notifications-and-recoverylisted
Install: claude install-skill dembrandt/dembrandt-skills
# Notifications and Recovery
When something changes — success, failure, or anything in between — the user must know. And when something goes wrong, they must always have a path forward. A notification without a recovery action is just an apology.
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## Pattern Selection
| Pattern | When to use | Dismissal |
|---|---|---|
| **Toast** | Transient result of a user action (saved, sent, deleted) | Auto-dismiss 4–6s, manual close |
| **Inline error** | Field-level validation, form errors | Clears on correction |
| **Alert banner** | Persistent issue affecting the current context | Manual dismiss or resolved state |
| **Modal / dialog** | Blocking error requiring a decision before continuing | User action required |
| **Empty state** | No data yet — guide the user to the first action | N/A |
| **Skeleton / loading** | Async content pending | Replaced by content |
| **In-place confirmation** | Inline edit saved, row updated, item toggled | Auto-clears after 2–3s |
---
## Toast Notifications
Toasts confirm that a background action completed. They appear without interrupting the user's flow.
**Placement:** bottom-center or bottom-right. Never top-center — it competes with page content and navigation.
**Duration:** 4–6 seconds for information. Errors should persist until dismissed — the user needs time to read and act.
**Anatomy:**
```
[Icon] Message text [Action] [×]
```
- Icon: colour-coded (green ✓ success, red ✗ error, orange ⚠ warning, blue ℹ info)
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