Wireframes are UI elements that communicate visually the loading state of a component, section, or page. They are used to provide a representation of what the user interface looks like before the content appears.
Wireframes display an element’s wireframe structure and an in-process version of the user interface. They do not show the actual content. Instead, this version only gives an idea of the component or page layout until they become accessible by presenting its elements as they are loading.
If you do not know the structure of your page or if your element does not have a certain layout, try a loading spinner or a progress bar instead.
When an operation requires running in the background for more than one second.
When the data of a page or section is being processed for the first time and will soon be completed.
When the user interface elements contain a lot of information. This is the case for lists or cards.
When an element requires a long time to process and load.
If only one element requires to load, use a loading spinner instead.
How To Use the Wireframe UI Component?
Animation Style
Wireframes come in two animation styles – wave and pulse.
The default animation is wave. It offers a realistic loading simulation and a smooth transition effect from the loading state to the content. When there are multiple wireframes, or an entire page is processing, it’s best to stick with this type of animation so as not to overwhelm the user.
Pulse animations can draw more attention to individual elements. They are used when you want to highlight the loading process, such as specific content blocks or images.
Wireframes Variants
The wireframe component has four shape variations: text, circular, rectangular, or rounded.
The text variant is the default variant used to indicate single lines of text. It can be adjusted by height and width through the font-size attribute.
The circular variant displays a circular-shaped placeholder to load thumbnails, avatars, or other icons and symbols on a platform.
The rectangular variant is the placeholder for paragraphs, messages in chats, images, and other rectangular elements.
The rounded variant shows rectangular placeholders that have rounded corners for a softer appearance.
Content
Only use the UI wireframe to prepare users for new and incoming information. Avoid using it for static layout elements that the users have previously seen – for example, the header or the navigation rail within a platform.
Layout
In the case of dynamic elements, use UI wireframes to display only high-level information. For example – when loading a message in the chat preview, the skeleton should indicate only the avatar, the name of the person sending you the message, and the message preview.
Do not present additional details – such as the active or inactive badge, even if these exist in the final loaded content.
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