Was stunned and excited at the same time when I realized there is no layers palette. Having used Photoshop since before it was called Photoshop one could think that I felt that it is a MUST. But I've also spendt years and years in Keynote, which does VERY well without layers. I also spend a lot of time nowadays in Webflow, and while there is a tree view of components, I find myself very happy with using moving elements directly in and out of hierarchies directly in the design view. I'm a Sketch convert and I must say that the layers there are something I thought I would enjoy more than I actually do...

add a States panel too as in Fireworks

Layers are needed. But We need smart layers. And that is the difficult part. When are they too bulky (Sketch) or too short (Arrange to Front or so).

I certainly hope you find a way to rethink that problem over (since it is an inherited problem of most Adobe software since Photoshop 3 !

There might be a need out there for a new Layer paradigma... please find it out before implementing monster-layer systems (where we end up creating every detail on a separate layer which is completely unmanageable and stupid).

So we need a help - a kind of smart layering/ a software that can anticipate for us what the real functional and pragmatic use is for ' a layer'. Why a layer is the question !

(I am a layer-photoshop freak so don't get me wrong)

Being an avid Photoshop, Illustrator, and Sketch user I would love to have to feature to group and move between layers with effects ala Photoshop but the power to create reusable symbols within the layer pane. The capacity to export your groupings into customizable names and sizes is a feature that will greatly help us organize our UI comps.

Layers panel will be very usefull. Mostly when you try to focus a text layer, into a sharpe layer, into another etc .
Maybe could you had the same feature present in Photoshop, to sort layers by type ? (text,shape, vector)

I really welcome the thought that has gone into XD. While I certainly understand that layers will likely be introduced at some time in the future I wanted to say that the decision to truly rethink the layers palette is welcomed from my perspective. I feel that designers either spend far too much or too little time managing layers—myself included.

Some designers never rename layers -> breaking the purpose of the panel.
Other designers constantly rename and organize layers while designing -> taking up lots of time.

Whatever you guys choose to do I'm sure will be awesome. Just wanted to say kudos for rethinking a difficult problem.

Add to layer groups too please...

Cool, Didn't know that this option was under Object > Arrange. I was looking for a more obvious controls in the right panel when you select a layer. Thanks.

Yeah, just going to have to chime in on the layer panel as well. My wireframe documents are pretty large and detailed, and I couldn't even consider using a UX design product without such a basic feature. Why you released a preview of a product in this state is beyond me. Hoping and looking forward to seeing it evolve, though.

Layers back! :) It is a critical thing. And so far, as far as I noticed, XD is the most criticised because of the absence of layers.

An option for moving a selected layer forward or backward is much needed.

It's really hard to consider using the applications without there being a layers panel or at minimum a hot key to push back or bring a layer forward.

And to name elements. Hide/Show elements. etc. It's ridiculous this isn't in the preview release.

Give us back our layers!