The Anatomy of a Framer Project

Now that you’re familiar with the Framer interface, it’s time to dive deeper into the structure of a Framer project. A Framer project is a combination of design, interactions, and code that all come together to create dynamic, responsive user experiences. Let’s break down the core components that make up a Framer project and understand how they fit together.

1. Frames

At the heart of a Framer project is the concept of Frames. A frame is essentially any container that holds content, similar to how artboards work in other design tools like Figma or Sketch. Frames can be static or dynamic, and they can contain:

• Images

• Text

• Shapes

• Components

Frames help you structure the layout and design of your project. You can also nest frames inside other frames to create more complex layouts.

Key points about Frames:

• Frames can be resized, repositioned, and styled.

• They are the building blocks of your project.

• Frames can have properties like width, height, padding, and margins that control the spacing and alignment of elements inside.

2. Components

Components in Framer are reusable, self-contained building blocks that help you maintain consistency and save time in your design process. A component could be something like a button, a navigation bar, or a card — anything that you want to use across multiple frames or pages in your project.

• Component instances: When you place a component on your canvas, it is an instance of the master component. Any changes made to the master component will automatically propagate to all its instances, ensuring consistency.

• Variants: Components in Framer can have multiple variants, allowing you to easily switch between different states (e.g., hover states, active states) without creating separate components for each.

Why Components Matter:

• They allow for easy reuse, ensuring consistency across your project.

• They make it easier to manage and update large projects because changes are reflected across all instances of the component.

• They help you create complex layouts and interactions without repeating work.

3. Interactions & Animations

One of the most powerful features of Framer is its ability to create interactions and animations directly on the canvas. You can make elements responsive to user input such as clicks, hovers, and scrolls, as well as create smooth animations that make your project feel alive and engaging.

Types of Interactions:

• On Tap/Click: Trigger actions when a user taps or clicks an element.

• Hover: Activate an effect when the user hovers over an element.

• Scroll: Create dynamic effects that change as the user scrolls through your page.

• Drag: Allow users to drag elements around the screen.

Animation Options:

• You can animate properties like position, opacity, scale, rotation, and more.

• Use the Timeline feature to create advanced animations that happen over a set duration.

• Framer also lets you use Spring animations, which simulate real-world physics, making interactions feel more natural.

4. Code Overrides

Framer also allows you to add Code Overrides to elements, enabling you to add custom logic and behavior to your project. These overrides can be written in JavaScript or React and give you full control over the functionality of your project.

With code, you can:

• Interact with APIs.

• Add logic for complex behaviors (e.g., form validation, user authentication).

• Control animations and interactions programmatically.

• Dynamically update the content in your frames based on user inputs or external data.

Code overrides in Framer allow you to combine design and development seamlessly, making it a powerful tool for creating interactive prototypes and production-ready apps.

5. Assets and Libraries

Framer gives you the ability to import assets, such as images, fonts, and icons, to use in your project. You can also use third-party libraries to extend Framer’s functionality. Whether you want to integrate complex data visualizations, connect with an API, or add custom UI elements, libraries help you extend Framer's core functionality.

Assets:

• Upload assets (images, icons, SVGs) and use them in your design.

• Use Framer’s built-in asset manager to organize and manage your files.

Libraries:

• Add reusable code libraries to speed up development.

• Use predefined components and UI kits from the Framer Store.

6. Pages and Navigation

If you are building a multi-page project, Framer makes it easy to set up pages and navigation. You can link frames together to create interactions that simulate real-world navigation, like moving from one page to another when a button is clicked or when a user scrolls to the bottom of the page.

Pages:

• Create multiple pages within a Framer project.

• Each page can have its own layout, components, and interactions.

Navigation:

• Set up interactions to allow users to switch between pages.

• Use transitions to create smooth page-to-page movements.

7. Preview and Publish

Once your project is complete, you can preview it directly in Framer to test the interactions, animations, and responsiveness. Framer’s real-time preview feature allows you to interact with your project as if it were live. Once you’re satisfied with your design, you can publish your project to the web, share it with others, or even export it for use in other platforms.

Key steps:

• Preview your project to test the functionality.

• Share a link to get feedback or collaborate with others.

• Publish your project to make it live on the web.