Skeleton screen
Also called skeleton loader, skeleton loading, or content placeholder
A loading placeholder made of gray blocks shaped like the content on its way, often with a soft shimmer, that the real content replaces.
import { useEffect, useState } from 'react';
import { motion, useReducedMotion } from 'motion/react';
const SHOW_AFTER_MS = 300; // fast loads skip the skeleton, so it never flashes
const BONE = 'rounded-md bg-muted';
const COVER = 'mt-4 h-40 w-full rounded-md object-cover';
type Profile = { name: string; role: string; avatar: string; cover: string };
export function ProfileCard({ profile }: { profile: Profile | null }) {
const [slow, setSlow] = useState(false);
const reduceMotion = useReducedMotion();
useEffect(() => {
if (profile) return;
const timer = setTimeout(() => setSlow(true), SHOW_AFTER_MS);
return () => clearTimeout(timer);
}, [profile]);
return (
<div aria-busy={!profile} className='w-80 rounded-xl border p-4'>
{profile ? (
<motion.div initial={{ opacity: 0 }} animate={{ opacity: 1 }}>
<div className='flex items-center gap-3 text-sm'>
<img src={profile.avatar} alt='' className='size-12 rounded-full' />
<div>
<p className='font-medium'>{profile.name}</p>
<p className='text-muted-foreground'>{profile.role}</p>
</div>
</div>
<img src={profile.cover} alt='' className={COVER} />
</motion.div>
) : (
slow && (
// Same layout as the content, so nothing jumps when it arrives.
<div className='relative overflow-hidden'>
<div className='flex items-center gap-3'>
<div className={`size-12 rounded-full ${BONE}`} />
<div className='flex-1 space-y-2'>
<div className={`h-3 w-3/5 ${BONE}`} />
<div className={`h-3 w-2/5 ${BONE}`} />
</div>
</div>
<div className={`${COVER} bg-muted`} />
{/* One soft highlight sweeps left to right across every block. */}
{!reduceMotion && (
<motion.div
className='absolute inset-0 bg-linear-to-r from-transparent via-background/60 to-transparent'
animate={{ x: ['-100%', '100%'] }}
transition={{ duration: 1.5, ease: 'linear', repeat: Infinity }}
/>
)}
</div>
)
)}
</div>
);
}While the profile card loads, show a skeleton with the same layout: a 48px circle for the avatar, two text bars at 60% and 40% width, and a 160px image block, in light gray with a shimmer that sweeps left to right every 1.5s. Only show it when loading takes longer than 300ms, crossfade to the real content over 200ms, and drop the shimmer when prefers-reduced-motion is set.
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What is Skeleton screen?
A skeleton screen sketches the layout of a page before its data arrives: a circle where the avatar will be, bars where the lines of text will go, a rectangle for the image. A light shimmer sweeping across the blocks shows that something is happening. When the data is ready, the real content takes the blocks’ place.
Because people see the shape of the page right away, the wait feels shorter, and nothing jumps around when the content lands. Use skeletons for content areas that take more than a moment to load and whose layout you know in advance, such as feeds, cards, profiles, and tables.
Match the skeleton closely to the real layout, or the swap causes a visible jump. For loads under about 300ms, show nothing at all to avoid a flash. Under reduced motion, replace the shimmer with a still or gently pulsing block, and mark the loading region with aria-busy="true".
Often confused with
- Spinner
- A spinner only says the app is busy. A skeleton screen previews the shape of the content that is coming, which suits whole pages and content areas.
- Empty state
- An empty state shows after loading when there is nothing to display. A skeleton screen shows while content is still on its way.
Related terms
All termsLoading state
The view a screen shows while its data is on the way, designed together with the outcomes that follow: loaded, empty, or error.
Perceived performance
How fast an app feels to people, which skeleton screens, instant feedback, and progressive loading can improve even when the real wait stays the same.
Spinner
A small looping animation, usually a rotating ring, that shows the app is busy with a short task of unknown length.
Shimmer text
Text with a band of light sweeping across it on a loop, often used for "Thinking…" and other status labels while an app is working.
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