Skeleton handoff
A publication preview uses a delayed, shape-matched placeholder for slower responses.

Reload the publication and compare fast and slow responses.
Subframe Original · MIT
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Component source
Standalone React component. Styles are included.
React only. No additional packages.
Render the default export inside a container with a defined height. Its optional active prop stops movement when false. This example works with React 19; Next.js projects can use it as a client component.
View source code
/**
* MIT License
* Copyright (c) 2026 Subframe
* Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
* of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
* in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
* to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
* copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
* furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
* The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in
* all copies or substantial portions of the Software.
* THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
* IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
* FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
* AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
* LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
* OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN
* THE SOFTWARE.
*/
"use client"
import * as React from "react"
function usePreview(active: boolean) {
const [reduced, setReduced] = React.useState(true),
[instant, setInstant] = React.useState(false)
React.useEffect(() => {
const q = matchMedia("(prefers-reduced-motion: reduce)")
const read = () => setReduced(q.matches)
read()
q.addEventListener("change", read)
return () => q.removeEventListener("change", read)
}, [])
return {
still: !active || reduced || instant,
reduced,
onKeyDownCapture: () => setInstant(true),
onPointerDownCapture: () => setInstant(false),
}
}
export default function Example({ active = true }: { active?: boolean }) {
const preview = usePreview(active)
const [request, setRequest] = React.useState(0),
[loading, setLoading] = React.useState(false),
[skeleton, setSkeleton] = React.useState(false),
[edition, setEdition] = React.useState(0),
[fast, setFast] = React.useState(false)
const start = () => {
if (loading) return
setLoading(true)
setRequest((n) => n + 1)
}
React.useEffect(() => {
if (!loading || !active) return
const show = setTimeout(() => setSkeleton(true), 140)
const finish = setTimeout(
() => {
setEdition((n) => (n + 1) % 3)
setLoading(false)
setSkeleton(false)
},
fast ? 65 : 850,
)
return () => {
clearTimeout(show)
clearTimeout(finish)
}
}, [request, loading, active, fast])
return (
<section
className="sf-w2-skeleton-handoff"
data-still={preview.still}
onKeyDownCapture={preview.onKeyDownCapture}
onPointerDownCapture={preview.onPointerDownCapture}
>
<div className="publication">
<div className="row between top">
<span>From the archive</span>
<button type="button" aria-label="Reload publication preview" disabled={loading} onClick={start}>
↻
</button>
</div>
<div className="content" aria-busy={loading} data-skeleton={skeleton}>
<div className="cover" aria-hidden>
<div className="shape" style={{ transform: `rotate(${edition * 45}deg)` }} />
<strong>{["a", "b", "c"][edition]}</strong>
</div>
<div className="copy">
<small>FIELD NOTES</small>
<h2>
{["Structures<br/>of silence.", "A different<br/>measure.", "Forms<br/>in motion."][edition]
.split("<br/>")
.map((s, i) => (
<React.Fragment key={s}>
{i > 0 && <br />}
{s}
</React.Fragment>
))}
</h2>
<p>{["Collected essays / 2026", "Design journal / 2026", "Material studies / 2026"][edition]}</p>
</div>
<div className="bones" aria-hidden>
<i />
<div>
<b />
<b />
<b />
<span />
</div>
</div>
</div>
<footer>
<label>
<input type="checkbox" checked={fast} disabled={loading} onChange={(e) => setFast(e.target.checked)} />
Fast response
</label>
<span role="status">{loading ? "Loading…" : "Ready"}</span>
</footer>
</div>
<style>{`.sf-w2-skeleton-handoff{position:relative;isolation:isolate;container-type:inline-size;width:100%;height:100%;min-height:280px;overflow:hidden;box-sizing:border-box;font:13px/1.4 Arial,sans-serif;-webkit-font-smoothing:antialiased}.sf-w2-skeleton-handoff *{box-sizing:border-box}.sf-w2-skeleton-handoff button,.sf-w2-skeleton-handoff input,.sf-w2-skeleton-handoff select,.sf-w2-skeleton-handoff textarea{font:inherit}.sf-w2-skeleton-handoff button{cursor:pointer;touch-action:manipulation;min-height:44px;border:0;background:none;color:inherit}.sf-w2-skeleton-handoff button:disabled{opacity:.4;cursor:default}.sf-w2-skeleton-handoff button:active:not(:disabled){transform:scale(.98)}.sf-w2-skeleton-handoff input,.sf-w2-skeleton-handoff textarea{font-size:16px;min-width:0}.sf-w2-skeleton-handoff button:focus-visible,.sf-w2-skeleton-handoff input:focus-visible,.sf-w2-skeleton-handoff select:focus-visible,.sf-w2-skeleton-handoff textarea:focus-visible,.sf-w2-skeleton-handoff [tabindex]:focus-visible{outline:2px solid #3376ef;outline-offset:3px}.sf-w2-skeleton-handoff h2,.sf-w2-skeleton-handoff p{margin:0}.sf-w2-skeleton-handoff .row{display:flex;align-items:center;gap:12px}.sf-w2-skeleton-handoff .between{justify-content:space-between}.sf-w2-skeleton-handoff .muted{opacity:.6}.sf-w2-skeleton-handoff .sr{position:absolute;width:1px;height:1px;overflow:hidden;clip-path:inset(50%);white-space:nowrap}.sf-w2-skeleton-handoff[data-still=true] *,.sf-w2-skeleton-handoff[data-still=true] *::before,.sf-w2-skeleton-handoff[data-still=true] *::after{animation:none!important;transition:none!important;scroll-behavior:auto!important}@media(prefers-reduced-motion:reduce){.sf-w2-skeleton-handoff *,.sf-w2-skeleton-handoff *::before,.sf-w2-skeleton-handoff *::after{animation:none!important;transition:none!important;scroll-behavior:auto!important}}@media(hover:hover) and (pointer:fine){.sf-w2-skeleton-handoff button:hover:not(:disabled){filter:brightness(.96)}}.sf-w2-skeleton-handoff{display:grid;place-items:center;background:#24477b;color:#f6f7fa;padding:22px}.sf-w2-skeleton-handoff .publication{width:min(100%,430px)}.sf-w2-skeleton-handoff .top{font-size:10px;border-bottom:1px solid #52709b;margin-bottom:22px;height:38px}.sf-w2-skeleton-handoff .top button{font-size:20px;width:44px;color:#b7c8e1}.sf-w2-skeleton-handoff .content{position:relative;display:flex;gap:26px;min-height:166px}.sf-w2-skeleton-handoff .cover{width:118px;flex-shrink:0;height:166px;background:#e4e5d9;position:relative;overflow:hidden;color:#193e6c;transition:opacity .2s}.sf-w2-skeleton-handoff .shape{position:absolute;left:54px;top:10px;width:150px;height:150px;border:1px solid #284874;border-radius:50%;transition:transform .22s}.sf-w2-skeleton-handoff .cover strong{font:100px Georgia,serif;position:absolute;bottom:-3px;left:15px;font-weight:400}.sf-w2-skeleton-handoff .copy{padding:12px 0;transition:opacity .2s}.sf-w2-skeleton-handoff .copy small{font:9px monospace;letter-spacing:1px;color:#a1b5d2}.sf-w2-skeleton-handoff h2{font:31px/1.02 Georgia,serif;font-weight:400;margin:20px 0 16px;letter-spacing:-.8px}.sf-w2-skeleton-handoff .copy p{font-size:10px;color:#a1b5d2}.sf-w2-skeleton-handoff .bones{position:absolute;inset:0;display:flex;gap:26px;opacity:0;pointer-events:none;transition:opacity .15s}.sf-w2-skeleton-handoff .bones>i{width:118px;height:166px;background:#4d6c98;flex-shrink:0}.sf-w2-skeleton-handoff .bones>div{padding-top:13px;flex:1}.sf-w2-skeleton-handoff .bones b{display:block;background:#4d6c98;height:15px;width:90%;margin:17px 0}.sf-w2-skeleton-handoff .bones b:first-child{height:5px;width:40%;margin:0 0 26px}.sf-w2-skeleton-handoff .bones b:nth-child(3){width:72%}.sf-w2-skeleton-handoff .bones span{display:block;width:70%;height:5px;background:#4d6c98;margin-top:28px}.sf-w2-skeleton-handoff [data-skeleton=true] .cover,.sf-w2-skeleton-handoff [data-skeleton=true] .copy{opacity:0}.sf-w2-skeleton-handoff [data-skeleton=true] .bones{opacity:1}.sf-w2-skeleton-handoff footer{display:flex;justify-content:space-between;margin-top:20px;font-size:10px;color:#a6bddb}.sf-w2-skeleton-handoff footer label{display:flex;align-items:center;gap:7px;min-height:44px}.sf-w2-skeleton-handoff footer input{accent-color:#bdcce0;width:13px;height:13px}.sf-w2-skeleton-handoff footer>span{align-self:center}@container(max-width:400px){.sf-w2-skeleton-handoff .content,.sf-w2-skeleton-handoff .bones{gap:17px}.sf-w2-skeleton-handoff h2{font-size:25px}.sf-w2-skeleton-handoff .cover,.sf-w2-skeleton-handoff .bones>i{width:89px;height:151px}.sf-w2-skeleton-handoff .content{min-height:151px}.sf-w2-skeleton-handoff .cover strong{font-size:85px;left:12px}.sf-w2-skeleton-handoff .top{margin-bottom:10px}.sf-w2-skeleton-handoff footer{margin-top:10px}}`}</style>
</section>
)
}
Where it works well
Avoid placeholder flashes on fast responses while keeping slower content spatially predictable.
Reduced motion
Placeholder and content swap instantly without fading; timing and layout remain stable.
Things to know
Simulated local responses: 65 ms fast and 850 ms slow. The slow placeholder lasts 710 ms; this is not a general request cache or minimum-dwell abstraction.