Being that this launcher was built for the Pixel lineup (and the Pixel lineup is fairly high-end on the smartphone spectrum), the launcher itself is great when it comes to a stock (vanilla) Android interface. The launcher performs as expected. 

App drawer: Swipe Up
Notification Shade: Swipe Down
Google Feed (Optional in launcher settings): Swipe Right

Each of these basic gestures that define the experience each user has do a great job satisfying and meeting the average consumer's needs, except for when the animations are not smooth or the launcher redraws (usually this happens on devices with a weak processor and/or low RAM).

An enhanced set of features to go along with that is the ability to long press on any icon in the app drawer or the home screen and see the "pill box" pop up. This white box shows you recent notifications, widget control, and a link to App Info (in your device settings). If you turn on dot notifications, you can do all of what I just mentioned with ease of access. 

One last thing: When a dot appears on any app, long press it to open the pill box, then slide the notification left or right and it will also remove the notification from the shade at the top of your screen.

Any problems or questions, please reply to this comment and we'll help you sort it out.