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Modal vs toast 0:40
A 40-second explainer of Modal vs toast, narrated over the same demo you can try yourself.
Try the interactive Modal vs toast demo
What this video covers
Two ways to communicate that something has happened. A modal halts activity and requires a response before proceeding; a toast appears briefly, delivers its message, then disappears. One interrupts, one glides away - and choosing the wrong one creates a usability issue.
Confirming a routine save with a modal made you stop and click "OK" for no reason - an interruption tax. The toast did the same job and got out of the way. Flip it for a destructive action, though, and the toast that vanishes is exactly wrong. Match the weight of the interruption to the weight of the moment.