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Empty State

空状态

WebMobileDesktopDifficulty: Medium

The block you show when a list is completely empty — it should explain why it is empty and what to do next.

01

Live Demo

Actually clickable

No photos yet

Import the photos on your phone and you can start analysing and cleaning up.

An empty state isn't four words saying "no data". It has to say: why it's empty, and what to do now.

What you just saw:A brand-new album saying "No photos yet — take one" with a camera icon and a "New album" button.

02

What it actually is

The empty state is the most underrated pattern in the set. The default implementation is the words "No data", which wastes the single most confusing moment a user has. A good empty state carries three things: why it is empty, what can be done, and which button to press.

empty stateblank statezero stateno results stateempty placeholdernothing here yet
03

Anatomy · What it's made of

  1. Illustration插图

    Light line art, nothing too busy

  2. Title标题

    Names the current state

  3. Description描述

    Why it is empty + how to fill it

  4. Primary Action主操作

    One unambiguous button

04

When to Use

When it fits, and when it doesn't
Empty State usage recommendations
SituationUse it?
A list, search result, or inbox has nothing in itYes
It is the user first time and the page is completely blankYes
A filter combination returned no resultsYes
A task is finished (every item on a checklist is done)Depends
The content is merely still loadingNo

Three kinds of empty state need different treatment: "never created anything", "no results for this filter", and "task complete" — the copy and the recommended action are completely different.

The empty-state illustration is a supporting actor, not the star.

05

Similar Patterns

Don't mix these up
06

How to tell AI

Three levels of prompt

Add the component name and specifics

When a search returns nothing, show an empty state: the title "No photos match your search", the description "Try removing some filters or searching for something else", and the primary action "Clear all filters".

07

Don't just say this to AI

Bad → Better

Don't say this to AI

Show "no data" when there is no data.

Say this instead

Write the empty state in three parts: a title naming the current state + a description explaining why it is empty and how to fill it + one clear primary action. Keep the copy distinct for "first run / no filter results / task complete", and never reuse the skeleton styling.

08

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