Web UI Patterns

Actionable web interface patterns for requirements gathering and design review. Use when the target platform is web (browser-based applications).

Navigation Patterns

Pattern	When to Use	When to Avoid
Top navigation bar	5-7 primary sections, marketing/content sites	Deep hierarchies with 20+ sections
Side navigation	Complex apps with many sections, admin dashboards	Simple sites with few pages
Breadcrumbs	Deep hierarchies, e-commerce categories	Flat site structures
Command palette (Cmd+K)	Power user tools, developer-facing apps	Consumer apps targeting non-technical users
Tab bar (mobile)	3-5 primary destinations	More than 5 destinations
Hamburger menu	Secondary navigation, mobile space constraints	Primary navigation users need frequently
Mega menu	Large sites with categorized content	Simple sites, mobile interfaces

Navigation must answer three questions: Where am I? Where can I go? How do I get back?

Key principles: consistent placement across all pages | highlight current location | limit primary nav to 5-7 items (Hick's Law) | provide search as alternative for content-heavy apps

Form Design

Layout

Labels above input fields (highest completion rates in eye-tracking studies)
One column layouts outperform multi-column for most forms
Group related fields with visual proximity and clear section headings
Primary action buttons left-aligned with form fields

Validation: Reward Early, Punish Late

Validate on blur (when user leaves field), not while typing
Remove error messages immediately when user corrects the field
Show success indicators only when helpful (e.g., password strength)
Validation summary at top for longer forms, plus inline errors

Error Messages Must Include

What went wrong (plain language) | 2. Where the error is (highlight field) | 3. How to fix it (specific guidance, not "invalid input")

Progressive Forms

Split long forms across multiple steps (one-thing-per-page pattern)
Show progress indicators for multi-step forms
Allow saving progress and returning later
Reduce fields through smart defaults and progressive disclosure

Data Display Patterns

Pattern	Best For	Key Considerations
Tables	Structured data with multiple attributes, comparison	Sortable columns, fixed headers, responsive collapse
Cards	Browsable collections with images/summaries	Consistent sizes, clear click targets, max 3-4 per row
Lists	Sequential items, search results, feeds	Clear boundaries, scannable titles, secondary info on right
Dashboards	KPI monitoring, status overviews	Important metrics top-left, max 7 widgets, allow customization

Pagination vs Infinite Scroll

Pagination: Goal-directed tasks (search, admin panels) -- gives position and control
Infinite scroll: Discovery browsing (social media, galleries) -- reduces friction

Responsive Design

Mobile-First Approach

Design mobile layout first, then enhance for larger screens. Ensures core content and functionality are prioritized.

Breakpoints (starting points)

360-480px: Mobile | 768px: Tablet | 1024-1280px: Small desktop | 1440px+: Large desktop

Key Techniques

Fluid typography: clamp() for smooth scaling; rem/em over px for accessible sizing
Container queries: Components respond to container size (not viewport), enabling reusable components
Responsive images: Serve appropriate sizes; use srcset and picture elements

Component Patterns

Component	Use For	Anti-pattern
Modal dialog	Decisions requiring immediate attention; blocks until resolved	Information not requiring action; stacking modals
Toast/snackbar	Non-critical confirmation ("Item saved")	Critical errors or info users must not miss
Drawer/sheet	Supplementary content or filters alongside main view	Primary content or complex multi-step forms
Popover/tooltip	Contextual help or previews on hover/focus	Critical info or complex interactions
Command palette	Quick action access via keyboard	Only navigation method (need visual alternatives)

Motion and Micro-interactions

When Motion Helps

Showing cause and effect (button press ripple) | Guiding attention to changes (new item slides in) | Providing feedback (spinners, progress bars) | Explaining spatial relationships (drawer slides from side) | Maintaining context during transitions (shared element transitions)

When Motion Distracts

Decorative animations with no function | Animations delaying task completion | Rapid/large-scale motion (respect prefers-reduced-motion) | Looping animations that cannot be paused

Duration guidelines: 100-200ms for simple state changes | 200-500ms for complex transitions | never exceed 500ms for functional animations

Design System Guidance

When to Use Existing vs Custom

Situation	Recommendation
Internal tools, admin dashboards	Use existing system (Material UI, Ant Design, Radix)
Consumer product with strong brand	Custom system on headless library (Radix, Headless UI)
MVP or prototype	Use existing system; customize later
Platform with strict brand guidelines	Custom system, adopt token architecture from established systems

Design Tokens

Atomic values defining visual design: colors, spacing, typography, shadows.

Level	Example	Purpose
Global	`color-blue-500: #3B82F6`	Raw palette values
Semantic	`color-primary: {color-blue-500}`	Meaningful names
Component	`button-bg: {color-primary}`	Component-specific references

Use 8px spacing grid. Use modular typography scale (1.25 or 1.333 ratio).

Web-Specific Anti-Patterns

Anti-Pattern	Alternative
Autoplay video with sound	Mute by default, user-initiated play
Full-page interstitials on mobile	Inline or bottom-sheet prompts
Captchas for every action	Risk-based authentication, invisible captchas
Horizontal scrolling for content	Responsive layout fitting viewport
Form validation only on submit	Inline validation with reward-early-punish-late
Mystery meat navigation (icons only)	Label all nav items; icons supplement, not replace
Stacking modals	Inline expansion or navigate to new page

Acceptance Criteria Template (Web)

Feature: [Feature Name]
  # Platform: web
  # Key heuristics: [applicable Nielsen heuristics]
  # Accessibility: WCAG 2.2 AA

  Scenario: Happy path
    Given [context]
    When [user action]
    Then [expected visible result]
    And system provides feedback within 100ms
    And the action can be undone via [mechanism]

  Scenario: Error state
    Given [context leading to error]
    When [user action that triggers error]
    Then an error message explains what happened
    And the error message suggests what to do next
    And the error is shown inline next to the relevant field

  Scenario: Empty state
    Given no [resources] exist yet
    When the user navigates to the [resource] view
    Then a helpful message explains what [resources] are
    And a clear call to action creates the first one

  Scenario: Keyboard accessibility
    Given the user navigates with keyboard only
    When they tab through the interface
    Then all interactive elements are reachable
    And focus indicators are visible

nw-ux-web-patterns