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hig-components-status — Claude Code skill: what it does & setup

Provides Apple Human Interface Guidelines for progress indicators and status bars. Useful when building interfaces for iOS and watchOS.

Install into Claude Code · Skills CLI (Vercel) All methods and platforms ↓
npx skills add raintree-technology/hig-doctor --skill hig-components-status -a claude-code
Open on GitHub

What hig-components-status does

This skill injects Apple Human Interface Guidelines for status and progress components into your coding agent. It dictates when to use determinate progress bars versus indeterminate spinners. For tasks longer than a second or two with a known duration, it enforces progress bars. Spinners remain reserved for unpredictable requests. It also guides status bar styling, safe area handling, and visibility rules.

Before asking clarifying questions, the agent checks for .claude/apple-design-context.md. The guidelines enforce strict rules for watchOS activity rings: they belong strictly to Move, Exercise, and Stand goals powered by HealthKit APIs. Repurposing these rings or their standard red, green, and blue colors for unrelated gamification directly breaks Apple design conventions.

What it helps with

  • choose between determinate progress bars and loading spinners
  • handle status bar styles and safe areas across iOS interfaces
  • structure watchOS activity rings according to HealthKit standards
  • position inline loading indicators next to upcoming content

Example prompts for the agent

  • Should I use a progress bar or a spinner for this file upload?
  • How do I handle the iOS status bar in a full-screen media player?
  • What are the HIG rules for displaying activity rings on watchOS?

How to install hig-components-status

1Skills CLI (Vercel)

npx skills add raintree-technology/hig-doctor --skill hig-components-status -a claude-code

2Manually: put the files in place

~/.claude/skills/hig-components-status/SKILL.md

Copy the whole skill folder; for one project use .claude/skills/hig-components-status/

Step by step, with commands for each platform: How to install skills in Claude Code: five ways

Questions about hig-components-status

How do I install hig-components-status in Claude Code?

Run npx skills add raintree-technology/hig-doctor --skill hig-components-status -a claude-code. Alternatively, copy the skill file to ~/.claude/skills/hig-components-status/SKILL.md.

What does hig-components-status do?

It equips the agent with Apple HIG specifications for progress indicators, status bars, and activity rings. This helps you build interfaces aligned with Apple rules on contrast, safe areas, and VoiceOver.

Can activity rings be used for custom progress metrics?

No. Apple HIG explicitly reserves activity rings and their red, green, and blue colors for Move, Exercise, and Stand metrics tracked through HealthKit.

Source text

SKILL.md · MIT
---
name: hig-components-status
version: 1.0.0
description: >-
  Apple HIG guidance for status and progress UI components including progress indicators,
  status bars, and activity rings. Use this skill when asked about: "progress indicator",
  "progress bar", "loading spinner", "status bar", "activity ring", "progress display",
  determinate vs indeterminate progress, loading states, or fitness tracking rings.
  Also use when the user says "how do I show loading state," "should I use a spinner
  or progress bar," "what goes in the status bar," or asks about activity indicators.
  Cross-references: hig-components-system for widgets and complications,
  hig-inputs for gesture-driven progress controls, hig-technologies for HealthKit
  and activity ring data integration.
---

# Apple HIG: Status Components

Check for `.claude/apple-design-context.md` before asking questions. Use existing context and only ask for information not already covered.

## Key Principles

1. **Show progress for operations longer than a second or two.**

2. **Determinate when duration/percentage is known.** A filling progress bar gives users a clear sense of remaining work. Use for downloads, uploads, or any measurable process.

3. **Indeterminate when duration is unknown.** A spinner communicates work is happening without promising a timeframe. Use for unpredictable network requests.

4. **Prefer progress bars over spinners.** Determinate progress feels faster and more trustworthy.

5. **Place indicators where content will appear.** Inline progress near the content area, not modal or distant.

6. **Don't stack multiple indicators.** Aggregate simultaneous operations into one representation or show the most relevant.

7. **Don't hide the status bar without good reason.** Reserve hiding for immersive experiences (full-screen media, games, AR).

8. **Match status bar style to your content.** Light or dark for adequate contrast.

9. **Respect safe areas.** No interactive content behind the status bar.

10. **Restore the status bar promptly** when exiting immersive contexts.

11. **Activity rings are for Move, Exercise, and Stand goals.** Don't repurpose the ring metaphor for unrelated data.

12. **Respect ring color conventions.** Red (Move), green (Exercise), blue (Stand) are strongly associated with Apple Fitness.

13. **Use HealthKit APIs** for activity data rather than manual tracking.

14. **Celebrate completions** with animation and haptics when rings close.

## Reference Index

| Reference | Topic | Key content |
|---|---|---|
| [progress-indicators.md](references/progress-indicators.md) | Progress bars and spinners | Determinate, indeterminate, inline placement, duration |
| [status-bars.md](references/status-bars.md) | iOS/iPadOS status bar | System info, visibility, style, safe areas |
| [activity-rings.md](references/activity-rings.md) | watchOS activity rings | Move/Exercise/Stand, HealthKit, fitness tracking, color |

## Output Format

1. **Indicator type recommendation** with rationale (determinate vs indeterminate).
2. **Timing and animation guidance** -- duration thresholds, animation style, transitions.
3. **Accessibility** -- VoiceOver progress announcements, live region updates.
4. **Platform-specific behavior** across targeted platforms.

## Questions to Ask

1. Is the duration known or unknown?
2. Which platforms?
3. How long does the operation typically take?
4. System-level or in-app indicator?

## Related Skills

- **hig-components-system** -- Widgets and complications displaying progress or status
- **hig-inputs** -- Gestures triggering progress states (pull-to-refresh)
- **hig-technologies** -- HealthKit for activity ring data; VoiceOver for progress announcements

---

*Built by [Raintree Technology](https://raintree.technology) · [More developer tools](https://raintree.technology)*

© raintree-technology · MIT · raintree-technology/hig-doctor

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