Carousel (Gallery) View

A carousel is a UI layout that presents an image-focused slideshow — one image at a time with navigation controls and an optional thumbnail strip.

Compare with Grid View (many thumbnails visible) and Lists (text metadata).

Anatomy

1. Main display — full-resolution selected image; optional zoom
2. Navigation controls — left/right arrows; keyboard arrows; swipe on touch
3. Resizable divider — drag to resize main view vs thumbnail strip
4. Thumbnail strip (optional) — scrollable previews; active thumbnail highlighted

When to use

• Detailed single-image exploration at high resolution
• Comparing sequential visuals (microscope scans, product photos, design iterations)
• Sequential or timeline datasets
• Limited screen space — single focus, less clutter than grid/list

Example

Key benefits

• Large central display with smooth navigation
• Reduced cognitive load vs grid or list for sequential review
• Touchscreen-friendly when swipe is supported