The Problem
Design systems add structure. Over time, that structure becomes friction.
Nested components, auto layout, shared styles, variables, and prototype links make fast iteration difficult—especially in inherited or legacy files. There's no single, clean way to remove all of that at once.
Destroyer was built to remove that friction.
The Solution
A Figma plugin that is intentionally simple and does one thing: break structure so designers can move faster.
With a single command it:
- Detaches component instances
- Breaks auto layout
- Removes text, color, and effect styles
- Detaches variables
- Removes prototype links
- Strips hyperlinks
- Recursively processes deeply nested layers
No configuration. No partial cleanup. No ambiguity about the outcome.
How It Was Built
The focus was clarity and reliability over features.
- Minimal UI to keep the action fast
- Recursive traversal to fully process complex node trees
- Predictable results in real, messy files
Built in TypeScript using the Figma Plugin API, with careful handling of edge cases to avoid leaving files in an inconsistent state.
The Outcome
Destroyer is used by designers dealing with real constraints—not demos.
It's used to:
- Break rigid systems before exploration
- Clean up inherited or imported files
- Reset over-structured layouts
- Prepare files for fast iteration
Sustained usage over multiple years validates the problem and the solution.
Testimonials
“Don't stop making plugins like this 🙏🏻”
“Amazing! This is a huge help, thanks”
“I have been searching for a plugin that removes all the style instances. The 'Destroyer' plugin by Kirk Bentley does exactly that.”
“Developer of this plugin, I LOVE YOU!!! Nice work!”
“Thank you very much for this plugin, essential for my workflow!”
“Thank you for this! Been looking for a way to break variables and this nails it!!”
“Amazing plugin. Thank you!”
What Made It Good
- Clear, single-purpose intent
- Honest, destructive behavior by design
- Strong design judgment—knowing what not to build
- Craft across design, code, and maintenance
- Proven usefulness through long-term adoption
Destroyer doesn't add structure. It removes it.
Because sometimes, you just need to break stuff to iterate.
