Imagine this: you’re strolling down the virtual streets of the internet, and then—bam! A website catches your eyes. Not just with flashy graphics, but with elegance as you scroll.
That’s the power of CSS animations on scroll, an art I’ve honed to captivate users just like that.
Here’s the deal: in the digital cosmos, engagement is king. And what’s a king without his crown? Plain old text.
CSS animations are the jewel-encrusted diadems perched atop content, offering a dynamic, interactive user experience that can make or break your site’s appeal.
By the close of this read, you’ll be equipped with the know-how to weave motion into your pages. With a sprinkle of JavaScript and a dash of CSS3 magic, you’ll learn to command pixels with the flick of a scroll.
From responsive design nuggets to viewport-triggered dynamics, you’ll be the maestro of on-page animation.
Your toolkit will overflow with web development frameworks, browser compatibility tricks, and front-end technologies that promise to keep your audience scrolling—not out of necessity, but pure delight.
Examples Of CSS Animations On Scroll
Bind that Scroll to a Beat
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Bind CSS keyframe animation to scroll by Chris Coyier (@chriscoyier)
on CodePen.
Chris Coyier? Oh, he’s the mastermind behind this scroll and dance magic with CSS.
Page’s Little Reveal Party
Just a sweet lil thing. Pop in your Js, sprinkle some animate.css, and voilà, your page reveals its inner diva.
Transitioning with Every Scroll
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Scroll Transition by Amith Jayapraban (@amithjayapraban)
on CodePen.
Props to Amith Jayapraban for this piece.
Trigger Happy Animations (With a Touch of jQuery)
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Scroll-Triggered Animations (jQuery) by Bramus (@bramus)
on CodePen.
Bramus rolled out these eight slick intros. Drop them into your site and watch the magic.
Text Cascades Like Waterfalls
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Cascading text effects w/ Splitting + ScrollOut ✍️🤓 by Jhey (@jh3y)
on CodePen.
Shoutout to Jhey for this mind-bending piece.
ScrollMagic in its Pure Essence
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ScrollMagic – Basic by Anushka Chauhan (@anushkachauhan)
on CodePen.
Anushka Chauhan made the page dance to the user’s scroll.
Skew Till You Can’t No More
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Scroll Animation by Snafu Studio (@SnafuParadise)
on CodePen.
Simon Serrano’s got game! Skew and play as you wish.
Halfway to Perfection
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scrollHalf by elgatodealien (@elgatodealien)
on CodePen.
The genius of elgatodealien.
Crossroads of Animations
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Crossing on scroll by Ofek Nakar (@OfekNakar)
on CodePen.
Ofek Nakar makes the page pop with every scroll.
A Whole New Parallax World
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Parallax Scrolling animations by Sonia Grant (@webwitch)
on CodePen.
Sonia Grant’s toolkit. A dream for full-size site lovers.
Deck of Illusions
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Image Deck Animation by sandeshsapkota (@sandeshsapkota)
on CodePen.
Magic crafted by sandeshsapkota.
Righteous Scroll
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Justified Scroll Animation by Yoav Kadosh (@ykadosh)
on CodePen.
Yoav Kadosh’s spin on CSS magic.
Zoom, But Only When You’re Watching
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Efficient Scroll Zoom by Chris Weissenberger (@CAWeissen)
on CodePen.
Chris Weissenberger’s smart zoom. Efficient and stylish!
Pizza, But Animated
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Pizza example (animated images) by Donovan Hutchinson (@donovanh)
on CodePen.
Donovan Hutchinson serving animated deliciousness.
Timeline’s Slide n’ Glide
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Physic Milestones Timeline – Date 11 (24 days of animation) by januaryofmine (@januaryofmine)
on CodePen.
Khanh’s moving timeline. A real scroll treat.
Stories from the Scroll
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Scroll Animation by Julia Undeutsch (@YuriDevAT)
on CodePen.
Julia Undeutsch’s masterpiece.
Icon that Jives with the Scroll
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Animated-Scroll-Icon by Wilhelm Mitschev (@skalar)
on CodePen.
Wilhelm Mitschev’s touch.
Smoother Than Your Average Scroll
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Pure CSS Smooth Scrolling Effect No Javascript by Bousahla Mounir (@bousahla-mounir)
on CodePen.
Bousahla Mounir’s smooth moves with HTML and CSS.
Story Cards that Move with Time
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Scrolling Story Cards by Mike England (@mengland)
on CodePen.
Mike England’s timeline animation. A site’s storytelling champ.
Animating with Each Scroll
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Scroll Animation by Kostas Tepetes (@kostastepetes)
on CodePen.
Kudos to Kostas Tepetes.
Parallax, But Make it Fashion
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On scroll parallax by Nadeesha Eranjan (@nadeeshae)
on CodePen.
Nadeesha Eranjan’s stylish scroll spin.
Carousel’s Dreamy Dance
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Vertical carousel with TweenMax.js by Danil Goncharenko (@Danil89)
on CodePen.
Danil Goncharenko’s carousel. Three’s a charm, especially when they scroll.
Content That Glows with Every Scroll
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Content Animation With Scroll by Sanjit Sarkar (@sanjitbrwnsmith)
on CodePen.
Shoutout to my dude, Sanjit Sarkar. Rocking the scroll game!
Marquee Madness: Dance On Scroll
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GSAP ScrollTrigger – Marquee Page Border by Ryan Mulligan (@hexagoncircle)
on CodePen.
Ryan Mulligan brings the old school marquee back to life. Twist it, turn it, customize it; it’s all yours!
Weekly Groove with CSS
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scroll animation with CSS — week 32/52 by Mert Cukuren (@knyttneve)
on CodePen.
Brought to you by Mert Cukuren, making every scroll count.
Unmasking the Scroll: SVG Text Edition
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ScrollTrigger: SVG Text Mask by Tom Miller (@creativeocean)
on CodePen.
Tom Miller, folks! Dropping some GSAP scrolltrigger action. Personalize? Why not!
Fade, Slide, Amaze
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CSS/JS Fadeout scroll animation by Elwin van den Hazel (@elwinvdhazel)
on CodePen.
Elwin van den Hazel’s epic fadeout move. Mind. Blown.
Snap to the Groove with CSS
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css scroll snap by Logan Liffick (@loganliffick)
on CodePen.
A scroll masterpiece from the talented Logan Liffick.
Hover and Shine: Image Gallery
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Image Accordions – Date 9 (24 days of animation) by januaryofmine (@januaryofmine)
on CodePen.
Four stunning hover effects using Swiper.js. Bravo, Khanh!
Dive into Dynamic Scrolls
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Scroll Animations by Jaymie Rosen (@jaymierosen)
on CodePen.
Jaymie Rosen, doing wonders. Scroll, rejoice, repeat.
Unravel the Scroll Magic
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Amazing Scroll by Mr Neo (@Mr_Neo)
on CodePen.
The mystery unfolds with Mr Neo’s touch.
Tilt and Play: The Skew Game
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Skew Scrolling Effect ▲ by Dronca Raul (@rauldronca)
on CodePen.
Props to Dronca Raul for this captivating skew effect. Keep scrolling and watch the magic unfold!
jQuery Spices up the CSS Scroll
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CSS animation on scroll with jQuery by Anna Karlovskaya (@annakarlovskaya)
on CodePen.
Anna Karlovskaya sprinkling some jQuery charm.
Slicing Words with Every Scroll
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Split-text effect with scroll based animation by Thiago (@thigs)
on CodePen.
Thiago crafts a split-text marvel. Customize? Heck, yeah!
Taking Steps with GSAP
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GSAP On-Scroll Walking Cycle by Ksenia Kondrashova (@ksenia-k)
on CodePen.
Ksenia Kondrashova’s on-scroll walking cycle is chef’s kiss.
Captivate with Smoove.js
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smoove.js css3 scroll effects by Yifang Di (@diyifang)
on CodePen.
Crafted by Y ifang Di, showcasing groups of images that will make your jaw drop!
Paper Plane Dreams On Scroll
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Banner animation on scroll (paper plane) by Yudiz Solutions Limited (@yudizsolutions)
on CodePen.
All aboard Yudiz Solutions Limited’s animated journey!
3D Scrolls That’ll Make You Blink Twice
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3D CSS Scroll by Shaw (@shshaw)
on CodePen.
Kudos to Shaw for this mesmerizing 3D touch.
The Never-Ending GSAP Scroll Tale
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GSAP Infinite Scroll Animation by Vishal (@Vishal4225)
on CodePen.
A scroll saga, handcrafted by Vishal. Get lost in the endless animations.
Artistry in Scroll: Draw as You Go
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Scroll Drawing by Chris Coyier (@chriscoyier)
on CodePen.
Chris Coyier presents a masterpiece, where SVG comes alive with each scroll. And guess what? If it ain’t your jam, you can twist it and tweak it!
Smooth Moves with JS
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JS: Scroll Animation using Intersection Observer API by Saief Al Emon (@iamsaief)
on CodePen.
Saief Al Emon, my guy, dropping CSS scroll-based wonders like it’s hot.
Making Words Pop on Scroll
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trigger a css animation on scroll by MrJohnson (@mrjohnson)
on CodePen.
Kudos to MrJohnson. This isn’t just text; it’s text with attitude and a wee bit of delay.
Tilt the World: One Page at a Time
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Skewed One Page Scroll by Nikolay Talanov (@suez)
on CodePen.
Nikolay Talanov’s skewed vision. Jazz up your scrolling experience, or tweak it if you’re feeling fancy.
Scroll with a Touch of Jquery
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Scroll-animation Jquery by Deepak Saini (@Saini-deepak)
on CodePen.
Deepak Saini’s take on the game.
Not Just Any Scroll… It’s Magical
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Scroll animation by ankit (@celebstori)
on CodePen.
Ankit’s spellbinding touch. Images, videos, and more dancing with your scroll.
Scroll and Spin: An SVG Tale
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Scroll Spinning SVG by Chris Coyier (@chriscoyier)
on CodePen.
Another gem from Chris Coyier. It’s not just scrolling; it’s an adventure!
Dive Deep with Parallax Scrolls
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Parallax Scrolling Website by Kodplay (@kodplay)
on CodePen.
Brought to you by Kodplay. Customize? Heck, yeah!
Fade. Rise. Scroll. Repeat.
See the Pen
CSS Animations on Scroll – Fade From Bottom up by SitePoint (@SitePoint)
on CodePen.
Crafted by the wizards at SitePoint.
Gallery Slides: Now That’s Smooth
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Slide-out Scrolling Gallery by Teegan Lincoln (@teeganlincoln)
on CodePen.
Teegan Lincoln’s magnum opus for every pic lover out there.
Floating Text and Wobbly Pics
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Untitled by bellachen (@bellachen1010)
on CodePen.
Bellachen gives us the feels with this fun scrolling adventure.
Blossom Your Words with Each Scroll
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Directionally blooming words 🎨 by Jhey (@jh3y)
on CodePen.
Jhey takes the cake with directionally blooming words. And yup, you can play around and make it your own. Enjoy the scroll ride!
FAQ On CSS Animations On Scroll
How do I trigger CSS animations when scrolling?
Think of it like setting off fireworks as the user hits just the right spot on your page. You’ll employ a bit of JavaScript for the trigger—listen for that scroll event, then add a class to the element in view. Voilà, the CSS does the rest, animating as if by magic.
Can CSS animations on scroll be made responsive?
Absolutely. Responsive design isn’t just a trend; it’s a staple, right? Use percentages, viewport units, and media queries. That way, whether it’s a phone or a widescreen, your animations adapt, keeping the user experience seamless and snappy.
What are the browser compatibility concerns with CSS animations on scroll?
Here’s the scoop: Most modern browsers are game for CSS animations, but always check the fine print. Use caniuse.com to see who can handle what.
Remember, those graceful animations should degrade gracefully too for the less fortunate browsers. Polyfills can be your pals, filling in the gaps where needed.
How do I ensure CSS animations on scroll don’t affect performance?
Optimization is key, my friends. Keep animations smooth as butter by using properties that don’t cause re-paints or re-flows—think transform and opacity.
Also, throttle your scroll events to avoid overload, because janky scrolling is as welcome as a screen freeze on launch day.
Is there a way to create CSS animations on scroll without JavaScript?
If JS isn’t your jam, or you’re going minimalistic, CSS can still work it out. Employ CSS @keyframes with animation-play-state and :hover or :focus pseudo-classes to play with on-scroll animations.
But note, for trigger-based control, you’d need that JS spark.
Do I need a library to create scroll animations in CSS?
Not a must-have, but think of libraries as shortcuts on your coding journey. They can smoothen the road with pre-cooked scroll event handling, like ScrollReveal.js or AOS.
They provide a ready-to-roll setup for sprinkling that scroll-induced animation magic on your elements.
How do I make animations loop on scrolling?
Stick to infinite loops in your animation definitions. Use CSS animation-iteration-count: infinite;. But keep it classy; a never-ending spinning icon is like a party guest who overstays—they were fun at first, but then it’s just too much.
What are the best practices for designing CSS animations on scroll?
Best practices? Think of your users first. Subtle animations win this race—too much, and you’re in the flashy zone. Also, sync with your layout shifts and core web vitals to ensure Google loves your site as much as users do. Test, refine, repeat.
How can I animate background images on scroll with CSS?
Backgrounds want in on the action too. Gradual changes? background-position is your tool. Want more complex choreography? Consider multiple layered backgrounds with separate animations.
Just keep an eye on performance—nobody likes a sprinter who turns into a couch potato mid-race.
Can CSS animations on scroll improve website engagement?
Darn right, they can. It’s like the difference between a static photo and a lively party—animated elements draw users in, guide them down the page, and sometimes make them go “huh, cool!” Keep it fluid, purposeful, and they’ll stick around for the full tour.
Conclusion
So, here we are, at the tail end of our deep dive into the mesmerizing world of CSS animations on scroll. It’s been quite the adventure, threading through the ins and outs, turning static pages into interactive masterpieces.
Remember, with great power comes great responsibility. Your prime goal? To enhance user experience, not to distract. Too much sparkle, and you risk the wrath of confused users. Instead, aim for that sweet spot—where animations serve a purpose, guiding and delighting users as they navigate.
Armed with a toolbox brimming with scroll events, keyframes, and performance optimization tricks, you’re all set to make those web pages sing. Keep your animations in tune with responsive design principles, and never lose sight of cross-browser harmony—because in the chorus of web development, every browser counts.
May your pages be lively, your users engaged, and your professional journey, well, just plain fun. Now, let those scrolls come to life!