From Prompt to Portfolio: My First Experience with Figma Make AI

AI tools promise to change the way we design and build websites. To put that to the test, I recently tried Figma Make AI with a simple challenge: could it turn my prompt into a polished single-page portfolio website?

You can check out the live preview here 👉 View my site

Setup and First Impressions

Getting started was simple: you give the AI a prompt, and it generates a working website based on your instructions. My initial request was straightforward — a modern single-page portfolio site for a website designer.

The first impression was positive. The tool quickly spun up a functional layout with a hero section, about, portfolio, services, and contact. This was a huge time-saver, especially for getting past the initial blank state most of us face at the start of a new project.

Strengths

✅ Fast Prototyping

The biggest advantage is speed. Within minutes, I had a working single-page website that looked clean and professional.

✅ Good for Starters

If you’re looking to experiment with layouts, generate quick screens, or even kickstart client discussions, Figma Make AI can help you get something on the table fast.

✅ Simple Code Structure

The generated code was structured well enough for a starting point, which makes iterating easier than starting from scratch.

Limitations

❌ Limited Package Support

When I asked the AI to use GSAP for smooth scrolling animations, it ignored the request and defaulted to its own set of packages. It feels locked into a fixed toolkit rather than being flexible with external libraries.

❌ Not Reliable for Advanced Interactions

Custom interactions or animations are where it falls short. If you want anything beyond the basics, you’ll need to refactor or rebuild those sections manually.

❌ Unclear on Multi-Page Sites

So far, it seems best suited for single-page sites. I haven’t tested multi-page workflows yet, but I suspect the limitations would be even more noticeable.

Verdict

Figma Make AI is a helpful tool for rapid prototyping and generating starter code. It can:

• Save time in the early phases of design/dev.

• Help visualize ideas quickly.

• Provide a baseline to iterate on.

But for production-ready projects, it’s not there yet. Once you get past the early stages, you’ll want to switch back to coding for control, flexibility, and performance.

Final Thoughts

AI tools like Figma Make AI are best seen as assistants, not replacements. They can speed up workflows but don’t replace the creativity and precision of manual design and development.

💡 Question to readers:

• Have you tried Figma Make AI or similar tools?

• Do you see them as just prototyping helpers, or something that could become production-ready?

• Any recommendations on how I could put this tool to better use?

I’d love to hear your insights and compare notes with others experimenting with AI-driven design workflows.