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Introducing Framer Playground(framer.com)

3 years ago from David Barker

  • John PJohn P, 3 years ago

    If you need to know React to use your tool, then you didn't create a tool for designers.

    If you disagree, then look at 3D software.

    6 points
    • Mikael StaerMikael Staer, 3 years ago

      This has always been my issue with Framer. You might as well just learn real Javascript and React. I'm not sure who this is really for.

      4 points
    • Du HoangDu Hoang, 3 years ago

      Their whole thesis from the beginning is designer should code.

      Which is a fine thesis, but if I'm gonna code I will do it in the production code base, not in their sandbox pseudo coding/design environment.

      I wonder how long they will stick with this thesis because clearly it isn't working. It has been at least 10 years.

      IMO, they should have build tools to facilitate design implementation on top of real dev environment. That's something coding designer would actually use.

      1 point
      • John PJohn P, 3 years ago

        Their whole thesis from the beginning is designer should code.

        It's not augmenting your workflow with coding concepts that I have a problem with, it's the belief that designers are expected to pick up the less respected and tedious slack of developer jobs and work using the toolset of developers.

        I bring up 3D software because in 3D software you can use code in many ways.

        • Low level : writing compiled plugins using C++ that extend the entire system, e.g particle engines, rendering engines.
        • Medium level : Using languages like Python to automate or script within the engine,
        • High level : Extremely powerful node based systems or Expression based systems allowing you to wire up multiple components together in a very interactive, interactive and artist driven way.

        Now.... it seems to me the majority of what these prototyping apps are aiming to do could be done with the high level methods, more accessible and more artist/designer driven and doesn't require designers to take on sweeping up developer crumbs.

        and I say all this as a designer who is extremely comfortable coding, I just don't believe other designers should be expected to learn React just to make some buttons change state or panels animate.

        2 points
    • Andrew C, 3 years ago

      I actually like that about it. Getting a production environment spinned up and keeping it up to date with several development squads is a recipe for devops hell. If your goal is to whip together an MVP and see how something feels? That's okay IMO because asset management is much quicker than if it were a folder in HTML (I'm not in the designers should code camp).

      This is something different than what Sketch is offering, at least. The animation stuff in Framer is pretty slick for presenting concepts.

      1 point