# Notifications

## Overview

# Notifications

Notifications help users understand what happened, what needs attention, and what to do next.

There are two notification components in Splunk UI:
- [Message](./Message) is used for inline, contextual feedback near the content it refers to.
- [Message Bar](./MessageBar) is used for page-level or system-level communication.

These components use standardized icons and [`notificationColors` design tokens](../themes/variables#notification-colors) to communicate consistent tone and urgency, so users can quickly understand what to expect.

## Toast Notifications (Deprecated)

Toast notifications are **deprecated** and should not be used for new experiences.
Even with careful implementation, this pattern still creates significant accessibility and usability barriers.

Use persistent, user-dismissible notifications instead:
- Use [Message](./Message) for inline, contextual feedback.
- Use [Message Bar](./MessageBar) for page-level or system-level communication.

### Migration Guide

Review the CRUD Blueprint sections for [Create confirmation](../../DesignSystem/Blueprints/CRUD/Create#3-confirmation), [Update confirmation](../../DesignSystem/Blueprints/CRUD/Update#3-confirmation) and [Delete feedback](../../DesignSystem/Blueprints/CRUD/Delete#3-feedback) for guidance on scenarios where the toast pattern may have previously been used.

Below are suggestions for how to migrate common scenarios:

| Current Toast Pattern | Recommended Alternative | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Success message after form submission | Message Bar at top of page, or inline Message next to changed element | Persistent confirmation is visible to all users regardless of timing |
| Error feedback | Inline Message in form field, or Message Bar at top | Direct association with the error source helps users understand and fix the problem |
| Temporary status updates | Message Bar for page-level updates, or Message for task-level updates | Clear scope and persistent visibility ensure all users receive the information |
| Real-time alerts | Message Bar with optional dismiss action | Ensures users see critical information before it's dismissed |

### Further Reading

Below are additional resources to understand the issues with toast patterns:

- [GitHub Primer: Accessible Notifications and Messages](https://primer.style/accessibility/patterns/accessible-notifications-and-messages/#toasts)
- [Defining Toast Messages (Adrian Roselli)](https://adrianroselli.com/2020/01/defining-toast-messages.html)
- [A Toast to an Accessible Toast... to Notifications (Scott O'Hara)](https://www.scottohara.me/blog/2019/07/08/a-toast-to-a11y-toasts.html)
- [The Problem with Toast Messages and What to Do Instead (Adam Silver)](https://adamsilver.io/blog/the-problem-with-toast-messages-and-what-to-do-instead/)