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Courses/UX Design Foundations/Atomic Design by Brad Frost/
Exercise #3

Level 2: Molecules — Purpose-Built Functional Units

Molecules are relatively simple groups of UI atoms bonded together to function as a single unit:

The Classic Search Molecule

Combine three distinct atoms:

  1. A text label atom ('Search our docs')
  2. An input field atom (<input type="text">)
  3. A button atom with magnifying glass icon (<button>)

Individually, these atoms are inert. Bonded together, they form a Search Form Molecule with a clear, single purpose: submitting a search query.

Molecules are designed for high reusability across headers, footers, sidebars, and empty states.

Topics

The Chemistry Metaphor in UI Architecture
Level 1: Atoms — The Indivisible Building Blocks
Level 2: Molecules — Purpose-Built Functional Units
Level 3: Organisms — Complex Standalone Interface Sections
Level 4: Templates — Content-Agnostic Layout Skeletons
Level 5: Pages — Concrete Instances with Real-World Data
design
UX Design

From lesson

15

Atomic Design by Brad Frost

Level 4 · Principles of Design

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