Use this page to identify a loading, empty, connection, or request-error message and choose the next action.
Overview
Loading messages mean that the screen is waiting for a request to finish. Empty messages mean that the request completed without matching articles. A connection message describes the current sign-in connection state. A request error is shown when a request returns error data for the screen to display.
| If you need to… | Go to |
|---|---|
| Tell a loading message from an empty result or request error | Identify the message and its condition |
| Prepare the route and account details before interpreting a message | Before you start |
| Respond to a message after a request | Respond to a loading or error message |
| Continue with article discovery | Discover articles |
| Read an article | Read an article |
| Create or edit an article | Create an article or Edit an article |
| View or follow a profile | View a profile or Follow an author |
| Update account settings | Update your settings |
| Review broader remedies | Common issues and solutions |
Before you start
Before interpreting a message, know which route you opened, whether you are signed in, and which profile, article, tag, or feed you requested. The message belongs to that request context.
| Have this ready | Why it matters | Where it applies |
|---|---|---|
| The opened page | The same message text can belong to a profile, feed, or article surface. | The page you opened |
| The profile name | The profile request uses it to load the profile. | The profile page |
| The article | The article and editor requests use it to identify the article. | The article page or editor |
| The tag name | The feed request uses it to filter the article list. | The tag feed |
| Your sign-in state | The header shows Connecting… only for a signed-out user while authentication is unavailable. | Signed-out header |
| The request you just submitted | Login, registration, settings, article, comment, and comment-deletion requests place their returned messages in the relevant error surface. | The form or article action you used |
Identify the message and its condition
Read the message first, then compare the screen state with the condition in the table. An empty result means the request finished and returned no matching articles; it is different from a list that is still loading.
| What you see | Condition | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
Loading profile... | The profile is not loaded and no profile error is present. | The profile request is still in progress. |
This profile could not be loaded. Please try again later. | The profile has a profile error. | The profile request reached its error state. |
Loading articles... | The article list is loading. | The article-list request is still in progress. |
No articles are here... yet. | The list is no longer loading and contains zero articles. | The request completed with no matching articles. |
Your feed is empty. | The following feed is not loading and contains zero articles. | The following feed has no articles to display. |
Go to the Global Feed | The following feed is empty. | The page offers a route to the global feed. |
Connecting… | Authentication is unavailable while the user is signed out. | The header is showing the connection state. |
When a request is rejected, the error list shows the validation messages returned for that request. The list is used on login, registration, settings, article editing, comment entry, and comment deletion surfaces.
A rejected request can place API validation messages in the error list.
Respond to a loading or error message
Use this procedure after a request leaves a loading state, shows a fixed message, or displays returned request errors.
Prerequisites
- Know the route and request that produced the message.
- Have the profile username, article slug, tag, or account details required by that request.
Steps
-
Read the visible message and match it to the condition in the table above.
-
If the message is
Loading profile...orLoading articles..., wait for the request to finish before choosing an outcome. -
If the following feed shows
Your feed is empty., select Go to the Global Feed to open the global feed. -
Return to the screen where you submitted the request, correct the relevant fields, and submit the request again.
Request Fields to review Submit control Sign in Email, Password Sign in Sign up Username, Email, Password Sign up Update settings URL of profile picture, Your username, Short bio about you, Email, Password Update Settings Publish or edit an article Article Title, What's this article about?, Write your article (in markdown), Enter tags Publish Article Post a comment Write a comment... Post Comment -
Choose the action for the message that remains on screen.
If you see Action This profile could not be loaded. Please try again later.Return to the profile page and request the profile again. No articles are here... yet.Change the feed or tag name to look for a different article set. Connecting…Check the header again after the connection state changes; continue when Connecting…is no longer displayed.
Result: The screen shows the state for the request you selected, or the relevant feed, profile, or form is open for the next action.
Know what happens next
After a successful request, the affected screen clears its request errors or proceeds to the next screen. After a failed request, the screen keeps the returned messages in its error surface when that surface is available.
| Request or load | Result after success | Result after failure |
|---|---|---|
| Login or registration | The authentication store records the returned user and the form proceeds to its destination. | Returned errors appear in the form's error list. |
| Settings update | The settings errors clear and the screen goes to the profile route. | Returned errors appear above the settings form. |
| Article publish or edit | The screen goes to the article route for the returned article. | Returned errors appear above the editor. |
| Profile load | The profile is displayed. | After the retry sequence, the profile error message appears and the profile is cleared. |
| Article-list load | The article list leaves loading and displays articles or an empty-list message. | The list remains in its loading state. |
| Follow or unfollow | The profile is replaced with the returned profile. | The profile stays unchanged and no error message is displayed. |
| Article or comment fetch | The article or comments are loaded into the article page. | The article page has no dedicated fetch-error message. |
For a request that has no dedicated message, continue from the screen state that remains visible. Use Common issues and solutions for broader remedies. Continue with Update your settings, Create an article, Edit an article, View a profile, or Read an article when that task owns the next action.
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