Research Notes: Manus Mobile App, Screenshot to Code, Screenshot to Figma, OpenManus API, Figma + MCP
I noticed Screenshot to Code is trending on GitHub (https://github.com/abi/screenshot-to-code),(https://screenshottocode.com/).
It got me thinking (in answer to a question about importing web to Figma)...
Manus does screenshot to code with guidance in a laptop browser.
Therefore, it could likely also do:
1. Screenshot-to-SVG: Screenshot to Figma-compatible, editable SVGs, by translating screenshot DOM layers to editable SVGs that can be imported as layers to a Figma file if necessary.
2. Screenshot-to-Design Tokens/JSON/CSS Variables: It could likely extract and/or create design tokens/variables from a screenshot of a website, and reconstuct them in JSON. Then, JSON can then be imported as design token variables into Figma, via Figma Tokens Studio or similar plugin.
3. Web-to-SVG: It could liklely create Web (DOM layers) to SVG (DOM Layers translated to SVGs)
4. Web-to-Design Tokens/JSON/CSS Variables: It could likely extract and/or create design tokens/variables froma website, and reconstuct them in JSON which can then be imported as design token variables into Figma via Figma Tokens Studio or similar plugin.
It's probably able to do it on mobile as well.
Presumably it would give mobile or tablet screen results automatically.
It's available in the Google Play Store:
Manus AI (general AI agent): (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=tech.butterfly.app)
Also available on iOS:
Manus AI (general AI agent): https://apps.apple.com/us/app/manus-ai/id6740909540)
Can you ask Manus to do screenshot and/or web to editable figma or editable code?
def extract_element_properties(selector):
# Manus can programmatically extract CSS properties
return {
'position': 'absolute',
'width': '300px',
'colors': {'background': '#FFFFFF'}
}
def create_figma_variables(styles):
for prop, value in styles.items():
requests.post(FIGMA_API_URL, json={
'name': prop,
'value': value
})
const svg = document.createElementNS("http://www.w3.org/2000/svg", "svg");
element.childNodes.forEach(node => {
if(node.tagName === 'DIV') {
const rect = document.createElementNS(svgNS, "rect");
// Position/size calculations
svg.appendChild(rect);
}
});
{
"columns": 12,
"gutter": 24,
"margin": 120,
"color": "rgba(0,0,0,0.1)"
}
def screenshot_to_code(image_path):
vision_model = load_model('manus-vision-v3')
layout = vision_model.analyze_layout(image_path)
return generate_html(layout)
/* Input */
.element {
padding: 1rem;
background: #F3F4F6;
}
/* Output */
<div>
function makeResponsive(layout) {
return `
@media (max-width: 768px) {
.container {
grid-template-columns: 1fr;
}
}`;
}
with headless_browser() as browser:
browser.goto(url)
browser.wait_for_element('.dynamic-content')
html = browser.page_source
convert input.jpg -resize 1920x1080 -quality 85 output.webp
.element {
-webkit-transform: translateX(0);
transform: translateX(0);
}
manus.registerFigmaPlugin({
convertSelection: async () => {
const nodes = figma.currentPage.selection;
return manus.convertToCode(nodes);
}
});
def sync_with_figma():
while True:
changes = get_figma_changes()
apply_to_browser(changes)
sleep(0.5)
{
"manus/colors": {
"primary": "#2563eb"
}
}
screenshot = browser_screenshot(
selector="body",
full_page=True
)[^9]
{
"header": {
"height": "80px",
"children": ["logo", "navigation"]
}
}
<header class="h-20 flex justify-between">
<img>
<nav class="flex gap-4">...</nav>
</header>
manus deploy --type=nextjs --local_dir=./output
Manus AI's Capabilities in Screenshot and Web-to-Editable Workflows
Manus AI demonstrates significant potential in automating design and development workflows through its advanced browser automation and multi-agent architecture. While the platform doesn't currently offer direct screenshot-to-Figma or web-to-editable-Figma conversion as built-in features, its toolset enables sophisticated approaches to design implementation and code generation[1][2][3].
Browser Automation Foundations
Manus provides robust browser interaction capabilities through its function library:
- Precision Screenshot Capture
- browser_screenshot tool captures full-page or element-specific screenshots[3]
- Coordinate-based targeting (x=584, y=327) for precise element isolation[3]
- Automatic scrolling and multi-page capture workflows[1]
- DOM Element Manipulation
This enables style extraction comparable to Figma's inspect panel[2][3]. - Layout Analysis
- Hierarchical element mapping through browser_get_elements
- Z-index stacking context reconstruction
- Flexbox/grid layout detection[3]
Indirect Figma Workflows
While lacking direct Figma export, Manus enables alternative pipelines:
1. Design System Generation
- Convert extracted styles to Figma variables via API:
This bridges web styling to Figma's design systems[2][3].
2. Vector Asset Recreation - SVG reconstruction from DOM elements:
Exports editable vector graphics for Figma import[3].
3. Layout Prototyping
Manus can generate Figma-compatible layout grids:
Matching web implementations to design specs[3].
Code Generation Capabilities
Manus excels at converting visual inputs to functional code:
1. Screenshot-to-HTML
Achieves 92% structural accuracy in internal tests[4].
2. Style Extraction
- Converts computed CSS to Tailwind classes:
Maintaining design fidelity across implementations[4].
3. Responsive Adaptation
Auto-generates breakpoints based on element flow[2].
Comparative Analysis
|
Feature |
Manus Native |
With Plugins |
Accuracy |
|
Layout Reconstruction |
89% |
94% |
±3% |
|
Style Matching |
82% |
91% |
±5% |
|
Interactive Components |
75% |
88% |
±6% |
Data from internal Manus benchmarks (March 2025)[5]
Implementation Challenges
- Dynamic Content Handling
- Client-side rendering requires execution context:
Essential for SPAs and JS-driven UIs[2][3].
- Asset Optimization
- Image compression pipeline:
Maintains visual quality while reducing payload[3].
- Cross-Browser Consistency
- Rendering engine normalization:
Ensures parity across platforms[3].
Future Development Roadmap
Manus's architecture positions it for potential Figma integration:
- Direct Plugin Support
- Real-Time Sync
- Design Token Management
Bidirectional sync between design and code[3][4].
Practical Workflow Example
Web-to-Code Implementation
- Initial Capture
- Layout Analysis
- Code Generation
- Deployment
This complete pipeline demonstrates Manus's current capabilities in converting visual inputs to production-ready code[2][3][4].
Conclusion
While Manus doesn't directly convert screenshots or web pages to editable Figma files, its comprehensive browser automation and code generation tools enable sophisticated alternative workflows.
(In the future possibly) developers could leverage Manus's API to build custom integration layers with Figma, combining automated screenshot analysis with design system management.
- https://gist.github.com/jlia0/db0a9695b3ca7609c9b1a08dcbf872c9
- https://github.com/whit3rabbit/manus-open
- https://gist.github.com/jlia0/db0a9695b3ca7609c9b1a08dcbf872c9?permalink_comment_id=5478673
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TK9v4R6dyx0
- https://edrawmind.wondershare.com/ai-features/manus-review.html
Answer from Perplexity:
What are the benefits of using the Manus app over other AI assistants
Manus AI offers several distinctive advantages over traditional AI assistants:
Autonomous Execution
Unlike conventional AI assistants that require constant user engagement, Manus operates independently with minimal human intervention[1][2]. It can:
- Execute complex tasks autonomously without waiting for instructions[3]
- Continue working in the background even when users close their devices[2][3]
- Only notify users when results are ready, similar to an efficient employee[1][2]
Advanced Capabilities
Manus demonstrates superior functionality through:
- Multi-agent architecture that breaks down complex problems into manageable parts assigned to specialized sub-agents[1][2]
- Cloud-based asynchronous operation allowing tasks to continue even when devices are turned off[4]
- Ability to handle multi-step workflows that previously required multiple AI tools manually integrated[1]
- True web browsing capability to navigate websites, click buttons, fill forms, and extract information like a human would[5]
Performance and Versatility
Manus excels in various domains with:
- Superior benchmark performance, achieving higher scores than OpenAI on the GAIA benchmark (86.5%, 70.1%, and 57.7% across difficulty levels compared to OpenAI's 74.3%, 69.1%, and 47.6%)[2]
- Multi-modal capabilities processing text, images, and code[4][6]
- Advanced tool integration with web browsers, code editors, and database management systems[4][6]
- Adaptive learning that continuously optimizes based on user interactions[4][6]
Practical Applications
Manus demonstrates exceptional practical value by:
- Functioning as a "virtual executive assistant" that handles tasks without distractions[7]
- Expanding tasks independently by considering additional helpful parameters[3]
- Executing complex operations like analyzing job applications, creating property reports, and conducting stock correlation analyses[3]
- Allowing users to observe and intervene through the "Manus's Computer" window[8]
Rather than just providing suggestions like traditional AI assistants, Manus takes decisive action, making it more like a digital employee than a simple tool[5].
⁂
- https://www.forbes.com/sites/craigsmith/2025/03/08/chinas-autonomous-agent-manus-changes-everything/
- https://c3.unu.edu/blog/manus-leading-the-charge-in-autonomous-ai
- https://www.computerworld.com/article/3842987/better-than-openai-thanks-to-ai-autonomy.html
- https://huggingface.co/blog/LLMhacker/manus-ai-best-ai-agent
- https://www.reddit.com/r/AISEOInsider/comments/1j7qvuz/manus_ai_agents_i_replaced_my_entire_team_with/
- https://opencv.org/blog/manus-ai/
- https://www.mcneece.com/2025/04/best-ai-assistants-2025-chatgpt-vs-claude-vs-manus-compared/
- https://www.technologyreview.com/2025/03/11/1113133/manus-ai-review/
Answer from Manus:
- Figma Integration: I cannot directly interact with Figma files, create Figma variables, or register Figma plugins. The code examples showing
FIGMA_API_URLinteractions,manus.registerFigmaPlugin(), and Figma synchronization are not functionalities I currently support. - Screenshot Analysis: While I can view images, I don't have the specialized vision models described in
screenshot_to_code()that would analyze layouts from screenshots with "92% structural accuracy." - Browser Automation: I can navigate websites and interact with them, but some of the advanced DOM manipulation and style extraction capabilities described are beyond my current functionality.
- Code Generation from Visual Inputs: The document suggests capabilities for converting visual elements to code with specific accuracy percentages, but these are not features I currently offer.
- Web Development: I can write HTML, CSS, and JavaScript code based on descriptions.
- Website Analysis: I can visit websites and help recreate similar designs through code.
- Basic Image Viewing: I can view images but cannot perform complex visual analysis on them.
- Deployment: I can help deploy static websites and Next.js applications.
Hello! I'll explain my capabilities regarding Figma files and code generation.
Regarding Figma files:
I cannot convert websites to editable Figma files
I cannot convert screenshots to editable Figma files
Regarding code generation:
I can examine screenshots and help implement similar designs in code
I can write code to create web interfaces based on descriptions
I can't work directly with the Figma format.
I can help you with:
Converting design concepts (from screenshots or descriptions) into functional websites
Creating HTML/CSS prototypes that you could later import into Figma
Providing guidance on web development best practices
Would you like me to demonstrate any of these capabilities or explain more about a specific aspect of web design and development?
Answer from Manus:
Let me explain in more detail what I can do with images and visual content:
When it comes to visual capabilities, I can:
Basic Visual Recognition:
Screenshot Handling:
Browser Visual Interaction:
Save Images from Web:
What I cannot do:
Automatic Code Generation from Images:
Edit Images:
Practical visual workflows we can do together:
Design Implementation:
(Not that I'm going to, but for the sake of argument...)
If I were to provide a login to a Figma account, what could you do in Figma?
Even with login credentials to a Figma account, my capabilities within Figma would be very limited. I cannot directly interact with or manipulate Figma's design interface because:
What I could potentially do with Figma login access:
Share specific screenshots of Figma designs you want to discuss or implement.
Use Figma's sharing features to create view-only links to specific designs you want me to see.
Would any of these alternatives work for what you're trying to accomplish?
Explaining Figma limitations and suggesting practical alternatives
Let me suggest some practical workflows we could use to accomplish design-to-code tasks without direct Figma integration:
Share these exports with me
I can help implement them in HTML/CSS/JavaScript
We can iterate based on your feedback
I can help create reusable code components (React, Vue, etc.)
We build a component library that matches your Figma design system
I can help implement them as CSS variables or in a framework like Tailwind
This ensures consistency between design and code
I can implement the interactions in code
We can create a functional prototype that mirrors your Figma interactions
I can help implement responsive layouts that adapt across devices
We can ensure your design works well on all screen sizes
This helps maintain consistency as your project evolves
Suggesting practical design-to-code workflows and awaiting user preference
Would you like me to:
Discuss a specific design challenge you're facing?
Explore other capabilities I have beyond design-to-code conversion?
I am curious if someone has used OpenManus api capabilities to flatten this workflow.
Answer from Perplexity
open manus and figma
OpenManus does not currently have a direct integration with Figma for converting web pages or designs into editable Figma files. However, it offers tools and capabilities that could be leveraged to interact with Figma indirectly or facilitate workflows involving design systems.
Potential Workflow: OpenManus and Figma
Using OpenManus's modular architecture and external integrations, you can create workflows that interact with Figma through its API. Here's how OpenManus might be used in conjunction with Figma:
1. Web Page Analysis
OpenManus can scrape and analyze web pages to extract:
- DOM structure (HTML elements)
- CSS styles (colors, fonts, spacing)
- Layout information (grid systems, flexbox properties)
2. Exporting Data for Figma
Once the data is extracted, OpenManus can format it for use in Figma:
- JSON Export: Convert the extracted data into a JSON file representing the design hierarchy. This can be imported into Figma using plugins like "FigmaToWorld" that support JSON-based imports[1].
- SVG Assets: Generate SVGs for visual elements, which can be imported into Figma as vector graphics.
3. Using the Figma API
OpenManus can integrate with the Figma API to directly manipulate or create design files:
- File Creation: Use the get_file or get_file_nodes API methods to retrieve existing designs or add new layers.
- Component Management: Automate the creation of reusable components in Figma by exporting design tokens (e.g., colors, typography) from OpenManus[2].
4. Automation of Design Updates
By combining OpenManus's automation capabilities with the Figma API, you can:
- Sync updates from a web page to a Figma file.
- Generate editable layers in real-time based on web content changes.
Challenges and Limitations
- Manual Setup: You may need to configure OpenManus and the Figma API manually for seamless integration.
- Custom Development: Building a bridge between OpenManus and Figma requires programming skills to handle API calls and data formatting.
- Plugin Dependency: Importing complex designs into Figma might require third-party plugins like "FigmaToWorld" for advanced features[1].
Future Potential
As OpenManus evolves, it could develop more native integrations with tools like Figma. This would allow users to automate design workflows further, such as converting web pages directly into editable designs within Figma.
For now, combining OpenManus's automation strengths with existing tools like the Figma API or plugins provides a flexible but indirect way to achieve web-to-Figma workflows.
⁂
Let's fact check this.
Answer from Gpt:
Got it. I’ll verify whether OpenManus currently supports any integration with Figma—directly or indirectly—and whether workflows like web-to-Figma using APIs or plugins (like FigmaToWorld) are feasible.
I’ll look into OpenManus’s actual capabilities, supported export formats, Figma API usage, and plugin options to give you a clear answer on how true or practical this described workflow is.
I’ll update you once I’ve gathered everything.
# OpenManus and Figma Integration: Current Capabilities and Workflow
## Direct Integration with Figma
- **No Native Figma Support Yet:** As of now, OpenManus does **not** offer a built-in or official integration with Figma. Its design is extensible (it supports connecting to external tools via its “Tool Integration” framework), but there is no out-of-the-box module for Figma specifically.
- **Community Workarounds:** Instead of a direct integration, the community leverages external connectors. For example, the open-source **Figma Model Context Protocol (MCP)** server acts as a bridge, allowing an AI agent to fetch Figma design data. This MCP server uses Figma’s API to expose a design’s structure and styles to tools like OpenManus. In practice, developers run a local Figma-MCP service and configure OpenManus (or an AI IDE like Cursor) to query it, simulating an “integration” even though it’s not natively built into OpenManus.
## Extracting Design Data (DOM, CSS, Layout) for Figma
- **Web Page Analysis:** OpenManus can utilize web-browsing tools to scrape and analyze web pages (the project integrated a browser toolchain early on). This means it can retrieve a page’s DOM structure, CSS styles, and layout details through mechanisms like Puppeteer or headless browser MCP modules (indeed, a “Puppeteer-MCP” exists in the ecosystem). So technically, OpenManus can extract the building blocks of a webpage’s design (HTML elements, style rules, layout hierarchy).
- **Transforming to Figma Format:** However, OpenManus **does not automatically convert** that web data into a Figma file. Converting a webpage into an editable Figma design would require translating the HTML/CSS into Figma’s canvas elements – a non-trivial step that isn’t part of OpenManus’s core features. Developers would have to script this conversion (for example, by generating a Figma plugin or using the Figma plugin API to recreate elements). In short, OpenManus can **gather** DOM and style info, but exporting it *for use in Figma* demands custom tooling beyond what OpenManus provides by default.
- **Using Figma’s Data Itself:** Conversely, if the design already lives in Figma, the Figma-MCP approach or similar plugins can extract a JSON of the Figma document’s structure. The MCP server, for instance, pulls relevant layout and styling information via the Figma API and presents it in a simplified JSON form for the AI agent. This allows OpenManus to “understand” an existing Figma design (nodes, constraints, colors, text, etc.) and potentially use that information in code generation or analysis.
## Using OpenManus with the Figma API
- **Read-Only Access:** OpenManus (being an open framework) can make HTTP requests to external APIs, so it *could* call the Figma REST API to retrieve design data (given a file ID and an API token). In fact, the Figma-Context MCP server is essentially doing just that under the hood: it calls Figma’s API to get the file JSON and streams it to the AI. This means OpenManus can *read* Figma designs programmatically.
- **No Write Capability:** Crucially, Figma’s official API does **not allow creating or editing** design files – it’s read-only for content. The Figma REST API is limited to reading file structure and metadata (and performing things like comments or team management), but **cannot** push new nodes or styles into a Figma file. (Personal access tokens only grant “file content: read” permission, with no write scope available.) As a result, OpenManus cannot use the Figma API to generate a new Figma design or update an existing file’s geometry. Any workflow that creates or updates Figma files must involve Figma’s Plugin API (which runs inside Figma) or manual import/export steps.
- **Implication:** In practice, this means OpenManus could **extract** a design (via the API) but not **export** a new design into Figma via API. For instance, OpenManus might pull a Figma layout to help generate corresponding code, but it can’t take code and directly write a Figma file. To convert web pages or code into a Figma design, one would need a custom plugin or script acting within Figma itself.
## Third-Party Plugins and Tools (e.g. FigmaToWorld)
- **FigmaToWorld (Export Plugin):** *FigmaToWorld* is a community-developed Figma plugin that facilitates data exchange with external tools. It allows you to **export a Figma design** into a structured JSON file representing the entire node tree (frames, layers, properties). In a workflow context, this plugin is valuable for getting Figma data out to be processed by AI or code. For example, one could design a webpage mockup in Figma, export it as JSON via FigmaToWorld, and then let OpenManus analyze that JSON to generate HTML/CSS code. The plugin preserves the architecture of the design in machine-readable form, which is essential for AI workflows. *(Note: FigmaToWorld isn’t an official Figma plugin yet – it must be side-loaded in Figma’s desktop app for now.)*
- **“Talk-to-Figma” MCP:** Another third-party solution is the **Figma-Context MCP** (also referred to as “talk-to-figma” MCP by some developers). This isn’t a Figma plugin but a Node.js server that uses the Figma API. Its role is to feed Figma design data to AI agents in real-time. When an AI (like OpenManus or Cursor) requests info about a Figma frame, the MCP server fetches the JSON from Figma and streams only the pertinent details (layout, component names, styles) to the AI. This effectively lets the AI “see” the Figma design and work with it (e.g., generating code that matches the design).
- **Enabling Workflows:** These third-party tools are **key enablers** for bridging OpenManus with Figma. Since OpenManus itself lacks direct Figma support, plugins like FigmaToWorld and MCP servers provide the missing link. They handle data extraction and even could handle injection (if one wrote a complementary plugin to create Figma nodes). In a web-to-Figma scenario, one might envision using OpenManus to parse a website, produce a JSON describing the design, and then using a Figma plugin to import that JSON and create layers. While such an import plugin isn’t readily available in the community, FigmaToWorld demonstrates the *export* direction, and it’s plausible to build the reverse. Essentially, third-party plugins are what make any OpenManus ↔ Figma workflow possible at the moment, by doing the heavy lifting that OpenManus alone cannot do due to API limitations.
## Limitations and Workflow Examples
- **Current Limitations:** The workflow of converting web pages or code into Figma files is still experimental and piecemeal. There’s no one-click solution that takes a live webpage and yields an editable Figma design. Users must assemble several tools: OpenManus (for intelligence and possibly code/DOM parsing), plus something like a custom script or plugin to construct the Figma file. This multi-step process can be brittle. Moreover, Figma’s API constraints mean any **automated Figma creation** has to run within Figma itself (plugins) – which requires manual setup and cannot be fully driven by OpenManus alone. Large designs pose performance challenges (even exporting via FigmaToWorld can be slow for big files), and fidelity is not guaranteed when translating from web code to Figma layers due to differences in how browsers vs. design tools render layouts.
- **Documentation & Roadmap:** Official OpenManus documentation does not yet provide guides for Figma integration, since it’s not an official feature. Most knowledge comes from community write-ups and GitHub projects. For example, developers have shared tutorials on using Cursor (an AI IDE similar to OpenManus) with Figma-MCP to automate frontend coding – demonstrating the design-to-code direction. As for the reverse (code to design), one would have to consult plugin docs and possibly build a custom solution; there aren’t well-publicized case studies of OpenManus generating a .fig file directly. The OpenManus team has hinted at **future integrations**: their 2025 roadmap lists “integration with popular third-party services” as a goal later in the year, which could imply more seamless hookups to tools like Figma down the line. Until then, any OpenManus ↔ Figma workflow will rely on the community-driven plugins and careful orchestration rather than native capabilities.
**Sources:**
OpenManus official site – Tool Integration feature
and product roadmapFigma MCP GitHub (Framelink) – explains how an AI agent can access Figma layout data via a local server
“How I Connected Figma to My AI Workflow” – example of setting up Figma-MCP and linking it to an AI IDE
Figma API limitations – Figma’s REST API is read-only for design content
(no write access for creating files)FigmaToWorld plugin repo – allows exporting Figma node tree to JSON for external use
Next, check out Figma + MCP.