While Sketch is a powerful tool by itself, plugins give this software tool superpower. If you would like to work more efficiently and achieve better results you should start using the ones described below.
Craft
Craft is one of the most popular extensions for Sketch. If you haven’t discovered it yet you probably just arrived from a galaxy far far away ;).
The plugin gives you the ability to quickly sync artboards with the InVision project to make a prototype or share screens with a client. Thanks to integration with Invision you can see your mockups also in Freehand or show your developers the UI specification in Inspect Mode.
What’s more, Craft lets you fill your mockups with various data like photos from free stocks, text resources like names, numbers, addresses and even more. You can also create some repeatable UI elements like grids or lists.
Craft is available for free https://www.invisionapp.com/craft
Runner
The purpose of the plugin is to simply speed up your Sketch workflow. Runner requires a bit of practice, but it is extremely helpful so it is worth to learn it.
Thanks to Runner you can run almost every plugin or Sketch commands. You will forget about drop-down menus and immediately start typing required action.
Next feature is documented navigation. You are able to jump to any page, artboard or layer with just a few words typed.
What’s more, Runner gives you the ability to insert objects, shapes, symbols, even ones from the libraries.
Pro Tip: When You will be creating your own Sketch Library remember about a convenient naming convention. Thanks to this you will be able to use it quickly with Runner. When I was creating SQUID UI Flow Template I designed elements in a way they can be accessed immediately from the plugin. It is definitely worth to do it.
With Runner, you can not only insert symbols but also create them. You can also add new Styles and apply them to your design.
Finally, Runner is able to install other plugins as well.
Get Runner from the Official Plugin Website http://sketchrunner.com
Nudged
If you create a design in point grid different than 10 points, you have to start using this plugin. Nudged gives you the ability to set custom nudge distances.
Example: for 8 point grid you can set small nudge for 1 point, big nudge (initiated from [SHIFT]+[ARROW KEY])) for 8 points, and even custom nudge ([CTRL]+[ALT]+[ARROW KEY]) for 16 points.
Nudged is available to download here: https://kevinwoodhouse.github.io/sketch-nudged/
Sketch2AE
If you create also motion design for your products this plugin will save you lots of time. Sketch2AE copies selected artboard with layers from Sketch and translate it to Adobe After Effects, where you can create animation. No more manually exported rasterized elements, the plugin is a real saving for everyone who designs UI in Sketch, but needs to animate it in Adobe’s tool.
Get plugin and full usage instructions: https://google.github.io/sketch2ae/
Zeplin
Zeplin is not just a plugin, but a whole solution that helps designers to create specs. Like the InVision+Craft, Zeplin creates specification automatically – everything you have to do is to sync the artboard with the solution. You can also mark elements as exportable to see them in Zeplin as resources for the particular platform.
Read more about Zeplin: https://zeplin.io
Sketch measure
If you are not convinced to upload your design to external services. Or you need something truly free, try Sketch measure.
The plugin gives you the ability to mark particular elements to generate specs for them. You can also export your design to be viewed in Safari 9+ or Google Chrome in a form similar to Inspect or Zeplin.
You can get Sketch Measure here: http://utom.design/measure/
Magic Mirror
If you would like to prepare mockup with a device manually in Sketch you know that it is a painful process. Thankfully Magic Mirror makes this extremely easy. With just a few clicks you are able to place your screen even in the isometric view of a favorite device.
Check out more information about Magic Mirror on Official Website – https://magicsketch.io/mirror/
Rename It
Naming is the important part of file organization. It helps to maintain good quality and order. However, it is very common that during the creative flow we forget to name layers or artboard properly. Even if we remember to name the element, it is normal that during the design progress we would like to change naming convention.
Renaming every single element is a painful and boring work. This is why Rename It plugin is so helpful. It gives designers a lot of possibilities like changing only First or Last part of the element’s name, adding order numbers or variables that depends on layer size.
Get the plugin from here: https://rodi01.github.io/RenameIt/
Sketch Icons
If your products induced lots of icons, you know that manual management of their properties is not convenient part of your work. Sketch Icons plugin lets you import lots of icons in just one click. You can also manage their properties and size. What’s more, you can define their tint color in just a few clicks.
You should try Sketch Icons from here: https://sketchpacks.com/AMoreaux/Sketch-Icons
Sketchpacks
The plugin that helps to discover and manage plugins. If you have an issue or an idea that may be solved by a plugin, you can simply search for it through Sketchpacks.
Try Sketchpacks https://sketchpacks.com
Summing up
All of the mentioned plugins can boost your workflow in various aspects. Some of them are available for free, some may be used for free with some limitations, so you can try all of them.
The true productivity is much easier to achieve with mentioned stuff. If you use any other plugins that help you work efficiently do not hesitate to notify me.
By the way…
I constantly try to help designers to achieve better results in their work. This is why I also want to deliver tools that make it easier. If you create User Flows in Sketch you may be interested in SQUID UI Flow Template.
SQUID is the ultimate toolkit for efficient UX Flows creation.
There is a 15% discount for UXMisfit.com Subscribers. To get offer code for SQUID before purchase simply subscribe the UXMisfit.com.