Thinking State

The wait before the first word: what it is doing, for how long, and the trail so far.

Category
AI Chat
Access
Free with an account
Source
231 lines · one file
States
3 drawn

When to use it

Use Thinking State for the wait before an answer starts: a label, the step the model is on, a timer, and a trail of steps that folds to "Thought for 5s · 3 steps" when done. AI Chat shows it on its own; use this when you build the thread yourself.

Installation

How you get it

Paste this into Claude Code, Cursor, Codex or any coding agent. It installs the file and uses it as it is, instead of writing a new one.

Use Liro's Thinking State for this.
Install it: npx shadcn@latest add @liro/thinking-state
(the @liro registry is set up in components.json, with LIRO_KEY in .env.local)
Import it from @/components/ui/thinking-state.
Do not rewrite or restyle it. Pass my data through its props
and keep its built-in states.

For the full brief with every prop and the mistakes assistants usually make, use Copy prompt above. Free components install through the @liro registry with your CLI token: see the Namespaced tab.

Usage

components/thinking.tsx
import { ThinkingState } from "@/components/ui/thinking-state";

export function Thinking({ done }: { done: boolean }) {
  return (
    <ThinkingState
      label="Searching your files"
      steps={[
        { label: "Reading invoices.csv", status: "done" },
        { label: "Matching payments", status: done ? "done" : "active" },
      ]}
      done={done}
    />
  );
}

API reference

“Copy prompt” above puts a full brief on your clipboard, install command, dependencies, props, and the mistakes an assistant usually makes with this component.

Props

Read from the component’s own TypeScript interface when the site is built, so this table cannot drift from the file you install.

TypeNotes
labelstring NoOne word for what is happening. Default "Thinking".
detailstring NoWhat it is doing right now. Changes are crossfaded.
stepsThinkingStep[] NoThe trail so far. With steps, the row becomes a button that unfolds them.
doneboolean NoFinished. Stops the motion and reads "Thought for 6s".
secondsnumber NoSeconds taken. Counted from mount when left out.
variant"shimmer" | "dots" | "pulse" No`shimmer` sweeps the label, `dots` bounce beside it, `pulse` breathes the mark. Default `shimmer`.
defaultOpenboolean NoWhether the steps start unfolded. Default false.
openboolean No–
onOpenChange(open: boolean) => void No–

Dependencies

npm packages

clsxframer-motionlucide-reacttailwind-merge

Liro foundations, installed alongside it

liro-theme

States

All of them are drawn by the component. None is left for you to design.

  • Thinking
  • With steps
  • Done

Accessibility

  • Keyboard reachable throughout, in visual order
  • Focus trapped in overlays, Escape closes them
  • Focus returns to whatever opened it
  • Live regions announce what changed, not that something did
  • Honours prefers-reduced-motion

Responsive behavior

  • Sizes to its container, not the viewport
  • Usable from 320px up
  • Pointer-based interaction, so trackpad and touch both work
  • No hover-only affordances