Frontend Patterns

Overview

User interfaces exist to help users accomplish tasks. Every UI decision should make the user's task easier or the interface more accessible.

Core principle: Design for user success, not aesthetic preference.

Violating the letter of this process is violating the spirit of frontend design.

Focus Areas (Reference Pattern)

• React component architecture (hooks, context, performance)
• Responsive CSS with Tailwind/CSS-in-JS
• State management (Redux, Zustand, Context API)
• Frontend performance (lazy loading, code splitting, memoization)
• Accessibility (WCAG compliance, ARIA labels, keyboard navigation)

Approach (Reference Pattern)

1. Component-first thinking - reusable, composable UI pieces
2. Mobile-first responsive design - start small, scale up
3. Performance budgets - aim for sub-3s load times
4. Semantic HTML and proper ARIA attributes
5. Type safety with TypeScript when applicable

Component Output Checklist

Every frontend deliverable should include:

• Complete React component with props interface
• Styling solution (Tailwind classes or styled-components)
• State management implementation if needed
• Basic unit test structure
• Accessibility checklist for the component
• Performance considerations and optimizations

Focus on working code over explanations. Include usage examples in comments.

The Iron Law

NO UI DESIGN BEFORE USER FLOW IS UNDERSTOOD

If you haven't mapped what the user is trying to accomplish, you cannot design UI.

Loading State Order (CRITICAL)

Always handle states in this order:

// CORRECT order
if (error) return <ErrorState error={error} onRetry={refetch} />;
if (loading && !data) return <LoadingState />;
if (!data?.items.length) return <EmptyState />;
return <ItemList items={data.items} />;

Loading State Decision Tree:

Is there an error? → Yes: Show error with retry
                   → No: Continue
Is loading AND no data? → Yes: Show loading indicator
                        → No: Continue
Do we have data? → Yes, with items: Show data
                 → Yes, but empty: Show empty state
                 → No: Show loading (fallback)

Golden Rule: Show loading indicator ONLY when there's no data to display.

Skeleton vs Spinner

Use Skeleton When	Use Spinner When
Known content shape	Unknown content shape
List/card layouts	Modal actions
Initial page load	Button submissions
Content placeholders	Inline operations

Error Handling Hierarchy

Level	Use For
Inline error	Field-level validation
Toast notification	Recoverable errors, user can retry
Error banner	Page-level errors, data still partially usable
Full error screen	Unrecoverable, needs user action

Success Criteria Framework

Every UI must have explicit success criteria:

1. Task completion: Can user complete their goal?
2. Error recovery: Can user recover from mistakes?
3. Accessibility: Can all users access it?
4. Performance: Does it feel responsive?

Universal Questions (Answer First)

ALWAYS answer before designing/reviewing:

1. What is the user trying to accomplish? - Specific task, not feature
2. What are the steps? - Click by click
3. What can go wrong? - Every error state
4. Who might struggle? - Accessibility needs
5. What's the existing pattern? - Project conventions

User Flow First

Before any UI work, map the flow:

User Flow: Create Account
1. User lands on signup page
2. User enters email
3. User enters password
4. User confirms password
5. System validates inputs (inline)
6. User clicks submit
7. System processes (loading state)
8. Success: User sees confirmation + redirect
9. Error: User sees error + can retry

For each step, identify:

• What user sees
• What user does
• What feedback they get
• What can go wrong

UX Review Checklist

Check	Criteria	Example Issue
Task completion	Can user complete goal?	Button doesn't work
Discoverability	Can user find what they need?	Hidden navigation
Feedback	Does user know what's happening?	No loading state
Error handling	Can user recover from errors?	No error message
Efficiency	Can user complete task quickly?	Too many steps

Severity levels:

• BLOCKS: User cannot complete task
• IMPAIRS: User can complete but with difficulty
• MINOR: Small friction, not blocking

Accessibility Review Checklist (WCAG 2.1 AA)

Check	Criterion	How to Verify
Keyboard	All interactive elements keyboard accessible	Tab through entire flow
Focus visible	Current focus clearly visible	Tab and check highlight
Focus order	Logical tab order	Tab matches visual order
Labels	All inputs have labels	Check <label> or aria-label
Alt text	Images have meaningful alt	Check alt attributes
Color contrast	4.5:1 for text, 3:1 for large	Use contrast checker
Color alone	Info not conveyed by color only	Check without color
Screen reader	Content accessible via SR	Test with VoiceOver/NVDA

For each issue found:

- [WCAG 2.1 1.4.3] Color contrast at `component:line`
  - Current: 3.2:1 (fails AA)
  - Required: 4.5:1
  - Fix: Change text color to #333 (7.1:1)

Visual Design Checklist

Check	Good	Bad
Hierarchy	Clear visual priority	Everything same size
Spacing	Consistent rhythm	Random gaps
Alignment	Elements aligned to grid	Misaligned elements
Interactive states	Hover/active/focus distinct	No state changes
Feedback	Clear response to actions	Silent interactions

Visual Creativity (Avoid AI Slop)

When creating frontends, avoid generic AI aesthetics:

• Fonts: Choose distinctive typography, not defaults (avoid Inter, Roboto, Arial, system fonts)
• Colors: Commit to cohesive palette. Dominant colors with sharp accents > safe gradients
• Avoid: Purple gradients on white, predictable layouts, cookie-cutter Bootstrap/Tailwind defaults

Make creative choices that feel designed for the specific context.

Component Patterns

Buttons

// Primary action button with all states
<button
  type="button"
  onClick={handleAction}
  disabled={isLoading || isDisabled}
  aria-busy={isLoading}
  aria-disabled={isDisabled}
  className={cn(
    'btn-primary',
    isLoading && 'btn-loading'
  )}
>
  {isLoading ? (
    <>
      <Spinner aria-hidden />
      <span>Processing...</span>
    </>
  ) : (
    'Submit'
  )}
</button>

Forms with Validation

<form onSubmit={handleSubmit} noValidate>
  <div className="form-field">
    <label htmlFor="email">
      Email <span aria-hidden>*</span>
      <span className="sr-only">(required)</span>
    </label>
    <input
      id="email"
      type="email"
      value={email}
      onChange={handleChange}
      aria-invalid={errors.email ? 'true' : undefined}
      aria-describedby={errors.email ? 'email-error' : 'email-hint'}
      required
    />
    <span id="email-hint" className="hint">
      We'll never share your email
    </span>
    {errors.email && (
      <span id="email-error" role="alert" className="error">
        {errors.email}
      </span>
    )}
  </div>
</form>

Loading States

function DataList({ isLoading, data, error }) {
  if (isLoading) {
    return (
      <div aria-live="polite" aria-busy="true">
        <Spinner />
        <span>Loading items...</span>
      </div>
    );
  }

  if (error) {
    return (
      <div role="alert" className="error-state">
        <p>Failed to load items: {error.message}</p>
        <button onClick={retry}>Try again</button>
      </div>
    );
  }

  if (!data?.length) {
    return (
      <div className="empty-state">
        <p>No items found</p>
        <button onClick={createNew}>Create your first item</button>
      </div>
    );
  }

  return <ul>{data.map(item => <Item key={item.id} {...item} />)}</ul>;
}

Error Messages

// Inline error with recovery action
<div role="alert" className="error-banner">
  <Icon name="error" aria-hidden />
  <div>
    <p className="error-title">Upload failed</p>
    <p className="error-detail">File too large. Maximum size is 10MB.</p>
  </div>
  <button onClick={selectFile}>Choose different file</button>
</div>

Responsive Design Checklist

Breakpoint	Check
Mobile (< 640px)	Touch targets 44px+, no horizontal scroll
Tablet (640-1024px)	Layout adapts, navigation accessible
Desktop (> 1024px)	Content readable, not too wide

Red Flags - STOP and Reconsider

If you find yourself:

• Designing UI before mapping user flow
• Focusing on aesthetics before functionality
• Ignoring accessibility ("we'll add it later")
• Not handling error states
• Not providing loading feedback
• Using color alone to convey information
• Making decisions based on "it looks nice"

STOP. Go back to user flow.

Rationalization Prevention

Excuse	Reality
"Most users don't use keyboard"	Some users ONLY use keyboard.
"We'll add accessibility later"	Retrofitting is 10x harder.
"Error states are edge cases"	Errors happen. Handle them.
"Loading is fast, no need for state"	Network varies. Show state.
"It looks better without labels"	Unlabeled inputs are inaccessible.
"Users can figure it out"	If it's confusing, fix it.

Output Format

## Frontend Review: [Component/Feature]

### User Flow
[Step-by-step what user is trying to do]

### Success Criteria
- [ ] User can complete [task]
- [ ] User can recover from errors
- [ ] All users can access (keyboard, screen reader)
- [ ] Interface feels responsive

### UX Issues
| Severity | Issue | Location | Impact | Fix |
|----------|-------|----------|--------|-----|
| BLOCKS | [Issue] | `file:line` | [Impact] | [Fix] |

### Accessibility Issues
| WCAG | Issue | Location | Fix |
|------|-------|----------|-----|
| 1.4.3 | [Issue] | `file:line` | [Fix] |

### Visual Issues
| Issue | Location | Fix |
|-------|----------|-----|
| [Issue] | `file:line` | [Fix] |

### Recommendations
1. [Most critical fix]
2. [Second fix]

UI States Checklist (CRITICAL)

Before completing ANY UI component:

States

• Error state handled and shown to user
• Loading state shown ONLY when no data exists
• Empty state provided for all collections/lists
• Success state with appropriate feedback

Buttons & Mutations

• Buttons disabled during async operations
• Buttons show loading indicator
• Mutations have onError handler with user feedback
• No double-click possible on submit buttons

Data Handling

• State order: Error → Loading (no data) → Empty → Success
• All user actions have feedback (toast/visual)

Final Check

Before completing frontend work:

• User flow mapped and understood
• All states handled (loading, error, empty, success)
• Keyboard navigation works
• Screen reader tested
• Color contrast verified
• Touch targets adequate on mobile
• Error messages clear and actionable
• Success criteria met