SketchMate expands plugin API with real-time collaboration hooks and model inference

Design · 3 min read

The updated API gives plugins access to real-time document events, so third-party tools can stream suggestions, sync component state, and apply batched edits without interrupting the designer's cursor. SketchMate's team emphasized low-latency event handling to make model-driven suggestions feel native rather than modal.

Critically, plugins can now call vetted model endpoints from within the editor, with sandboxing and permission gating to protect user data. Plugin authors can request scoped tokens to query external generative models while SketchMate enforces data controls to prevent leaks of proprietary assets.

The company hopes the new API will spur a new generation of collaborative tools—live annotation assistants, on-canvas code generators, and co-pilot overlays—that integrate with existing design systems. Early partners include teams building AI-driven layout engines and brand governance tools.