UI-Patterns interface design pattern library

UI-Patterns.com is the work of Anders Toxboe, a Danish web developer who aims to categorize previously seemingly ad hoc approaches to web application development.

By not only listing different approaches to solving common design problems, but also rationalizing how, when, and why to use these solutions, we aim to create a tool that helps put an end to feature debates, clearly understand why we do what we do, and why we dont do what we dont do.

UI-Patterns.com is an attempt to create a library of such common solutions over time. This is a personal project, but contributions are very welcome.

It has long been a common practice in software design to use a library of repetitive solutions to common problems in software design. Such solutions are also called design patterns, as described by Christopher Alexander, and are used in real-world architectures. Personally, it was the now legendary book Design Patterns in Programming that inspired me to start looking for design patterns in user interface design.

Collections of software design patterns are a standard reference point for experienced programmers. But why not experienced user interface (UI) designers? This site aims to improve the situation for UI designers, who face many of the same problems that UI designers before them have.

Although UI-Patterns.com was founded in 2007, it was not the first site to create a UI design library. At the time, the now-defunct Yahoo! Design Pattern Library was the talk of the town. While it was very useful, it was far from complete. The original purpose of UI-Patterns was to fill some gaps.