What is Stitch?
Stitch is Google's AI-powered design and code tool, currently in public beta. Describe a UI in plain English and Stitch generates both a Figma-ready design and the corresponding frontend code — HTML and CSS — simultaneously. It is powered by Google Gemini and built for product teams who want to move from idea to working interface without the usual hand-off gap between design and development.
What sets Stitch apart from pure design tools is the dual output. Most AI design tools generate images or Figma frames. Stitch goes a step further: alongside the visual design, it produces clean, structured code you can paste directly into a project. You are not just seeing a picture of what to build — you are getting a working draft of the build itself.
The dual-output workflow
Stitch generates two things from a single prompt:
1. A Figma-compatible design Screens, components, and layouts you can open in Figma for review, annotation, or iteration with a design team.
2. HTML and CSS code Structured markup that a developer can take directly into a project. Not pixel-perfect production code, but a solid foundation that removes the blank-file problem.
This means a product manager or founder can go from idea → stakeholder-ready mockup → developer handoff in a single tool, in one session.
Getting started
- Visit stitch.withgoogle.com and sign in with your Google account
- Click New design
- Describe your UI — be specific about layout, features, and aesthetic
- Stitch generates screens in a Figma-style canvas
- Review the generated code in the Code panel on the right
- Iterate with follow-up prompts: "Make the navigation sticky" or "Add a mobile-responsive version"
- Export Figma file or copy the code for your project
What to use Stitch for
Stitch is particularly strong in the early stages of a project — ideation, prototyping, and stakeholder alignment — rather than as a production design system. Use it when you need to:
- Move fast before committing. Produce 3–4 different landing page concepts in an hour without touching Figma manually.
- Bridge design and dev. Hand stakeholders a Figma link and developers the corresponding code at the same time.
- Bootstrap a new project. Starting from Stitch output is faster than starting from a blank Figma file or a bare-bones React template.
- Show, don't tell. Use it in client or investor meetings to go from idea to visual in real time.
Stitch vs similar tools
| Stitch | Paper | Lovable | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Makes Figma designs | Yes | Export (paid) | No |
| Generates frontend code | Yes | No | Yes (full app) |
| Runs in browser | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Cost | Free (beta) | Free tier | Free tier |
| Best for | Design + code handoff | Mockups & ideation | Shipping real products |
Things to know as a beta user
Stitch is actively evolving. A few current realities to set expectations:
- Outputs need polish. The code is a starting point, not production-ready. Expect to clean up spacing, responsive behaviour, and interactive states.
- Complex interactions are limited. Hover states, animations, and multi-step flows are better finished in Figma or code.
- It learns from feedback. Use the thumbs-up/down on individual outputs — the model actively improves during the beta.
- Mobile layouts need attention. Desktop-first designs are stronger right now; mobile-specific layouts may need manual adjustment.
