Keep the user anchored to the action they just took, then confirm the result without forcing a page-level transition. Avoid: Avoid full-screen loading for small form actions unless the whole page is blocked.

Skeletons preserve layout context and make the wait feel shorter than an isolated spinner. Avoid: Avoid skeletons when the final layout is unpredictable or the fetch usually completes instantly.

Search needs fast input affordance, lightweight loading feedback, and a graceful zero-result state. Avoid: Avoid decorative search animations on search-first pages where the input should always be visible.

Uploads need measurable progress when possible, then clear success or retry feedback. Avoid: Avoid fake percentage progress if the system cannot estimate completion.

Guide attention only when the next action is important enough to interrupt the normal interface. Avoid: Avoid highlighting many elements at once or repeating the same tour after acknowledgement.

Errors should point to the exact fix before using broad page-level motion. Avoid: Avoid playful motion for destructive, financial, or security-sensitive failures.

Use skeleton for layout context; add shimmer only when the placeholder would otherwise feel static during a longer wait.

Use spinner for short or unknown waits; use progress bar when completion is measurable or the wait is long.

Use toast for non-blocking confirmation; use a success screen when completion changes the user journey.

Use scale for quiet button feedback, ripple for material-style surfaces, and haptic bounce for playful mobile-first actions.

Use fade for simple state changes; use shared element transitions when preserving object continuity matters.

Use active pill slide for segmented controls and filter chips, tab underline for navigation tabs, and fade for the content change that follows selection.

Disable the submitted button, show local progress, then confirm with a toast or success view depending on task importance.

Show structure while data loads, hand off to staggered content reveal, and handle the empty result without feeling broken.

Make search available, indicate fast querying, then distinguish result reveal from a true no-result state.

Prefer real progress, fall back to indeterminate motion only when progress is unknown, then show clear completion or retry feedback.

Start with focused guidance, move to subtle reminders, and make completion visibly accumulate.

Give the tap a small press response, slide the selected pill to preserve state continuity, then fade the content into the newly selected result.