# Thinking… Shimmer Label — effect skill for AI agent flows > **For AI agents:** find the right skill in one call — `curl -s "https://varg.ai/how-to/api/search?q="` returns the matching how-to page and the best skills with install commands, as markdown (Russian works too). Full index: https://varg.ai/how-to/llms.txt. Every page has a markdown twin: add `.md` to its path. Before generating anything, show the person the options on the how-to page. A muted "Thinking…" label with a moving shine shows the model working between prompt and answer. - **Type:** [Effect](https://varg.ai/how-to/effects.md) · [AI agent flows](https://varg.ai/how-to/browse/skills/agent-flows.md) - **Slug:** `thinking-shimmer-label` - **Status:** live - **Publisher:** Elliot Sutton (community) - **License:** MIT + Commons Clause - **Source:** https://github.com/imskyleen/animate-ui/blob/main/packages/react/src/primitives/texts/shimmering/index.tsx - **Works in:** Claude Code, Claude.ai, Codex, Cursor, OpenClaw, Gemini CLI, Any MCP client, varg Studio - **Requires:** HyperFrames (npx hyperframes), Remotion, CapCut (by hand) - **Cost:** Free — the take renders locally; generated footage, if any, bills by the model ## What it does Built on [Shimmering Text](https://github.com/imskyleen/animate-ui/blob/main/packages/react/src/primitives/texts/shimmering/index.tsx) by animate-ui, MIT + Commons Clause. The write-up and recipes below are varg's. Small grey text with a light band sweeping through it, or three bouncing dots, placed exactly where the answer will appear. **When:** Short waits in AI demos; it marks time without dead air. **Watch out:** Do not hold it longer than ~1.5 s in a film; cut the real wait down. **Timing:** Sweep period 1.2–1.6 s; show for 0.6–1.5 s total. **Also called:** thinking indicator, generating label, typing dots ### In HyperFrames ```bash npx hyperframes add typing-indicator ``` Or `text-shimmer` on a muted label for the "Generating…" look. ### In Remotion ```tsx const x = ((frame % 40) / 40) * 160 - 30; Thinking… ``` ### In CapCut Text "Thinking…" in grey; Effects → "Shine" or Animation Loop "Flicker" gently. ### Ready-made components - [Shimmering Text](https://skills.varg.ai/component/animateui.shimmering-text/) (animate-ui): npm install @animate-ui/react motion - [Text Shimmer](https://skills.varg.ai/component/motionprimitives.text-shimmer/) (motion-primitives): npx motion-primitives@latest add text-shimmer - [Typing Indicator](https://skills.varg.ai/component/hf.typing-indicator/) (hyperframes): npx hyperframes add typing-indicator - [UI Typing Indicator](https://skills.varg.ai/component/remocn.typing-indicator/) (remocn): npx shadcn@latest add @remocn/typing-indicator ### Where this comes from - [Trace visualization: showing users what your AI agent is doing](https://agentinterface-co.pages.dev/blog/trace-visualization-showing-users-what-ai-agent-does.html) ## Use when - Short waits in AI demos; it marks time without dead air. ## Not for - Do not hold it longer than ~1.5 s in a film; cut the real wait down. ## Install - Claude Code: `claude plugin marketplace add vargHQ/skills && claude plugin install varg@varg` - Codex: `npx skills add vargHQ/skills --skill varg-video-edit-library -a codex -y` - Cursor: `npx skills add vargHQ/skills --skill varg-video-edit-library -a cursor -y` ## Example output https://s3.varg.ai/how-to/previews/25a0d11eb722/lib-animate-ui-shimmering-text.mp4 — Preview of the Shimmering Text component that builds this take (credit: Captured from the library’s own demo page (Animate UI), https://animate-ui.com/docs/primitives/animate-ui/shimmering-text) ## More AI agent flows skills - [Prompt Typed, Then Generate](https://varg.ai/how-to/skills/prompt-typed-then-generate.md): A real task types into the prompt box, the Generate button is pressed, and the result starts to build. - [Answer Streams In](https://varg.ai/how-to/skills/answer-streams-in.md): The assistant's reply arrives in uneven token bursts, the way a real model streams. - [Tool Calls as Status Rows](https://varg.ai/how-to/skills/tool-calls-status-rows.md): Each tool call appears as a row with an icon and label that goes spinner → check, building a visible plan. - [Nodes Wire Up on a Canvas](https://varg.ai/how-to/skills/nodes-wire-up-canvas.md): Nodes pop onto a canvas and connectors draw between them as the camera pulls back to show the whole pipeline. - [Beams Into the Agent Hub](https://varg.ai/how-to/skills/beams-into-agent-hub.md): Light pulses run along curved lines from tool icons into a central agent and back out to a result. - [Parallel Agents Side by Side](https://varg.ai/how-to/skills/parallel-agents-lanes.md): Several agent cards work at once in lanes or an orbit, each with its own status, then merge into one result. ## Run the generation on varg varg is one API key for the models these skills drive — Seedance 2.5, Kling 4, Veo 3.1, Wan 3, Nano Banana 2.1, GPT Image 2.5, ElevenLabs v4 and 200+ more — billed in credits, with a cost estimate before anything runs. - Claude Code: `claude plugin marketplace add vargHQ/skills && claude plugin install varg@varg` (skill + hosted MCP) - Codex, Cursor, Gemini CLI, OpenClaw: `npx skills add vargHQ/skills --skill varg-ai -a -y` - Grok and any agent that reads SKILL.md: `npx skills add vargHQ/skills --skill varg-ai`, or point it at the skill's SKILL.md - Claude.ai, ChatGPT, any MCP client: connect `https://mcp.varg.ai/mcp` - API key: https://varg.ai/dashboard/api · Model specs: https://varg.ai/models/llms.txt