Getting Started
Why Shaper?
Is it the right tool for you?
Comparison Table: Shaper vs. Other Tools
Sometimes it helps to see a side-by-side comparison:
| Aspect | Shaper (Design+Code) | Figma (Design only) | Webflow (Design to code tool) | Framer (Design+code hybrid) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Output | Next.js React code (live sync) | Static design (no code) | HTML/CSS (exportable or hosted) | React code (exportable) |
| Design method | Visual editor + AI, with integrated code | Visual editor (vector-based) | Visual editor (box model) | Visual editor + code overrides |
| Code Integration | Built-in VSCode editor, GitHub sync | N/A (read-only code inspect) | Limited (Embed custom code in blocks) | Built-in code editor for overrides |
| Design Systems | Tokens & Components (code-synced) | Styles & Components (no code link) | Classes & Symbols (CSS-based) | Tokens & Components (some code link) |
| Collaboration | Real-time (multi-user), git for versioning | Real-time, version history in file | Limited real-time, no version control | Real-time multi-user, version history |
| Animations | Via CSS/JS (manual or libraries) | Prototype animations (no code) | Interactions panel (declarative) | Visual + code (Framer Motion) |
| CMS / Data | External via API (code needed) | Plugins or manual update | Built-in CMS (collection items) | Basic CMS beta (not robust) |
| Learning Curve | Moderate (design + some code concepts) | Low (for designers) | Moderate (visual dev concepts) | Moderate (visual + some React) |
| Ideal for | Design & dev teams, production web apps | UI/UX design, prototyping | Marketing sites, no-code dev handoff | Interactive prototypes, small sites |
| No-code vs Code | No-code for UI; code for advanced logic | 100% no-code (hand off to dev) | No-code (but need dev for complex) | Mostly no-code, code optional |
| Deployment | 1-click (Vercel/Netlify) or export code | Export assets or use dev implementation | Built-in hosting or export code | Built-in hosting or export code |
Use this table to evaluate what you gain with Shaper. Notably, Shaper is the only one in this list that truly unifies design and code in one place (Webflow comes close for web but is less code-friendly; Framer is close but not as production-oriented in workflow). If you’re coming from these tools, Shaper can feel like the next evolution – taking the best of each and aligning them into a single platform.