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Web app UI/UX design

Overview​

Designing for web applications means optimizing for repeated tasks, complex data, errors, loading states, and permissions, not only first impressions. Patterns should scale across many screens and stay consistent with a component library.

Key concepts​

  • Jobs-to-be-done: What task is the user trying to finish in this session?
  • Progressive disclosure: Show advanced options only when needed.
  • Feedback loops: Loading, empty, error, and success states for every critical action.
  • Forms & validation: Inline errors, clear labels, and keyboard-friendly controls.
  • Density vs clarity: Dashboards need structure; avoid unreadable clutter.

User action sequence​

Sample: accessible button with loading state​

<button type="submit" aria-busy="false" data-state="idle">
  Save changes
</button>
function setLoading(btn, loading) {
  btn.disabled = loading;
  btn.setAttribute('aria-busy', String(loading));
  btn.textContent = loading ? 'Saving…' : 'Save changes';
}

References​