Error States Skill

Purpose

Provides error handling patterns that maintain trust and guide users when things go wrong. Includes custom error pages, form validation states, loading indicators, offline fallbacks, and network error handling.

Core Rules

1. Never blame the user — "We couldn't find that" not "Invalid request"
2. Offer next steps — Always provide a way forward
3. Keep branding — Error pages should match site design
4. Be helpful — Search, popular links, contact info
5. Log errors — Track 404s to fix broken links
6. Accessible errors — Use ARIA labels and semantic HTML
7. Loading feedback — Show spinners for async operations
8. Network awareness — Handle offline states gracefully
9. User-friendly messages — Translate HTTP codes to plain language
10. Prevent error loops — Fail silently in error handlers