A potential dispute appears to be emerging within the technology sector, as Figma has reportedly issued a cease-and-desist notification to Lovable, a prominent no-code AI startup, as confirmed by Figma to TechCrunch.

The letter tells Lovable to stop using the name "Dev Mode" for a new product feature. Figma, which also has a feature called Dev Mode, successfully trademarked that name last year, according to the U.S. Patent and Trademark office.

Intriguingly, "dev mode" is a prevalent designation in numerous products tailored for software developers, akin to an editing function. Software offerings from prominent corporations such as Apple's iOS, Google's Chrome, and Microsoft's Xbox formally incorporate functionalities termed "developer mode," subsequently abbreviated as "dev mode" in supplementary materials.

The term "dev mode" is widely recognised; for example, Atlassian incorporated it into products developed long before Figma's existence, and it's a prevalent feature designation across numerous open-source software initiatives.

Figma clarifies to TechCrunch that their trademark pertains solely to the abbreviated term "Dev Mode," as opposed to the complete phrase "developer mode," which is akin to securing a trademark for the word "bug" when it signifies "debugging."

Because Figma wants to keep the term as its own, it has to send letters telling people to stop using it. If Figma does not protect the term strongly, it might become a general word, and the trademark could lose its legal protection.

Certain internet users contend this term is effectively generic, asserting its unsuitability for trademark protection, and suggest Lovable ought to contest the matter.

Anton Osika, co-founder and CEO of Lovable, informs TechCrunch that his company presently has no plans to comply with Figma's request and rename the feature.

We don't know yet if Figma will take further action, especially because they have other important things happening. For example, on Tuesday, Figma announced they had secretly filed the documents needed to become a public company (an IPO). However, if Figma decides to sue, fighting a legal case in another country could be expensive for the new Swedish company, Lovable. Lovable raised 15 million dollars in funding in February.

More interestingly, Lovable is becoming a leader in something called "vibe coding." This is when users describe what they want using text, and the product creates it, including the code. Its "dev mode" feature came out a few weeks ago so users can change that code.

Lovable positions itself as a viable alternative to Figma, asserting on its homepage that designers can utilise Lovable "without laborious prototyping procedures in programmes such as Figma," a practice numerous recently established startups are embracing.

Consequently, this transcends a mere trademark dispute; it also represents a more dominant competitor preparing to confront a persistent newcomer. Figma was previously valued at $12.5 billion approximately a year prior.

A Figma spokesperson seemingly concedes this point, telling TechCrunch that the company has refrained from issuing cease-and-desist letters to other tech firms, such as Microsoft, because their offerings reside within a distinct class of products and services.

Lovable's Osika is prepared to respond, indicating to TechCrunch his belief that "Figma ought to concentrate on refining their product" rather than engaging in trademark-related marketing efforts; he further asserts that Lovable is effectively attracting clients from Figma and comparable pre-LLM design platforms.

Regarding the overall threat posed by vibe coding products, in a recent conversation with Garry Tan of Y Combinator, Figma co-founder and CEO Dylan Field naturally dismissed the notion.

Field asserted that while users appreciate the swiftness of vibe coding, "it is equally crucial to offer individuals a method not only to commence and iterate quickly but also to reach completion. This represents the fundamental gap, pertinent not solely to design, but equally to coding."

Nonetheless, Osika also appears prepared to contend, as evidenced by his use of the grinning emoji when sharing a copy of Figma's letter on X.