Iconography
Iconography is a visual language used to represent features, functionality, or content. Icons are intended to be simple visual elements that are recognized and understood immediately.
Icon set
The basic icon set represents actions, status, and symbols. Icons are displayed in 4 sizes based on its usage — normal (16x16px), medium (20x20px), big (32x32px), large (48x48px). Icon variants may also be utilized to best support the icon's usage. Refer to icon usage for more guidelines regarding the 8 variants.
Available icons (61)
Icon | Name | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| add-plus | Action | Use to add a repeating element in-line. | |
| angle-down | Action | Use to collapse a tutorial card. | |
| angle-left-double | Action | Use to represent a direction of movement for objects or information from one state to another. | |
| angle-left | Action | Use to control pagination within a long data set. | |
| angle-right-double | Action | Use to represent a direction of movement for objects or information from one state to another. | |
| angle-right | Action | Use to control pagination within a long data set. | |
| angle-up | Action | Use to expand a tutorial card. | |
| arrow-left | Action | Use to navigate to the previous page in a panel view. | |
| bug | Symbol | Use to represent issues (bugs). | |
| call | Symbol | Use to represent communication via phone call. | |
| calendar | Action | Use to invoke a date picker. | |
| caret-down-filled | Action | Use to indicate sort order within a table or to hide content from view within a collapsible element. Example: In sections, a card, or select dropdowns. | |
| caret-down | Action | Use to indicate an unsorted column within a table or a non-active state of the caret-down-filled icon. | |
| caret-left-filled | Action | An alternative to the caret-right-filled icon for interfaces structured from right-to-left. | |
| caret-right-filled | Action | Use to open hidden content into view within a collapsible element. Example: In sections or a card. | |
| caret-up-filled | Action | Use to indicate sort order of a column within a table. | |
| caret-up | Action | Use to indicate a non-active state of the caret-up-filled icon. | |
| check | Action and Symbol | Use to confirm a change or indicate the selection of an element. | |
| contact | Symbol | Use to represent the direct one-on-one communication. | |
| close | Action | Use to remove a page element away from view. Example: Modal or side panel. | |
| copy | Action | Use to copy a code snippet or a resource’s configurations. | |
| download | Action | Use to start downloading a file onto the user’s machine. | |
| edit | Action | Use to invoke editing functionality. | |
| ellipsis | Action | Use to open the icon variant of the button dropdown. | |
| envelope | Symbol | Use to represent communication via email. | |
| expand | Action | Use to increase the size of the page element in view. | |
| external | Action | Use to label navigation which will direct users outside of the current service. | |
| file-open | Symbol | Use to represent an opened file within a file management structure. | |
| file | Symbol | Use to represent a file within a file management structure. | |
| filter | Symbol | Use to represent the ability to filter an element. | |
| folder-open | Symbol | Use to represent an opened folder within a file management structure. | |
| folder | Symbol | Use to represent a folder within a file management structure. | |
| heart | Symbol | Use to represent affirmation or contributions. | |
| key | Symbol | Use to represent a key within the context of security. | |
| lock-private | Symbol | Use to represent an artifact as private or secure. | |
| menu | Action | Use to open the side navigation panel. | |
| microphone | Action | Use to represent vocal communication method. Example: Voice recording. | |
| notification | Action | Use to open notifications into view. | |
| refresh | Action | Use to refresh the content within a page element. Example: Table or formfield. | |
| redo | Action | Use to redo an action within the interface. | |
| search | Symbol | Use to represent the ability to search an element. | |
| settings | Action | Use to open the settings of an element. Example: A table. | |
| share | Symbol | Use to represent sharing. | |
| status-info | Status | Indicate information, tips, or that a resource is running correctly but has recommendations for improvements. It is also used to open the help panel. | |
| status-in-progress | Status | Indicate that a process is in progress and running without errors. | |
| status-negative | Status | Indicate that a resource or process has failed and cannot recover without user intervention. | |
| status-pending | Status | Indicate that a resource or process is no longer running and severity is not relevant. | |
| status-positive | Status | Indicate that a resource is running correctly or a process has finished without errors. | |
| status-stopped | Status | Indicate that a resource, service, or process is no longer running and severity is not relevant. | |
| status-warning | Status | Indicate that a resource or process is working but is either unreliable or trending towards a critical state. | |
| treeview-collapse | Action | Use to collapse a branch from view within a tree view. | |
| treeview-expand | Action | Use to open a branch into view within a tree view. | |
| undo | Action | Use to undo an action within the interface. | |
| unlocked | Symbol | Use to represent an artifact that is public or unsecure. | |
| upload | Action | Use to invoke the ability for the user to upload a file. | |
| user-profile | Action | Use to open the user profile options. | |
| view-full | Action | Use to alter the view of a page element to expand full-screen to the page. | |
| view-horizontal | Action | Use to alter the view of a page element horizontally on the page. | |
| view-vertical | Action | Use to alter the view of a page element vertically on the page. | |
| zoom-in | Action | Use to enlarge the view of an area. | |
| zoom-out | Action | Use to reduce the view of an area. |
General guidelines
Use labels with status and symbol icons.
Don't use icons with page, section, or sub section headlines.
Don't combine multiple icons into one object or action.
Custom icons
When designing a custom icon consider the following:
Icons must be 16x16px. Some Cloudscape components will resize icons depending on the context.
Design icons using lines, not fills. Consistently use a 2px stroke, and align the stroke to the center. Ensure that each line is accurately aligned to the pixel grid in the icon template. Cloudscape components will adjust the stroke width based on the size of the icon.
Cloudscape components will adjust the color based on the icon’s concrete usage and context.
Save or export your icon as an SVG. When doing so, don’t convert the line stroke to outline.
Usage
Icon sizes and typography
Heading 1
Heading 2
Heading 3
Heading 4
Heading 5
paragraph
smallIcons can be set to 4 sizes based on its usage — normal (16x16px), medium (20x20px), big (32x32px), large (48x48px). The default size for all icons is the normal size. All action icons in particular are only displayed with the normal size.
When using status or symbol icons combined with text, the size of the icon should correlate with the font-size of the text. Make sure to choose the appropriate icon size of the 4 available to best match the height of the icon and the text together.
Example: Use the big icon size when paired with an h1.
Action icons
Action icons represent controls to perform actions on resources or the page layout. They may be placed on their own or in a button.
Variants
Depending on the context, you can use action icons with the following variants: normal, disabled, inverted, link, or subtle.
Buttons
An action icon that's displayed on its own is called an icon button. We recommend using this with standalone actions. All action icons include hover states and active states (when applicable) to increase usability.
Example: Settings icon in a table.
In contrast, you can also use action icons with the normal-style button when it’s grouped with other elements, such as within an action stripe or attached to a form field. We recommend you use this style only for common actions, and that you include a text label describing the icon.
Example: Refresh button within an action stripe.
Status icons
Status icons are visual representations that communicate the status of a resource in a compact form that’s easily embedded in other elements. The icon, color, and appending text are independent from each other and should be combined to best support your use case. If an existing icon is already sufficient for your use case, refrain from generating new status icons. For guidelines about common uses, see status indicators.
Shape
Status icons are distinguished from action and symbol icons by its additive structure. The shape is derived from the combination of a metaphorical state (for example, a check) and a specific shape (circle or triangle) to contain the state. Icons contained within squares are not status indicators.
Placement
Place status icons to the left of the resource or message that indicates a status.
Symbol icons
Use symbol icons to bring additional visual emphasis or to symbolize an object that doesn't pertain to status. To avoid visual noise, use symbol icons sparingly and only when absolutely necessary.
Placement
Place symbol icons to the left of the resource or message that it supports.