Design files as code, self-hosted servers, and team design sovereignty
Imagine designing in a browser while developers get usable CSS and HTML code generated in real time. Penpot removes the wall between design and development, allowing teams to manage design tokens and components as a single source of truth. It is an open-source design platform designed so teams can fully control their design environment on their own infrastructure.
Design as code and real-time collaboration
Penpot expresses design in open standards such as SVG, CSS, HTML, and JSON. This allows developers to get immediately usable code from the inspect tab, skipping the translation process between design and development. Team members work together in real time, using CSS Grid and Flex Layout to design interfaces that behave responsively like actual code. This structure plays a key role in keeping complex design systems scalable.
Core features and extensibility
The platform's core functions can be summarized as follows.
- Native design tokens Acts as a single source of truth between design and development, maintaining consistency and simplifying the management of complex systems.
- MCP server and API Supports bidirectional workflows between design and code, enabling automation and AI-based workflows through webhooks and access token-based APIs.
- Plugin system Allows for the extension of platform capabilities by creating integrations with existing apps or custom solutions.
- Inspect mode Provides immediate access to SVG, CSS, and HTML code, making the development workflow fast and easy.
Deployment options and enterprise features
Penpot is the only design and prototyping platform that is not bound by deployment environments. It can be used as a SaaS or self-hosted on your own server via Docker, Kubernetes, Elestio, and others. As organizations scale and require more governance, security, and management features, they can choose Penpot Enterprise. The paid Enterprise plan provides a centralized management console, advanced permission settings, and SSO integration, and is available in both cloud and self-hosted environments.
Considerations before adoption
This platform is suitable for teams that want full ownership of their design infrastructure and must meet strict compliance and governance requirements. As an open-source project, it is distributed under the Mozilla Public License v2.0 and maintained as an open-source project by Kaleidos. If you choose self-hosting, you may need an understanding of container orchestration environments such as Docker or Kubernetes. Additionally, while newer features like the MCP server are particularly useful for teams considering integration with AI workflows, it is recommended to review compatibility with existing tools in advance.
