can move and align all the elements together.
• It serves only to organize visually, not to prototipar.
• It does not apply rules of conduct (constraints).
• You can ungroup it any minute without losing anything.
• It's not for scroll or clip content.
• It does not accept grids or allow to define complex layouts.

What's a Frame?

One Frame is a more advanced container, than in Figure It plays a fundamental role. It is the most similar to an "artboard" in other tools, but with many more functionalities. The Frames allow you to build dynamic layouts, reusable components and interactive prototypes.

How do you create a Frame?

Well, here I explain how to create a Frame. You'll see that it has no mystery and, in fact, once you start using it, you're not gonna want to stop. It is the basis for building layouts, components and more complex prototypes in Figure.

You have several ways to create a Frame:

• By selecting the Frame tool (F) and drawing on the canvas.
• Choosing a pre-set size from the right panel.
• Or by selecting several elements and using the shortcut:
  • Ο + Option + G on Mac
  • Ctrl + Alt + G on Windows

This will group the objects into a new Frame.

Characteristics of a Frame

To get a clearer idea of everything you can do with a Frame, I'll leave you here a summary of its characteristics. I assure you they are a super powerful tool for any interactive or scalable design.

• The size of the frame is independent of the objects it contains.
• You can apply constraints to define how the elements behave when redimensioning.
• Allows to use Clip Content, very useful to hide elements off the edges.
• Admit scroll, ideal for creating interactive sliders or carousel.
• It serves for prototyping: you can connect frames to each other in presentation mode.
• Can be applied grids and use as a basis for design systems.
• You can convert any frame into reusable component.

Key differences between Frame and Group

Here is a table that summarizes the most important differences between the two. It's useful to keep it at hand when you're not clear which one to use.

As long as you have more specific doubts, you can check the official documentation of Figurewhere you will also find very practical visual examples for each case.

Characteristic	Group	Frame
Size	It automatically fits the content	It is defined manually and may contain empty spaces
Constraints	Not available	Allows to define responsible behavior
Clip content	Not available	Yes
Scroll	Not available	Yes
Use in prototypes	Not working as a container	Yes, it can be linked to other frames
Crickets	Not available	Yeah, you can apply Layout grids.
Ideal for...	Group elements without design logic	Construction of layouts and components

And what do I use?

With time and experience I have learned that the most recommended, as long as you go to work with functional design, is use Frames. Although groups can help you organize layers quickly, the Frames offer you a much higher level of control. They are essential if you are creating components, you want to handle scrolls, you need to apply constraints or you simply seek to maintain a scalable and well structured design.

Using Frames from the beginning has allowed me to save time and avoid errors as projects grow. In addition, as you can convert any frame into a component, you make sure that everything you design is easily reusable.