Choose a skeleton screen layout style
A skeleton screen is a page loading placeholder that shows gray blocks matching the page layout before content loads. It provides visual feedback that the page is loading, offering a better user experience than traditional loading spinners.
Traditional loaders use spinning icons that don't indicate progress. Skeleton screens show the actual page layout structure, letting users perceive the content arrangement before it loads. Studies show skeleton screens significantly reduce perceived waiting time.
Copy the HTML and CSS into your project. Replace the skeleton with real content once data loads, using JavaScript to toggle visibility or conditional rendering in frameworks like React or Vue.
The shimmer effect moves a CSS gradient across elements using background-position animation. It creates a flowing light effect using a linear-gradient from base color to highlight and back. This is the most popular skeleton screen animation style.