onboard

Start by identifying the aha moment users should reach, then design a minimal path to it: a welcome screen with a clear value proposition, one to three core concept introductions, and a guided first success using pre-populated examples or templates. Always include a skip option for experienced users.

An effective empty state includes what will appear there, why it matters, a clear call to action to create the first item, visual interest such as an illustration, and optional contextual help like a short tutorial link. Different types exist for first use, cleared content, no results, no permissions, and errors.

Use guided tours for complex interfaces with many features or significant product changes, keeping them to three to seven steps. Use contextual tooltips for individual features, triggered the first time a user encounters them, with dismissible and do-not-show-again options.

Track completion and dismissal states in localStorage, such as flags for completed onboarding and seen tooltips. Respect these flags on subsequent visits so returning users never see initial onboarding or repeated tooltips again.

Avoid forcing long mandatory walkthroughs, blocking the UI during tours, teaching everything upfront instead of using progressive disclosure, hiding the skip option, and creating tutorial modes disconnected from the real product. Onboarding should prioritize time to value over comprehensive feature education.