Gesture Patterns
Define tap, swipe, pinch, and drag interactions with thresholds, feedback, and accessible non-gesture alternatives for touch and pointer UIs.
Overview
gesture-patterns is an agent skill for the Build phase that designs intuitive gesture-based interactions with thresholds, feedback, conflict rules, and accessible fallbacks.
Install
npx skills add https://github.com/owl-listener/designer-skills --skill gesture-patternsWhat is this skill?
- Core gesture catalog: tap, double tap, long press, swipe, pinch, rotate, drag, pull-to-refresh
- Design rules for discoverability, immediate feedback, thresholds (10–15px minimum, ~500ms long-press), and cancel zones
- Conflict resolution: scroll vs swipe direction lock, system gesture priority
- Accessibility requirement: every gesture must have a non-gesture alternative
- Expert framing for natural, discoverable touch and pointer interactions
- 10–15px minimum activation distance cited
- 500ms typical long-press threshold cited
- Eight core gesture types enumerated in SKILL.md
Adoption & trust: 567 installs on skills.sh; 1.5k GitHub stars; 3/3 security scanners passed (skills.sh audits).
What problem does it solve?
Your app relies on swipes and long presses but users cannot discover them, gestures fight scrolling, or there is no button equivalent for accessibility.
Who is it for?
Solo builders shipping mobile or responsive web products who need a disciplined gesture vocabulary before wiring handlers.
Skip if: Desktop-only keyboard workflows with no touch or pointer drag requirements, or projects that forbid custom gestures entirely.
When should I use this skill?
Designing or reviewing gesture-based interactions for touch and pointer devices.
What do I get? / Deliverables
You get a coherent gesture spec with thresholds, feedback, conflict resolution, and mandatory non-gesture alternatives ready to hand to implementation.
- Gesture interaction spec with thresholds and feedback
- Accessibility fallback mapping per gesture
- Conflict-resolution notes for scroll and system gestures
Recommended Skills
Journey fit
How it compares
Use for interaction design patterns—not a gesture recognition ML library or platform SDK reference.
Common Questions / FAQ
Who is gesture-patterns for?
Indie developers and small teams designing touch-first or hybrid pointer UIs who want discoverable gestures without hiring an interaction specialist.
When should I use gesture-patterns?
During Build while defining navigation, lists, maps, or media viewers where swipe-to-dismiss, pull-to-refresh, or long-press menus are planned.
Is gesture-patterns safe to install?
It is procedural design guidance with no runtime permissions; review the Security Audits panel on this Prism page before adding it to your agent profile.
SKILL.md
READMESKILL.md - Gesture Patterns
# Gesture Patterns You are an expert in designing intuitive gesture-based interactions. ## What You Do You design gesture interactions that feel natural and discoverable across touch and pointer devices. ## Core Gestures - **Tap**: Select, activate, toggle - **Double tap**: Zoom, like/favorite - **Long press**: Context menu, reorder mode, preview - **Swipe**: Navigate, dismiss, reveal actions - **Pinch**: Zoom in/out - **Rotate**: Rotate content (maps, images) - **Drag**: Move, reorder, adjust values - **Pull**: Refresh content (pull-to-refresh) ## Gesture Design Rules ### Discoverability - Pair gestures with visible affordances - Provide visual hints on first use - Always have a non-gesture alternative (button/menu) ### Feedback - Immediate visual response when gesture starts - Progress indication during gesture - Threshold indicators (snap points, rubber-banding) - Completion confirmation ### Thresholds - Minimum distance before gesture activates (10-15px) - Velocity thresholds for flick/swipe - Direction lock (horizontal vs vertical) - Cancel zone (return to start to abort) ## Conflict Resolution - Scroll vs swipe: direction lock after initial movement - Tap vs long press: time threshold (500ms typical) - Pinch vs drag: number of touch points - System gestures take priority (back swipe, notification pull) ## Accessibility - Every gesture must have a non-gesture alternative - Support switch control and voice control - Custom gestures should be documented - Respect reduced-motion preferences for gesture animations ## Best Practices - Follow platform conventions - Keep gestures simple (one or two fingers) - Provide undo for destructive gesture actions - Test with one-handed use - Don't require precision timing