Framer, one of the world’s most popular design tools, is launching a new app today: Framer X. The company’s latest take on interactive design tool is a little different from what we have seen in the market before.

It takes the usual design tools you have come to expect and combines it with a modern component platform and a store. The app itself is based on React, which opens up a ton of possibilities. And that is exactly what Framer is using to power its new interactive design store. Designers and developers can build their own components using React and distribute them through the store easily, allowing other designers to use the same component on their designs.

This could include things like a YouTube player, a tweet, or a map from Mapbox. Framer has teamed up with companies like Facebook, Google, Snap, Twitter, and Dropbox to launch some of the first sets of components, and other developers can build their own components too. These components provide you with a ton of different customization options, so it’s all very cool.

Apart from the store, there are a bunch of new features in Framer X if you have previously used Framer. There are new features like stacks, advanced layout tools, as well as improved interactive tools, and more:

• Layout automatically adapts your layout when you resize your canvas and lets you use flexible stacks to easily rearrange elements
• Drawing includes an advanced path editor that allows you to draw and fine-tune everything from custom icons to intricate illustrations.
• Interactive tools are a set of tools that allow users to design high-fidelity scrolling, paging, and screen-to-screen transitions—all you have to do is point and click.
• Components in Framer X are fully interactive, reusable pieces that can include everything from live maps and image generators to video players

I have been using the Framer X beta for a few weeks, and it’s been a really pleasant experience to use. The in-app store itself makes creating designs so much easier.

If you are interested, you can try out Framer X today.  And yes — like many other design tools, Framer X is only available on the Mac.

Tagged with Framer, Framer X