Loading and unavailable states

Loading and unavailable states

Loading content means the application is retrieving it. An unavailable authentication state means the application cannot currently complete its authentication check and is retrying when a stored token is available.

On Home, the article area uses this pattern while the header communicates whether access is still being checked, signed in, signed out, or temporarily unavailable.

Before you start

Prerequisites

• Have access to the application and the Home or Sign in page.
• If authentication becomes unavailable, keep the stored token in place so automatic retry can continue.
• Allow the authentication request to return before deciding whether the state is temporary or requires signing in again.

Authentication becomes temporarily unavailable after a server error or network error. With a stored token, retry waits for 2 seconds, then 4, then 8, and then 16 seconds; later retries remain at 16 seconds. A client error in the 4XX range clears authentication instead.

Find the state on screen

Prerequisites

• Know whether you are checking article and tag content or authentication.

Steps

1. Select the matching navigation label:

   If you need to check…	Select…
   The header, article area, or Popular Tags area	Home
   The authentication form	Sign in

Result: You are on the screen that can display the loading or unavailable message you need to identify.

Understand the messages and fields

Loading and authentication status appear in different areas. Use the message and its location to identify what is happening.

The authentication form uses Email and Password. On Register it also uses Username; the username field does not appear on Login. The submit button uses the current page title, which is Sign in on Login and Sign up on Register.

While the article area is retrieving content, article results, pagination, and the empty-article message are not shown. When tags are empty, tag links are not shown. While the application is checking access or reconnecting, signed-in navigation is not shown; the header instead uses the message-specific navigation described above.

Wait for content or reload

Use this procedure when Home is still retrieving article or tag content, or when the header says Connecting....

Prerequisites

• Be on Home.
• The page shows Loading articles..., Loading tags..., or Connecting....

Steps

1. Keep the relevant page open and follow the matching action:

   When you see…	Do this…
   Loading articles... in the article area	Keep Home open until the article area changes
   Loading tags... in the tags area	Keep Home open until the tags area changes
   Connecting... in the header	Reload the page while automatic authentication retry continues

Result: The page shows article results and pagination after a successful article request, or it continues its authentication retry cycle after a temporary authentication failure.

Handle the different states

Use the message and the content around it to choose the matching path.

Prerequisites

• Be on Home and see one of the messages or content conditions below.

Steps

1. Match what you see to the reader action in the table:

Result: You have chosen the response that matches the message or content condition on screen.

Authentication responses take a different path: an invalid authentication response clears access, while a server or network problem displays Connecting... and schedules retry. The article area shows its loading message when a query starts and shows content when the query succeeds.

When authentication or content does not load

Authentication failure handling determines whether the application clears the current authentication or keeps it for retry. Dynamic API error entries are handled by the shared error list on the pages that own those requests.

Prerequisites

• Know whether the header shows Connecting... or whether the page has returned to its signed-out view.

Steps

1. Follow the matching recovery action:

   When you see…	Do this…
   Connecting... in the header	Keep the current page open while automatic retry continues
   Access has been cleared after an invalid authentication response	Select Sign in
   A dynamic API error entry	Use General error messages

Result: You either remain in the retrying authentication path or arrive at the sign-in task after authentication is cleared.

Know what happens next

A successful article request displays its results and calculates pagination. A successful authentication retry restores signed-in navigation; an invalid authentication response clears access and sends you to the sign-in task.

Prerequisites

• Have identified whether the page loaded content, is retrying authentication, or cleared authentication.

Steps

1. Follow the matching next action:

   When…	Do this…
   The article request finishes successfully	Continue reading the article results
   The header shows Connecting...	Keep the current page open while automatic retry uses 2, 4, 8, and 16-second intervals
   An invalid authentication response clears access	Select Sign in
   You need broader troubleshooting	Open Common issues and solutions

Result: You continue with loaded content, remain in the automatic retry path, or reach the next documented task for authentication recovery.