Introduction to Framer

If you've ever dreamed of drawing and creating things on a canvas and watching them come to life as astonishing websites without any coding, then your dream is real, and it's called Framer. The good news is you can learn Framer quickly and get started in no time. Ready? Let's go!

Navigating the Interface

The interface in Framer is similar to design platforms you might be familiar with. On the left side, you have various elements to add to the screens. The right side contains settings, languages, and preview or publish controls. The lower left side has different pages, layers, and project assets. The right sidebar includes design properties like positioning, styling, and effects. Finally, the middle section holds your canvas where your screens reside.

Managing Screens and Breakpoints

Each page on the sidebar can have several screens, each dedicated to a device breakpoint. For example, if a website's homepage shows up on a device wider than 1,200 pixels (like a desktop), one screen loads. If the screen is smaller than 1,200 pixels but wider than 810 pixels (like a tablet), another screen loads. For screens smaller than 390 pixels (like a mobile), a different screen loads. Ensuring your website loads beautifully on all three breakpoints is essential.

Setting Up Styles

Before diving into creating, you might want to set up styles in the asset section. You can enter the fonts, colors, or other elements you'll use regularly. For instance, for body text, consider using a versatile font like 'Enter' and a bright text color if you're designing in dark mode. Apply these styles by selecting the screen and choosing the desired style from the properties.

Structuring Your Elements

If your website section has various elements, it's crucial to structure them well. Instead of placing items on the screen haphazardly, structure them by stacking headings, subheadings, and using grids. This method ensures everything is positioned correctly within its parent. For example, items inside a stack can fill either from the starting point, center, or end. They can also be aligned to start, center, and end. Additionally, items can be wrapped, and the screen size decreases, causing items to fall into new lines.

Adding and Managing Elements

Start by adding simple elements like text. You can find all the customizable properties in the sidebar. Once you're done with text, use the insert option to access a variety of readymade templates for pages, sections, navigation bars, menus, and more. This feature is excellent if you prefer not to design everything from scratch. Additionally, you can add creative elements like images, videos, forms, icons, and much more.

Designing Shapes and Positioning

Want to add shapes? Press 'G' and create any shape you like, including paths, rectangles, ellipses, polygons, and stars, each with unique settings. To ensure your elements stay in position after resizing the screen, specify their positions immediately. The right sidebar shows each element’s position relative to the screen’s left and top, which you can adjust to maintain responsiveness. Various position options include absolute, relative, fixed, and sticky, each catering to different design needs.

Enhancing Interactivity

So far, we've covered the fundamentals, but now the fun begins. The sidebar has everything to spice up your designs and make them stand out. Elements like animations, transitions, and other dynamic features can be easily added to enhance user experience. Whether you're building a simple website or a complex interactive design, the tools provided are intuitive and powerful.