The 10 UI Patterns Every Designer Should Know

Patterns exist because certain problems recur. Knowing them saves time and prevents reinvention.

Navigation Patterns

• Progressive disclosure: show only what's needed, reveal detail on demand.
• Breadcrumbs: essential for deep hierarchies, useless for flat ones.
• Sticky navigation: high utility on long pages, adds visual weight on short ones.

Form and Feedback Patterns

• Inline validation: catch errors before submission, not after.
• Skeleton screens: better perceived performance than spinners for content loads.
• Empty states: every zero-data view needs a designed response.

Patterns are starting points, not solutions. Apply them with context, not habit.