What should I consider when creating badge UI design?
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A badge is a small UI element that provides quick, contextual information such as statuses, updates, or categories, enhancing usability and user engagement without cluttering the interface.
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Common badge types include icon-only, text-only, numeric, dot-only, and combination badges (e.g., text with icons).
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They are often used for notifications, status indicators, content categorization, user profiles, and highlighting new features.
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Unlike tags, which categorize and are interactive, badges highlight dynamic information like alerts or updates and are generally non-interactive.
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To design effective badges, limit content, use recognizable icons, and ensure badges are visually distinct from buttons and tags.
Deep dive
A badge in UI design serves as a visual cue to indicate a status, event, or category. It’s a small, non-intrusive element that enhances usability by providing quick, contextual information without cluttering the interface.
In app badges also encourage engagement by forming habit loops—a behavioral pattern with three parts: a cue (like a red badge signaling unread messages), a routine (clicking the icon), and a reward (staying informed). Over time, this cycle becomes automatic, driving user interaction.
By highlighting updates, alerts, or new features, badges keep users informed and prompt timely actions.
What is the anatomy of a UI badge component?
A badge typically consists of:
- Container: The primary element that holds the badge. It can vary in shape (circle, square, pill).
- Badge label: This could be numeric, text, or icon-based, depending on the purpose.
What are the types of badges?
- Icon badges: Minimal visual indicators using simple graphics or symbols, providing quick cues without text.
- Text-only: Labels used to categorize or organize information with concise textual information.
- Numeric: Displays numeric information to show counts like unread messages or notifications.
- Dot-only: Small, colored dots indicating status changes, updates or alerts.
- Combination: Includes multiple elements like icons and text, or number and text within a container for detailed information.
What are the common badge UI design use cases?
- Notification badges: Show users they have unread messages, alerts, or errors, providing quick visibility of important updates without searching.
- Status indicators: Inform users about real-time statuses, such as "online" status of other users or "live" during events or broadcasts.
- Categorization badges: Organize and differentiate content, processes, or features within the application.
- Badges in user profiles: Highlight user roles or achievements.
- New features announcement: Сan be placed next to menu items or sections to highlight new features, using labels like "New" or "Updated."
What styling options are available for badges in UI?
Usage of color in badge: Use semantic colors like red for errors, green for success, and blue for info. Ensure high contrast for readability.
Corner radius: Adjust corner radius to vary shapes. Use rounded for standard badges, pilled for larger counts, and square to fit layout specs.
Outline: Use an outline stroke that matches the background color to make badges in UI stand out and remain detectable on any surface.
Shadow: Use a soft shadow with a matching color to give badges a gentle, floating appearance.
Is there a difference between badge UI component and a tag?
Yes, badges and tags serve distinct purposes in UI design, despite their similarities. Tags are elements used in software to categorize and organize content, making it easier to search, filter, and manage information efficiently.
Here is the comparison between badges and tags:
What to consider when designing a UI badge?
Limit symbols
Use as few characters as possible in your badges. For example, instead of displaying "1000 notifications," use "1k+". This keeps the badge easy to read at a glance.
Use simple icons
Choose universally recognized icons, such as a bell for alerts, to help users instantly grasp the badge's purpose.
Differentiate badges from buttons and tags
Ensure badges are visually distinct from buttons and tags by using unique borders or color schemes. This prevents confusion over whether a badge is clickable.
Position badges strategically
Place badges where users expect notifications or status indicators, like near headers or icons.
Optimize badge sizes
Choose badge sizes that are easy to read without taking up too much space. A standard size is a 16px container height, but always make sure they fit within your design and remain clear.
Keep the layout intact
Make sure badges don’t push nearby elements out of place when they expand. If a badge stretches to the right, the rest of your layout should stay aligned and look clean.
🤝 Credits
Our content combines the knowledge of Cieden’s designers with insights from industry influencers. Big thanks to all the influencers for sharing awesome content!
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Badge by Dell Design System
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UX Drill 01 — Tags, Badges, and Chips by Alex Chung
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