real-world-metaphors
Real-World Metaphors in UI
UI patterns borrowed from the physical world reduce the learning curve because users already know how they work. A card feels like something you can pick up. A carousel feels like flipping through a stack. A drawer feels like it slides out from the side. These metaphors carry affordance — the user knows what to do before reading any instructions.
Use them deliberately, not decoratively.
Common Metaphors and When to Use Them
Card
A card is a bounded, self-contained unit of content — like a physical index card or a product on a shelf.
Use when:
- Content items are discrete and comparable (products, people, articles, tasks)
- Each item needs to be scanned quickly and potentially acted on
- Items benefit from a visual thumbnail, image, or icon
Key properties:
- Cards should be graspable: elevation (
--shadow-sm), border-radius, and clear boundary - All cards in a set should be the same width; height can vary with content
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