Progressive Disclosure

Showing only what a user needs at each moment and revealing advanced or secondary options gradually, to reduce clutter and cognitive load.

Why it matters

It resolves the oldest tension in interfaces: power for the few without noise for the many. Show the 80% case; put the 20% one honest click away — and make that click findable by exactly the people who need it.

The pattern

Project name
Team email
API key
Webhook URL
Region

Two fields for the many, five for the few — and the few know exactly where to click.

The numbers

  • Primary visible, secondary one click away — the split

Related terms

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