It's very difficult to generalize but I'll chime in with my experience as both.
If I'm working on a backend system and have a (frontend) framework in place, I might easily skip Figma IF I have enough confidence that the approach/pattern/solution is the right one. If not, or if the particular UI is quite challenging, I would usually sketch things out in Figma until I can resolve the most important questions/design challenges. I would not bother making a high-fidelity design in this case.
If I'm working on a highly visual/presentational project, then Figma is my go-to, since code would be super slow and limiting if I want to explore various approaches and ideas. Especially I wanted to be a bit more creative with the presentation. However, I would probably design less than usually needed. Also, when coding this design, I would *not* consider my own Figma project to be a pixel-perfect representation of every single value in terms of font-sizes, spacings, etc. I would use a code-oriented system/approach and make sure everything comes close to the design. Certain details would be tweaked by eye in code as well if I feel they need visual adjustments. I suppose I also intuitively know which areas need more (pixel-perfect) attention and which are flexible.
And then there's exceptions and hybrids to all of these. I may want to polish a particular backend UI piece for whatever reason (Figma-first), or I might want to prototype/create a proof of concept for a complex state management, transitions, etc. (frontend-first) before making portions or all of it pixel perfect in Figma.
If I'm working on a backend system and have a (frontend) framework in place, I might easily skip Figma IF I have enough confidence that the approach/pattern/solution is the right one. If not, or if the particular UI is quite challenging, I would usually sketch things out in Figma until I can resolve the most important questions/design challenges. I would not bother making a high-fidelity design in this case.
If I'm working on a highly visual/presentational project, then Figma is my go-to, since code would be super slow and limiting if I want to explore various approaches and ideas. Especially I wanted to be a bit more creative with the presentation. However, I would probably design less than usually needed. Also, when coding this design, I would *not* consider my own Figma project to be a pixel-perfect representation of every single value in terms of font-sizes, spacings, etc. I would use a code-oriented system/approach and make sure everything comes close to the design. Certain details would be tweaked by eye in code as well if I feel they need visual adjustments. I suppose I also intuitively know which areas need more (pixel-perfect) attention and which are flexible.
And then there's exceptions and hybrids to all of these. I may want to polish a particular backend UI piece for whatever reason (Figma-first), or I might want to prototype/create a proof of concept for a complex state management, transitions, etc. (frontend-first) before making portions or all of it pixel perfect in Figma.