Design systems, AI, and the craft of building for the web — from the team behind Figma Console MCP and Story UI.https://southleft.com/en-ushttps://southleft.com/insights/business/better-together-southleft-x-baseline-and-a-new-ceo/https://southleft.com/insights/business/better-together-southleft-x-baseline-and-a-new-ceo/Southleft is partnering with Baseline, and Nicole Hampton is stepping in as CEO. Two announcements, one story: the next chapter of this company.Wed, 10 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMTBusinesshttps://southleft.com/insights/design-systems/context-based-design-systems-revisited/https://southleft.com/insights/design-systems/context-based-design-systems-revisited/A year into the AI-driven design systems era, the framework holds up. Here’s what’s changed, what’s clearer, and why context still beats autonomy.Wed, 13 May 2026 00:00:00 GMTDesign Systemshttps://southleft.com/insights/design-systems/designers-youre-not-at-the-kids-table-anymore/https://southleft.com/insights/design-systems/designers-youre-not-at-the-kids-table-anymore/There’s never been a better time for designers to ship real code, and you don’t need to “learn to code” to do it.Mon, 30 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMTDesign Systemshttps://southleft.com/insights/ai/figma-mcp-vs-figma-console-mcp/https://southleft.com/insights/ai/figma-mcp-vs-figma-console-mcp/They share three letters in common. That’s about where the similarities end. A clear, category-by-category breakdown of what Figma’s official MCP server and Figma Console MCP can each do — and when to use which.Sun, 08 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMTAIhttps://southleft.com/insights/design-systems/code-to-design-isnt-the-point-system-parity-is/https://southleft.com/insights/design-systems/code-to-design-isnt-the-point-system-parity-is/Figma’s new Claude Code to Figma workflow captures screens. Figma Console MCP understands systems. Both are useful, they just operate at different layers of the stack.Thu, 19 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMTDesign Systemshttps://southleft.com/insights/ai/figma-console-mcp-ai-powered-design-system-management/https://southleft.com/insights/ai/figma-console-mcp-ai-powered-design-system-management/Discover how Figma Console MCP complements the official Figma MCP by providing complete project-wide context instead of component-specific information. Extract your full design system, manage variables and tokens, and even modify your Figma files directly through AI conversation.Wed, 14 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMTAIhttps://southleft.com/insights/ai/a2ui-how-ai-agents-build-real-user-interfaces/https://southleft.com/insights/ai/a2ui-how-ai-agents-build-real-user-interfaces/What if AI agents could build real interfaces on demand, not code snippets you copy-paste, but actual components from your design system? A2UI makes that possible.Wed, 07 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMTAIhttps://southleft.com/insights/ai/one-dashboard-for-everything-2026-less-ui/https://southleft.com/insights/ai/one-dashboard-for-everything-2026-less-ui/Since Anthropic released MCP, I’ve been funneling all my contexts into one AI interface. My prediction for 2026: we’re going to be working with a lot less UI.Sun, 04 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMTAIhttps://southleft.com/insights/ai/you-can-vibe-almost-anything-now-thats-the-good-part-and-the-risk/https://southleft.com/insights/ai/you-can-vibe-almost-anything-now-thats-the-good-part-and-the-risk/Vibe coding has made it possible to build almost anything, which also means you should think twice before paying for tools you could build yourself in an afternoon.Mon, 15 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMTAIhttps://southleft.com/insights/design-systems/introducing-our-new-course-ai-design-systems/https://southleft.com/insights/design-systems/introducing-our-new-course-ai-design-systems/We’re teaming up with Brad and Ian Frost to share a grounded, real-world approach to using AI inside design system workflows while preserving the quality, clarity, and standards your products depend on.Tue, 25 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMTAIhttps://southleft.com/insights/business/continuous-context-workflow-with-grain-and-claude/https://southleft.com/insights/business/continuous-context-workflow-with-grain-and-claude/A look at how we slowly transformed simple meeting transcripts into a continuous context workflow that now powers proposals, discovery, prototypes, and code across our projects.Mon, 24 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMTBusinesshttps://southleft.com/insights/ai/vibe-coding-vs-context-engineering/https://southleft.com/insights/ai/vibe-coding-vs-context-engineering/Not everything AI-assisted should be called vibe coding — context engineering is the discipline that transforms creative sparks into sustainable systems, with or without a vibe in sight.Sun, 02 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMTAIhttps://southleft.com/insights/design-systems/your-documentation-can-do-more-than-you-think/https://southleft.com/insights/design-systems/your-documentation-can-do-more-than-you-think/Company Docs MCP turns your existing documentation into an intelligent assistant that can serve your team and even power AI to build and validate better products.Mon, 08 Sep 2025 00:00:00 GMTDesign Systemshttps://southleft.com/insights/design-systems/the-cascade-effect-in-context-based-design-systems/https://southleft.com/insights/design-systems/the-cascade-effect-in-context-based-design-systems/A clean design system should behave like well-structured CSS, where inheritance flows smoothly, overrides are rare, and each layer respects the next. Here’s how we apply that mindset to building resilient, AI-ready systems.Thu, 04 Sep 2025 00:00:00 GMTAIhttps://southleft.com/insights/ai/when-ai-meets-design-systems-my-storybook-webinar-recap/https://southleft.com/insights/ai/when-ai-meets-design-systems-my-storybook-webinar-recap/A behind-the-scenes look at my recent Storybook webinar on AI-powered design systems, including the lessons, surprises, and why this conversation matters.Fri, 29 Aug 2025 00:00:00 GMTAIhttps://southleft.com/insights/design-systems/what-happens-when-ai-actually-understands-your-design-system/https://southleft.com/insights/design-systems/what-happens-when-ai-actually-understands-your-design-system/A quick demo showing how Claude, the Figma MCP, and the Design Systems Assistant MCP work together to deliver smarter, context-aware design system support.Thu, 24 Jul 2025 00:00:00 GMTDesign Systemshttps://southleft.com/insights/design-systems/context-based-design-systems-a-new-model-for-the-ai-driven-product-lifecycle/https://southleft.com/insights/design-systems/context-based-design-systems-a-new-model-for-the-ai-driven-product-lifecycle/What happens when every step in the product lifecycle inherits context from the one before it? You get a smarter, faster, more accurate way to build and the start of a new design systems era.Fri, 04 Jul 2025 00:00:00 GMTDesign Systemshttps://southleft.com/insights/design-systems/designing-for-developers-introducing-figmalint/https://southleft.com/insights/design-systems/designing-for-developers-introducing-figmalint/How FigmaLint helps bridge the gap between design, development, and the AI agents transforming the product lifecycle.Wed, 02 Jul 2025 00:00:00 GMTDesign Systemshttps://southleft.com/insights/design-systems/introducing-story-ui-accelerating-layout-generation-with-ai-mcp/https://southleft.com/insights/design-systems/introducing-story-ui-accelerating-layout-generation-with-ai-mcp/Story UI is a new open-source tool that empowers non-developers to generate real layouts from design system components using AI and MCP, bridging the gap between development and product.Thu, 19 Jun 2025 00:00:00 GMTDesign Systemshttps://southleft.com/insights/design-systems/figma-mcp-design-systems-and-generative-ui/https://southleft.com/insights/design-systems/figma-mcp-design-systems-and-generative-ui/By combining Figma’s MCP server, a structured design system, and natural language UI generation, we’re not just speeding up design-to-dev, we’re rethinking the entire path from idea to product.Thu, 12 Jun 2025 00:00:00 GMTAIhttps://southleft.com/insights/business/we-need-a-spotify-for-micro-apps/https://southleft.com/insights/business/we-need-a-spotify-for-micro-apps/Micro apps are everywhere—but no one knows where to find them. Most creators don’t want to build startups, they just want to share what they’ve made. We need a place for that. A Spotify for small tools. A stage for indie software.Thu, 17 Apr 2025 00:00:00 GMTAIhttps://southleft.com/insights/ai/the-rise-of-the-micro-app-why-smaller-software-is-winning/https://southleft.com/insights/ai/the-rise-of-the-micro-app-why-smaller-software-is-winning/Big apps are bloated. Micro apps are personal. As software becomes easier to build, we’re seeing a shift from mass-market platforms to focused, single-purpose tools built by individuals, for individuals. This is the indie movement in software—and it’s just getting started.Tue, 15 Apr 2025 00:00:00 GMTAIhttps://southleft.com/insights/ai/when-the-tablets-came/https://southleft.com/insights/ai/when-the-tablets-came/A reflection on how AI’s quiet disruption mirrors the fall of print during the rise of tablets — shifting roles, erasing opportunities, and redefining what ‘support’ really means.Sat, 05 Apr 2025 00:00:00 GMTAIhttps://southleft.com/insights/design-systems/from-figma-to-front-end-using-ai-to-generate-real-code-in-seconds/https://southleft.com/insights/design-systems/from-figma-to-front-end-using-ai-to-generate-real-code-in-seconds/A behind-the-scenes look at how we’re using an open-source tool—Figma-Context-MCP—and repurposing it to generate scalable front-end code from structured design system components.Thu, 03 Apr 2025 00:00:00 GMTAIhttps://southleft.com/insights/ai/in-defense-of-vibe-coding/https://southleft.com/insights/ai/in-defense-of-vibe-coding/Vibe coding isn’t about perfect code, it’s about unlocking creativity, validating ideas fast, and sketching the future before committing to the final draft.Thu, 27 Mar 2025 00:00:00 GMTAIhttps://southleft.com/insights/ai/children-and-ai-the-next-generation-of-learners/https://southleft.com/insights/ai/children-and-ai-the-next-generation-of-learners/As parents, we all want our kids to be curious, independent thinkers. But in today’s digital age, how do we foster that curiosity without exposing them to the chaos of the open internet?Wed, 12 Feb 2025 00:00:00 GMTAIhttps://southleft.com/insights/design-systems/unveiling-the-complexity-of-enterprise-design-systems/https://southleft.com/insights/design-systems/unveiling-the-complexity-of-enterprise-design-systems/Some of the most recognizable companies in the world trust us to build and refine their design systems—but you’ll never see our work, and that’s exactly the point.Fri, 07 Feb 2025 00:00:00 GMTDesign Systemshttps://southleft.com/insights/ai/ai-first/https://southleft.com/insights/ai/ai-first/At Southleft, we’re embracing an AI-first mindset—leveraging AI as a collaborative tool to boost efficiency, enhance workflows, and redefine how we deliver value for our clients.Tue, 14 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMTAIhttps://southleft.com/insights/business/5-signs-your-construction-firm-is-losing-time-money-on-inefficient-tech/https://southleft.com/insights/business/5-signs-your-construction-firm-is-losing-time-money-on-inefficient-tech/Disconnected tools and outdated processes could be costing your construction firm time and money. Here are five signs your tech stack is slowing you down—and how to fix it.Sat, 11 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMTBusinesshttps://southleft.com/insights/design-systems/building-multi-brand-design-systems-the-developers-perspective/https://southleft.com/insights/design-systems/building-multi-brand-design-systems-the-developers-perspective/Discover how developers can create scalable, multi-brand design systems that seamlessly bridge design and code for consistent, adaptable, and efficient front-end workflows.Fri, 22 Nov 2024 00:00:00 GMTDesign Systemshttps://southleft.com/insights/development/demystifying-web-components-understanding-slots-part-1/https://southleft.com/insights/development/demystifying-web-components-understanding-slots-part-1/Discover how slots in Web Components allow for flexible content insertion, improving component reusability and customization.Mon, 15 Jul 2024 00:00:00 GMTDevelopmenthttps://southleft.com/insights/development/demystifying-web-components-understanding-slots-part-2/https://southleft.com/insights/development/demystifying-web-components-understanding-slots-part-2/Explore advanced slot techniques including fallback content, slot assignment, and dynamic manipulation to create more powerful and flexible Web Components.Mon, 15 Jul 2024 00:00:00 GMTDevelopmenthttps://southleft.com/insights/development/demystifying-web-components-understanding-slots-part-3/https://southleft.com/insights/development/demystifying-web-components-understanding-slots-part-3/Learn best practices for designing Web Components with slots and discover basic techniques for styling slotted content to create modular and visually customizable components.Mon, 15 Jul 2024 00:00:00 GMTDevelopmenthttps://southleft.com/insights/development/demystifying-web-components-understanding-slots-part-4/https://southleft.com/insights/development/demystifying-web-components-understanding-slots-part-4/Master advanced styling techniques for slotted elements, focusing on CSS custom properties and targeting specific elements to create highly flexible and themeable Web Components.Mon, 15 Jul 2024 00:00:00 GMTDevelopmenthttps://southleft.com/insights/business/the-unexpected-origin-of-southlefts-name/https://southleft.com/insights/business/the-unexpected-origin-of-southlefts-name/Discover the unexpected and amusing origin story behind the name of our digital design and development agency, Southleft.Fri, 31 May 2024 00:00:00 GMTBusinesshttps://southleft.com/insights/design-systems/streamlining-design-and-development-with-token-studio/https://southleft.com/insights/design-systems/streamlining-design-and-development-with-token-studio/Discover how Token Studio streamlines design and development collaboration, enhancing workflows and maintaining consistency across projects.Thu, 16 May 2024 00:00:00 GMTDesignhttps://southleft.com/insights/design-systems/token-naming-conventions/https://southleft.com/insights/design-systems/token-naming-conventions/Discover the power of structured token naming conventions in building a scalable, consistent, and collaborative design system across all tiers.Fri, 03 May 2024 00:00:00 GMTDesign Systemshttps://southleft.com/insights/meet-our-team/elsa-brown/https://southleft.com/insights/meet-our-team/elsa-brown/One of our newest teammates, Elsa’s calm, friendliness, talent, and expertise have already made her invaluable around Southleft! Elsa delves into her journey at Southleft so far, opens up about her life outside of work, and shares some valuable advice in the latest “Meet Our Team”.Tue, 23 Apr 2024 00:00:00 GMTMeet Our Teamhttps://southleft.com/insights/design-systems/introducing-altitude/https://southleft.com/insights/design-systems/introducing-altitude/Discover how Altitude by Southleft reimagines the intersection of design and development, offering a versatile, scalable system that seamlessly adapts from concept to code.Tue, 16 Apr 2024 00:00:00 GMTDesign Systemshttps://southleft.com/insights/development/boost-your-search-functionality-using-algolia/https://southleft.com/insights/development/boost-your-search-functionality-using-algolia/In this blog, we’ll delve into how integrating Algolia with a website can streamline the way users interact with your content, using a practical implementation as our guide.Wed, 27 Mar 2024 00:00:00 GMTDevelopmenthttps://southleft.com/insights/design-systems/focus-trap-accessible-web-components/https://southleft.com/insights/design-systems/focus-trap-accessible-web-components/Web component encapsulation can hinder keyboard navigation. Discover a reusable code pattern for accessible focus trapping, solving this critical accessibility challenge in your design system.Tue, 26 Mar 2024 00:00:00 GMTDesign Systemshttps://southleft.com/insights/meet-our-team/jacob-tarr/https://southleft.com/insights/meet-our-team/jacob-tarr/If we gave an award for best Instagram account, there’s a very good chance it would go to Jake—developer, photographer, and all-around steady force on the Southleft team. Meet Jacob Tarr!Thu, 21 Mar 2024 00:00:00 GMTMeet Our Teamhttps://southleft.com/insights/project-management/unleashing-an-avalanche-of-project-management-advancements/https://southleft.com/insights/project-management/unleashing-an-avalanche-of-project-management-advancements/In the pristine expanses of the backcountry, skiers aren’t just chasing the heady thrill of fresh powder; they’re navigating terrain where the wrong step can trigger a lethal avalanche. What if the meticulous risk management strategies that safeguard backcountry explorers could be applied to projectThu, 21 Mar 2024 00:00:00 GMTProject Managementhttps://southleft.com/insights/design-systems/the-value-of-design-tokens/https://southleft.com/insights/design-systems/the-value-of-design-tokens/Design tokens are the secret to building consistent, maintainable websites – discover their power and how to implement them in your workflow.Fri, 15 Mar 2024 00:00:00 GMTDesign Systemshttps://southleft.com/insights/meet-our-team/chris-wahlfeldt/https://southleft.com/insights/meet-our-team/chris-wahlfeldt/Here at Southleft, Chris is known for his innovative problem-solving and reliable code. Get to know more in the latest “Meet Our Team”!Tue, 12 Mar 2024 00:00:00 GMTMeet Our Teamhttps://southleft.com/insights/business/knowing-is-half-the-battle/https://southleft.com/insights/business/knowing-is-half-the-battle/The journey from knowledge to action is what completes the battle, bridging the gap between insight and achievement.Mon, 11 Mar 2024 00:00:00 GMTBusinesshttps://southleft.com/insights/development/adopted-stylesheets/https://southleft.com/insights/development/adopted-stylesheets/Achieve a unified look for your web application! Learn how to bridge the gap between web components’ Shadow DOM and global styles using the power of adopted stylesheets.Wed, 06 Mar 2024 00:00:00 GMTDevelopmenthttps://southleft.com/insights/development/useful-git-commands-for-front-end-developers/https://southleft.com/insights/development/useful-git-commands-for-front-end-developers/Here’s a list of useful Git commands to master to help you navigate your next front-end project!Wed, 28 Feb 2024 00:00:00 GMTDevelopmenthttps://southleft.com/insights/meet-our-team/justin-green/https://southleft.com/insights/meet-our-team/justin-green/An astute, reliable, precise, and meticulous coder. But there’s so much more to Justin! For one thing, his beard is a-MAZing. For even more, get to know Justin in this week’s “Meet Our Team”!Mon, 12 Feb 2024 00:00:00 GMTMeet Our Teamhttps://southleft.com/insights/meet-our-team/brooke-angela/https://southleft.com/insights/meet-our-team/brooke-angela/Get to know Brooke as she shares her passion, evolution, and journey from rock collector to web design innovator.Mon, 05 Feb 2024 00:00:00 GMTMeet Our Teamhttps://southleft.com/insights/business/in-house-design-systems-teams-corporate-cutbacks/https://southleft.com/insights/business/in-house-design-systems-teams-corporate-cutbacks/Recent layoffs in the tech world, including design systems teams, reflect broader dilemmas about integrating and valuing specialized roles amid economic challenges.Fri, 02 Feb 2024 00:00:00 GMTBusinesshttps://southleft.com/insights/development/scroll-based-animations-with-css-scroll-timeline/https://southleft.com/insights/development/scroll-based-animations-with-css-scroll-timeline/Learn how to create immersive scroll-based animations based on user scrolling with no JavaScript required.Fri, 19 Jan 2024 00:00:00 GMTDevelopmenthttps://southleft.com/insights/development/web-components-first-over-javascript-frameworks/https://southleft.com/insights/development/web-components-first-over-javascript-frameworks/Behold the transformative POWER of web components offering highly convenient flexibility and efficiency across diverse frameworks and code ecosystems.Mon, 04 Dec 2023 00:00:00 GMTDevelopmenthttps://southleft.com/insights/business/highs-and-lows-of-running-an-agency/https://southleft.com/insights/business/highs-and-lows-of-running-an-agency/Navigating the terrain of agency ownership isn’t for the faint of heart. Explore the highs and lows, innovations and setbacks, that define Southleft’s story.Tue, 31 Oct 2023 00:00:00 GMTBusinesshttps://southleft.com/insights/development/brad-frost-talk-is-atomic-design-dead/https://southleft.com/insights/development/brad-frost-talk-is-atomic-design-dead/Brad Frost explores the future of design systems, touching on global collaboration and AI, at FRONT ZURICH 2023.Wed, 18 Oct 2023 00:00:00 GMTDesignhttps://southleft.com/insights/business/partnering-with-enterprise-clients-in-a-modern-approach-to-web-development/https://southleft.com/insights/business/partnering-with-enterprise-clients-in-a-modern-approach-to-web-development/Southleft utilizes a tailored Scrummerfall approach to provide a smooth workflow for web projects. Our proven process promotes collaboration, transparency, and quality assurance from start to finish.Tue, 05 Sep 2023 00:00:00 GMTBusinesshttps://southleft.com/insights/design/synchronizing-your-design-system-and-product-strategy/https://southleft.com/insights/design/synchronizing-your-design-system-and-product-strategy/Learn how aligning your design system with your product strategy can create a consistent user experience and give you a competitive advantageTue, 05 Sep 2023 00:00:00 GMTBusinesshttps://southleft.com/insights/development/native-web-components-in-design-systems/https://southleft.com/insights/development/native-web-components-in-design-systems/Dive into native web components – their pros, cons, adoption by big tech, framework integration, design system use, and challenges like lack of SSR supportFri, 25 Aug 2023 00:00:00 GMTDevelopmenthttps://southleft.com/insights/business/how-southleft-partners-with-agencies-and-digital-teams/https://southleft.com/insights/business/how-southleft-partners-with-agencies-and-digital-teams/Explore our nuanced method of collaboration with fellow agencies and in-house teams, aiming to inspire creativity and strengthen connections in the digital sphere.Sun, 13 Aug 2023 00:00:00 GMTBusinesshttps://southleft.com/insights/business/the-many-hats-of-pms-in-digital-agencies/https://southleft.com/insights/business/the-many-hats-of-pms-in-digital-agencies/Watch me ramble on and fumble through my words while having a delightful conversation with the hosts of the “Agencies That Build” podcast.Wed, 26 Jul 2023 00:00:00 GMTBusiness