Acquisition - Schedule of Consideration Transferred and Identifiable Assets and Liabilities (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands			12 Months Ended
		Feb. 13, 2014	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Business Combination, Consideration Transferred [Abstract]
Accelerated stock compensation			$ 0	$ 0	$ (2,648)
Recognized Assets [Abstract]
Goodwill			$ 104,108	$ 104,108
DVS Sciences, Inc.
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Number of shares issued in business combination (in shares)		1,759,007
Business Combination, Consideration Transferred [Abstract]
Cash		$ 126,048
Issued 1,759,007 shares of Fluidigm common stock	[1]	76,805
Acquisition consideration paid at Acquisition Date		202,853
Accelerated stock compensation	[2]	(6,690)
Estimated fair value of vested Fluidigm equivalent stock options	[1]	4,039
Working capital adjustment		(269)
Aggregate purchase price		199,933
Recognized Assets [Abstract]
Cash and cash equivalents		8,405
Accounts receivable, net		7,698
Inventories		3,489
Prepaid expenses and other current assets		1,482
Property and equipment, net		1,202
Developed technology		112,000
Goodwill		104,108
Other non-current assets		88
Total assets acquired		238,472
Recognized Liabilities [Abstract]
Accounts payable		(1,114)
Accrued compensation and related benefits		(761)
Other accrued liabilities		(1,204)
Deferred revenue, current		(1,844)
Tax payable		(45)
Deferred tax liability		(31,942)
Deferred revenue, non-current		(1,629)
Net assets acquired		199,933
Stock options, restricted stock units and performance awards | DVS Sciences, Inc.
Business Combination, Consideration Transferred [Abstract]
Estimated fair value of vested Fluidigm equivalent stock options		$ 4,000

[1] In conjunction with the acquisition, we assumed all outstanding DVS stock options and unvested shares of restricted stock and converted, as of the Acquisition Date, the unvested stock options outstanding under the DVS stock option plan into unvested stock options to purchase approximately 143,000 shares of Fluidigm common stock and the unvested DVS restricted stock into approximately 186,000 shares of restricted Fluidigm common stock, retaining the original vesting schedules. These restricted shares have been included in the "Issuance of common stock upon purchase of DVS" line item in the Consolidated Statement of Stockholders' Equity. The fair value of all converted share-based awards was $14.6 million, of which $4.0 million was attributed to the pre-combination service period and was included in the calculation of the purchase price. The remaining fair value will be recognized over the awards’ remaining vesting periods subsequent to the acquisition. The fair value of the Fluidigm equivalent share-based awards as of the Acquisition Date was estimated using the Black-Scholes valuation model.

[2] As a part of the acquisition, we accelerated vesting of certain DVS stock options and shares of restricted stock, and incurred a $6.7 million expense, based upon the per share consideration paid to holders of shares of DVS common stock as of February 13, 2014. This expense is accounted for as a separate transaction and reflected in the acquisition-related expenses line of the consolidated statements of operations.