Project Overview
UI Playground is my experimental space for testing new UI patterns, micro-interactions, and accessibility features. It's built with React and Storybook, allowing me to develop and showcase components in isolation.
Purpose
The main goals of this project are:
- Experiment - Try out new design patterns and interactions
- Learn - Deepen my understanding of React and modern CSS
- Document - Create a personal library of reusable components
- Share - Showcase my work and help others learn
Components Library
Interactive Elements
- Animated buttons with various hover effects
- Custom form inputs with validation
- Modal dialogs with smooth transitions
- Dropdown menus with keyboard navigation
Layout Components
- Responsive grid systems
- Flexbox-based card layouts
- Sticky headers and footers
- Sidebar navigation patterns
Accessibility Features
- ARIA labels and roles
- Keyboard navigation support
- Screen reader friendly components
- Focus management
Tech Stack
- React - Component library
- Storybook - Component development environment
- Styled Components - CSS-in-JS styling
- Framer Motion - Animation library
- React Testing Library - Component testing
Key Learnings
1. Accessibility First
I learned that building accessible components from the start is much easier than retrofitting accessibility later. Key practices include:
- Semantic HTML
- Proper ARIA attributes
- Keyboard navigation
- Color contrast ratios
2. Animation Performance
Smooth animations require careful consideration of:
- Using CSS transforms instead of position changes
- Leveraging GPU acceleration
- Avoiding layout thrashing
- Implementing proper loading states
3. Component API Design
Creating intuitive component APIs involves:
- Clear prop naming
- Sensible defaults
- Flexible composition patterns
- Comprehensive documentation
Favorite Experiments
Glassmorphism Cards
Created beautiful frosted glass effect cards using backdrop-filter and subtle shadows.
Micro-interactions
Implemented delightful hover effects, loading states, and transition animations that enhance user experience.
Dark Mode Toggle
Built a smooth dark mode toggle with system preference detection and persistent user choice.
Next Steps
- Add more complex components (data tables, charts)
- Implement design tokens system
- Create component documentation site
- Add automated visual regression testing
This playground is constantly evolving as I discover new patterns and techniques.