What Does Auto Layout Do in Figma?

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2. What Does Auto Layout Do in Figma?

Auto layout is a powerful feature in Figma that lets you control how objects are positioned on the canvas. By creating rules, you can dictate how objects should move and resize in relation to each other. This is especially useful when designing for different screen sizes or when working with complex layouts.Auto layout is a great way to keep your designs consistent and easy to update. With just a few clicks, you can change the position or size of multiple objects at once. This can save you a lot of time and frustration when making small changes to your design.If you're not familiar with auto layout, it can be helpful to think of it as a set of instructions for how objects should be arranged on the canvas. These instructions are called "constraints." By adding constraints to your objects, you can control how they move and resize in relation to each other.There are two types of constraints in Figma: static and dynamic. Static constraints are fixed and cannot be changed after they're set. Dynamic constraints, on the other hand, can be changed at any time.Static constraints are best used for simple layouts where the position of objects is not likely to change. Dynamic constraints are more flexible and can be used for more complex layouts where the position of objects might need to be adjusted frequently.To add constraints to an object, select it on the canvas and then click the "Add Constraints" button in the Inspector panel. From there, you can choose which type of constraint you want to add and how it should be applied.For example, let's say you're designing a button that should always be centered horizontally on the screen. To do this, you would add a static constraint that horizontally centers the button on the canvas.If you later decided that the button should be positioned 10 pixels from the left edge of the screen, you could easily change this by adding a dynamic constraint that positions the button 10 pixels from the left edge of the canvas.Auto layout is a powerful feature that can save you a lot of time and frustration when working with complex designs. By taking advantage of static and dynamic constraints, you can easily control how objects are positioned on the canvas.