Skeleton Card
A card-shaped placeholder with an avatar, two lines of text and an image block, all shimmering. Drop it in wherever a feed item, product card or comment is about to appear.
Also known as: content placeholder, skeleton screen, ghost card.
HTML
<div class="ldr-skeleton-card" role="status" aria-label="Loading content"> <div class="ldr-skeleton-card-avatar"></div> <div class="ldr-skeleton-card-lines"><span></span><span></span></div> <div class="ldr-skeleton-card-image"></div> </div>
CSS
.ldr-skeleton-card {
--s: var(--ldr-size, 48px);
--c: var(--ldr-color, #3b82f6);
display: grid;
grid-template-columns: calc(var(--s) * 0.8) 1fr;
gap: calc(var(--s) / 4);
align-items: center;
width: calc(var(--s) * 5);
padding: calc(var(--s) / 4);
border: 1px solid color-mix(in srgb, var(--ldr-color, #3b82f6) 15%, transparent);
border-radius: calc(var(--s) / 6);
}
.ldr-skeleton-card-avatar {
width: calc(var(--s) * 0.8);
height: calc(var(--s) * 0.8);
border-radius: 50%;
}
.ldr-skeleton-card-lines {
display: grid;
gap: calc(var(--s) / 6);
}
.ldr-skeleton-card-lines span {
display: block;
height: calc(var(--s) / 5);
border-radius: calc(var(--s) / 12);
}
.ldr-skeleton-card-lines span:nth-child(2) { width: 60%; }
.ldr-skeleton-card-image {
grid-column: 1 / -1;
height: calc(var(--s) * 1.6);
border-radius: calc(var(--s) / 8);
}
.ldr-skeleton-card-avatar,
.ldr-skeleton-card-lines span,
.ldr-skeleton-card-image {
background: linear-gradient(90deg, color-mix(in srgb, var(--ldr-color, #3b82f6) 12%, transparent) 25%, color-mix(in srgb, var(--ldr-color, #3b82f6) 28%, transparent) 50%, color-mix(in srgb, var(--ldr-color, #3b82f6) 12%, transparent) 75%);
background-size: 200% 100%;
animation: ldr-skeleton-card-shimmer 1.5s ease-in-out infinite;
}
@keyframes ldr-skeleton-card-shimmer {
from { background-position: 100% 0; }
to { background-position: -100% 0; }
}
@media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
.ldr-skeleton-card, .ldr-skeleton-card *, .ldr-skeleton-card::before, .ldr-skeleton-card::after {
animation-duration: 3s;
}
}Tailwind CSS version
The same loader using only Tailwind's built-in animation utilities. No custom keyframes or config needed.
<div class="w-64 animate-pulse rounded-lg border border-gray-200 p-3">
<div class="flex items-center gap-3">
<div class="h-10 w-10 rounded-full bg-gray-200"></div>
<div class="flex-1 space-y-2">
<div class="h-3 rounded bg-gray-200"></div>
<div class="h-3 w-3/5 rounded bg-gray-200"></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="mt-3 h-20 rounded-md bg-gray-200"></div>
</div>Customizing this loader
- Color: set
--ldr-coloron the element or a parent. Currently previewing#3b82f6. - Size: set
--ldr-size. Every dimension in the snippet is derived from it. Currently previewing64px. - Speed: change the duration on the
animationshorthand. Delays on the children are relative, so they keep their rhythm. - Accessibility: the root carries
role="status"and anaria-labelso screen readers announce the wait. The reduced-motion rule at the end slows the animation for users who asked for less motion.