Skeleton
A skeleton is a simple placeholder shaped like the content that's still loading.
A real example
A profile page saves room for its photo and text. The layout stays still when data arrives.
Main parts
- 01State signal
- 02Human-readable message
- 03Timing or progress
- 04Recovery path
Use it when
Use it when the layout is known and the wait is easy to notice.
Do not use it when
Never invent fake details, shimmer forever, or use a skeleton when content appears almost at once.
Name used in code
aria-busy="true" Before you ship
Before release, check the page structure, keyboard access, visible focus, contrast, and zoom. Also check loading, empty, error, success, cancel, and reduced-motion states.
Outcome: Use Skeleton to solve this user need without losing the current context. User context: A profile page saves room for its photo and text. The layout stays still when data arrives. Recommended pattern: Skeleton. Why it fits: Use it when the layout is known and the wait is easy to notice. Do not use it when: Never invent fake details, shimmer forever, or use a skeleton when content appears almost at once. Product requirements: Define the default, loading, empty, error, success, and recovery states. Keep user input. Give clear feedback after every action. Accessibility and resilience: Use semantic HTML, full keyboard access, and visible focus. Make the layout work when zoomed and support reduced motion. Follow the project’s current rules. Do not add a new UI library unless the project already uses it. Acceptance criteria: The main task works with keyboard only and at 320px width. Focus and status changes are announced. Check loading, failure, retry, cancel, and reduced-motion paths. Evidence and limits (evidence boundary): No single official standard controls the whole term. Its meaning may change across teams, platforms, or frameworks. Unknowns to confirm: Product wording, data source, analytics events, supported devices and languages, and platform limits.
Check this request
Review the current use of Skeleton. Definition: A skeleton is a simple placeholder shaped like the content that's still loading. Release checks: Before release, check the page structure, keyboard access, visible focus, contrast, and zoom. Also check loading, empty, error, success, cancel, and reduced-motion states. Before changing code, report the evidence you found, gaps, severity, and the smallest safe fix.