diff --git a/cmd/configure_projects.go b/cmd/configure_projects.go
index cc39506..560f2cb 100644
--- a/cmd/configure_projects.go
+++ b/cmd/configure_projects.go
@@ -442,29 +442,41 @@ func triggerAndPoll(client *devlake.Client, blueprintID int, wait bool, timeout
 
 	fmt.Println("   Monitoring progress...")
 	deadline := time.Now().Add(timeout)
+	start := time.Now()
+
+	// clearLine erases the current in-place status line so subsequent output
+	// (completion banners, error messages) appears on a clean line.
+	clearLine := func() {
+		fmt.Printf("\r%s\r", strings.Repeat(" ", progressLineWidth))
+	}
+
 	ticker := time.NewTicker(10 * time.Second)
 	defer ticker.Stop()
 
 	for range ticker.C {
 		p, err := client.GetPipeline(pipeline.ID)
+		elapsed := time.Since(start).Truncate(time.Second)
+
 		if err != nil {
-			elapsed := time.Since(deadline.Add(-timeout)).Truncate(time.Second)
-			fmt.Printf("   [%s] Could not check status...\n", elapsed)
+			fmt.Printf("\r   %-*s", progressLineWidth-3, fmt.Sprintf("⚠️  Could not check status (%s elapsed)", elapsed))
 		} else {
-			elapsed := time.Since(deadline.Add(-timeout)).Truncate(time.Second)
-			fmt.Printf("   [%s] Status: %s | Tasks: %d/%d\n", elapsed, p.Status, p.FinishedTasks, p.TotalTasks)
+			bar := renderBar(p.FinishedTasks, p.TotalTasks, progressBarWidth)
+			fmt.Printf("\r   %-*s", progressLineWidth-3, fmt.Sprintf("%s %d/%d tasks — %s (%s elapsed)", bar, p.FinishedTasks, p.TotalTasks, p.Status, elapsed))
 
 			switch p.Status {
 			case "TASK_COMPLETED":
-				fmt.Println("   \u2705 Data sync completed!")
+				clearLine()
+				fmt.Println("   ✅ Data sync completed!")
 				return nil
 			case "TASK_FAILED":
-				return fmt.Errorf("pipeline failed \u2014 check DevLake logs")
+				clearLine()
+				return fmt.Errorf("pipeline failed — check DevLake logs")
 			}
 		}
 
 		if time.Now().After(deadline) {
-			fmt.Println("   \u26a0\ufe0f  Monitoring timed out. Pipeline is still running.")
+			clearLine()
+			fmt.Println("   ⚠️  Monitoring timed out. Pipeline is still running.")
 			fmt.Printf("   Check status: GET /pipelines/%d\n", pipeline.ID)
 			return nil
 		}
diff --git a/cmd/deploy_azure.go b/cmd/deploy_azure.go
index 14e9a12..28cac4a 100644
--- a/cmd/deploy_azure.go
+++ b/cmd/deploy_azure.go
@@ -244,8 +244,7 @@ func runDeployAzure(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 		if err := azure.MySQLStart(mysqlName, azureRG); err != nil {
 			fmt.Printf("   ⚠️  Could not start MySQL: %v\n", err)
 		} else {
-			fmt.Println("   Waiting 30s for MySQL...")
-			time.Sleep(30 * time.Second)
+			countdown(30, "waiting for MySQL")
 			fmt.Println("   ✅ MySQL started")
 		}
 	} else if state != "" {
@@ -287,7 +286,12 @@ func runDeployAzure(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 		params["acrName"] = acrName
 	}
 
-	deployment, err := azure.DeployBicep(azureRG, templatePath, params)
+	var deployment *azure.DeploymentOutput
+	err = spinWhile("Deploying Azure resources via Bicep (this takes several minutes)", func() error {
+		var innerErr error
+		deployment, innerErr = azure.DeployBicep(azureRG, templatePath, params)
+		return innerErr
+	})
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("Bicep deployment failed: %w", err)
 	}
@@ -303,7 +307,6 @@ func runDeployAzure(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 	backendReady := waitForReady(deployment.BackendEndpoint, 30, 10*time.Second) == nil
 
 	if backendReady {
-		fmt.Println("   ✅ Backend is responding!")
 		fmt.Println("\n🔄 Triggering database migration...")
 		httpClient := &http.Client{Timeout: 5 * time.Second}
 		resp, err := httpClient.Get(deployment.BackendEndpoint + "/proceed-db-migration")
diff --git a/cmd/deploy_local.go b/cmd/deploy_local.go
index 917282c..8e513a1 100644
--- a/cmd/deploy_local.go
+++ b/cmd/deploy_local.go
@@ -531,8 +531,8 @@ func startLocalContainers(dir string, build bool, services ...string) (string, e
 
 	backendURLCandidates := []string{"http://localhost:8080", "http://localhost:8085"}
 	fmt.Println("\n⏳ Waiting for DevLake to be ready...")
-	fmt.Println("   Giving MySQL time to initialize (this takes ~30s on first run)...")
-	time.Sleep(30 * time.Second)
+	fmt.Println("   Giving MySQL time to initialize...")
+	countdown(30, "MySQL initializing")
 
 	backendURL, err := waitForReadyAny(backendURLCandidates, 36, 10*time.Second)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/cmd/helpers.go b/cmd/helpers.go
index edfe91a..dc82638 100644
--- a/cmd/helpers.go
+++ b/cmd/helpers.go
@@ -178,18 +178,20 @@ func deduplicateResults(results []ConnSetupResult) []ConnSetupResult {
 // maxAttempts is exhausted. interval is the pause between attempts.
 func waitForReady(baseURL string, maxAttempts int, interval time.Duration) error {
 	httpClient := &http.Client{Timeout: 5 * time.Second}
+	bar := newProgressBar(maxAttempts)
 	for attempt := 1; attempt <= maxAttempts; attempt++ {
+		bar.update(attempt, "waiting for DevLake")
 		resp, err := httpClient.Get(baseURL + "/ping")
 		if err == nil {
 			resp.Body.Close()
 			if resp.StatusCode == http.StatusOK {
-				fmt.Println("   ✅ DevLake is responding!")
+				bar.done("✅ DevLake is responding!")
 				return nil
 			}
 		}
-		fmt.Printf("   Attempt %d/%d — waiting...\n", attempt, maxAttempts)
 		time.Sleep(interval)
 	}
+	bar.clear()
 	return fmt.Errorf("DevLake not ready after %d attempts — check logs", maxAttempts)
 }
 
@@ -198,22 +200,24 @@ func waitForReady(baseURL string, maxAttempts int, interval time.Duration) error
 // internal/devlake/discovery.go which checks both 8080 and 8085.
 func waitForReadyAny(baseURLs []string, maxAttempts int, interval time.Duration) (string, error) {
 	httpClient := &http.Client{Timeout: 5 * time.Second}
+	bar := newProgressBar(maxAttempts)
 	for attempt := 1; attempt <= maxAttempts; attempt++ {
+		bar.update(attempt, "waiting for DevLake")
 		for _, baseURL := range baseURLs {
 			resp, err := httpClient.Get(baseURL + "/ping")
 			if err == nil {
 				resp.Body.Close()
 				if resp.StatusCode == http.StatusOK {
-					fmt.Println("   ✅ DevLake is responding!")
+					bar.done("✅ DevLake is responding!")
 					return baseURL, nil
 				}
 			}
 		}
 		if attempt < maxAttempts {
-			fmt.Printf("   Attempt %d/%d — waiting...\n", attempt, maxAttempts)
 			time.Sleep(interval)
 		}
 	}
+	bar.clear()
 	return "", fmt.Errorf("timed out after %d attempts", maxAttempts)
 }
 
@@ -221,18 +225,20 @@ func waitForReadyAny(baseURLs []string, maxAttempts int, interval time.Duration)
 // During migration the API returns 428 (Precondition Required).
 func waitForMigration(baseURL string, maxAttempts int, interval time.Duration) error {
 	httpClient := &http.Client{Timeout: 5 * time.Second}
+	bar := newProgressBar(maxAttempts)
 	for attempt := 1; attempt <= maxAttempts; attempt++ {
+		bar.update(attempt, "migrating database")
 		resp, err := httpClient.Get(baseURL + "/ping")
 		if err == nil {
 			resp.Body.Close()
 			if resp.StatusCode == http.StatusOK {
-				fmt.Println("   ✅ Migration complete!")
+				bar.done("✅ Migration complete!")
 				return nil
 			}
 		}
-		fmt.Printf("   Migrating... (%d/%d)\n", attempt, maxAttempts)
 		time.Sleep(interval)
 	}
+	bar.clear()
 	return fmt.Errorf("migration did not complete after %d attempts", maxAttempts)
 }
 
diff --git a/cmd/progress.go b/cmd/progress.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..981245f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/progress.go
@@ -0,0 +1,111 @@
+package cmd
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"strings"
+	"time"
+)
+
+// ── Progress bar ─────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+// progressLineWidth is the terminal column count used to clear in-place status
+// lines written with \r. Must be wide enough to overwrite the longest possible
+// progress or spinner line.
+const progressLineWidth = 72
+
+// progressBarWidth is the number of block characters in every progress bar.
+const progressBarWidth = 24
+
+// progressBar renders an in-place terminal progress bar using \r.
+// Create with newProgressBar, call update to redraw, and done to finish.
+type progressBar struct {
+	total int
+	width int
+	start time.Time
+}
+
+func newProgressBar(total int) *progressBar {
+	return &progressBar{total: total, width: progressBarWidth, start: time.Now()}
+}
+
+// renderBar returns a [████░░░░] string representing current/total progress.
+// Rounding is applied so early progress is visible even at low percentages.
+func renderBar(current, total, width int) string {
+	if total <= 0 {
+		return "[" + strings.Repeat("░", width) + "]"
+	}
+	// Use rounding division to avoid premature completion or invisible early progress.
+	filled := (width*current + total/2) / total
+	if filled > width {
+		filled = width
+	}
+	return "[" + strings.Repeat("█", filled) + strings.Repeat("░", width-filled) + "]"
+}
+
+// update redraws the progress bar at position current.
+// It uses \r to overwrite the current line in the terminal.
+func (p *progressBar) update(current int, label string) {
+	bar := renderBar(current, p.total, p.width)
+	elapsed := time.Since(p.start).Truncate(time.Second)
+	fmt.Printf("\r   %s %2d/%-2d  %s (%s elapsed)  ", bar, current, p.total, label, elapsed)
+}
+
+// clear erases the progress bar line and returns the cursor to column 0.
+func (p *progressBar) clear() {
+	fmt.Printf("\r%s\r", strings.Repeat(" ", progressLineWidth))
+}
+
+// done clears the bar and prints a completion message.
+func (p *progressBar) done(msg string) {
+	p.clear()
+	fmt.Println("   " + msg)
+}
+
+// countdown shows a progress bar that ticks every second for n seconds,
+// then clears the bar. Used for deterministic sleeps where the duration
+// is known upfront (e.g. "Giving MySQL time to initialize").
+func countdown(n int, label string) {
+	bar := newProgressBar(n)
+	for i := 0; i <= n; i++ {
+		bar.update(i, label)
+		if i < n {
+			time.Sleep(time.Second)
+		}
+	}
+	bar.clear()
+}
+
+// ── Spinner ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+// spinChars is a rotating set of characters for indeterminate waits.
+var spinChars = []string{"⠋", "⠙", "⠹", "⠸", "⠼", "⠴", "⠦", "⠧", "⠇", "⠏"}
+
+// spinWhile runs fn in a goroutine and displays a spinner until it completes.
+// On success it prints the elapsed time; on failure it clears the spinner line
+// so the caller's error message lands on a clean line.
+// Returns fn's error.
+func spinWhile(label string, fn func() error) error {
+	done := make(chan error, 1)
+	go func() { done <- fn() }()
+
+	start := time.Now()
+	i := 0
+	ticker := time.NewTicker(100 * time.Millisecond)
+	defer ticker.Stop()
+
+	for {
+		select {
+		case err := <-done:
+			elapsed := time.Since(start).Truncate(time.Second)
+			fmt.Printf("\r%s\r", strings.Repeat(" ", progressLineWidth))
+			if err == nil {
+				fmt.Printf("   ✅ Done (%s)\n", elapsed)
+			}
+			return err
+		case <-ticker.C:
+			elapsed := time.Since(start).Truncate(time.Second)
+			fmt.Printf("\r   %s %s (%s elapsed)  ", spinChars[i%len(spinChars)], label, elapsed)
+			i++
+		}
+	}
+}