animate

name animate description Review a feature and enhance it with purposeful animations, micro-interactions, and motion effects that improve usability and delight. Use when the user mentions adding animation, transitions, micro-interactions, motion design, hover effects, or making the UI feel more alive. argument-hint [target] user-invocable false Analyze a feature and strategically add animations and micro-interactions that enhance understanding, provide feedback, and create delight. MANDATORY PREPARATION Invoke /frontend-design — it contains design principles, anti-patterns, and the Context Gathering Protocol . Follow the protocol before proceeding — if no design context exists yet, you MUST run /teach-impeccable first. Additionally gather: performance constraints. Assess Animation Opportunities Analyze where motion would improve the experience: Identify static areas : Missing feedback : Actions without visual acknowledgment (button clicks, form submission, etc.) Jarring transitions : Instant state changes that feel abrupt (show/hide, page loads, route changes) Unclear relationships : Spatial or hierarchical relationships that aren't obvious Lack of delight : Functional but joyless interactions Missed guidance : Opportunities to direct attention or explain behavior Understand the context : What's the personality? (Playful vs serious, energetic vs calm) What's the performance budget? (Mobile-first? Complex page?) Who's the audience? (Motion-sensitive users? Power users who want speed?) What matters most? (One hero animation vs many micro-interactions?) If any of these are unclear from the codebase, Ask the user using AskUserQuestion. CRITICAL : Respect prefers-reduced-motion . Always provide non-animated alternatives for users who need them. Plan Animation Strategy Create a purposeful animation plan: Hero moment : What's the ONE signature animation? (Page load? Hero section? Key interaction?) Feedback layer : Which interactions need acknowledgment? Transition layer : Which state changes need smoothing? Delight layer : Where can we surprise and delight? IMPORTANT : One well-orchestrated experience beats scattered animations everywhere. Focus on high-impact moments. Implement Animations Add motion systematically across these categories: Entrance Animations Page load choreography : Stagger element reveals (100-150ms delays), fade + slide combinations Hero section : Dramatic entrance for primary content (scale, parallax, or creative effects) Content reveals : Scroll-triggered animations using intersection observer Modal/drawer entry : Smooth slide + fade, backdrop fade, focus management Micro-interactions Button feedback : Hover: Subtle scale (1.02-1.05), color shift, shadow increase Click: Quick scale down then up (0.95 → 1), ripple effect Loading: Spinner or pulse state Form interactions : Input focus: Border color transition, slight scale or glow Validation: Shake on error, check mark on success, smooth color transitions Toggle switches : Smooth slide + color transition (200-300ms) Checkboxes/radio : Check mark animation, ripple effect Like/favorite : Scale + rotation, particle effects, color transition State Transitions Show/hide : Fade + slide (not instant), appropriate timing (200-300ms) Expand/collapse : Height transition with overflow handling, icon rotation Loading states : Skeleton screen fades, spinner animations, progress bars Success/error : Color transitions, icon animations, gentle scale pulse Enable/disable : Opacity transitions, cursor changes Navigation & Flow Page transitions : Crossfade between routes, shared element transitions Tab switching : Slide indicator, content fade/slide Carousel/slider : Smooth transforms, snap points, momentum Scroll effects : Parallax layers, sticky headers with state changes, scroll progress indicators Feedback & Guidance Hover hints : Tooltip fade-ins, cursor changes, element highlights Drag & drop : Lift effect (shadow + scale), drop zone highlights, smooth repositioning Copy/paste : Brief highlight flash on paste, "copied" confirmation Focus flow : Highlight path through form or workflow Delight Moments Empty states : Subtle floating animations on illustrations Completed actions : Confetti, check mark flourish, success celebrations Easter eggs : Hidden interactions for discovery Contextual animation : Weather effects, time-of-day themes, seasonal touches Technical Implementation Use appropriate techniques for each animation: Timing & Easing Durations by purpose: 100-150ms : Instant feedback (button press, toggle) 200-300ms : State changes (hover, menu open) 300-500ms : Layout changes (accordion, modal) 500-800ms : Entrance animations (page load) Easing curves (use these, not CSS defaults): /* Recommended - natural deceleration */ --ease-out-quart : cubic-bezier ( 0.25 , 1 , 0.5 , 1 ); /* Smooth, refined */ --ease-out-quint : cubic-bezier ( 0.22 , 1 , 0.36 , 1 ); /* Slightly snappier */ --ease-out-expo : cubic-bezier ( 0.16 , 1 , 0.3 , 1 ); /* Confident, decisive */ /* AVOID - feel dated and tacky */ /* bounce: cubic-bezier(0.34, 1.56, 0.64, 1); */ /* elastic: cubic-bezier(0.68, -0.6, 0.32, 1.6); */ Exit animations are faster than entrances. Use ~75% of enter duration. CSS Animations /* Prefer for simple, declarative animations */ - transitions for state changes - @keyframes for complex sequences - transform + opacity only (GPU-accelerated) JavaScript Animation /* Use for complex, interactive animations */ - Web Animations API for programmatic control - Framer Motion for React - GSAP for complex sequences Performance GPU acceleration : Use transform and opacity , avoid layout properties will-change : Add sparingly for known expensive animations Reduce paint : Minimize repaints, use contain where appropriate Monitor FPS : Ensure 60fps on target devices Accessibility @media ( prefers-reduced-motion : reduce) { * { animation-duration : 0.01ms !important ; animation-iteration-count : 1 !important ; transition-duration : 0.01ms !important ; } } NEVER : Use bounce or elastic easing curves—they feel dated and draw attention to the animation itself Animate layout properties (width, height, top, left)—use transform instead Use durations over 500ms for feedback—it feels laggy Animate without purpose—every animation needs a reason Ignore prefers-reduced-motion —this is an accessibility violation Animate everything—animation fatigue makes interfaces feel exhausting Block interaction during animations unless intentional Verify Quality Test animations thoroughly: Smooth at 60fps : No jank on target devices Feels natural : Easing curves feel organic, not robotic Appropriate timing : Not too fast (jarring) or too slow (laggy) Reduced motion works : Animations disabled or simplified appropriately Doesn't block : Users can interact during/after animations Adds value : Makes interface clearer or more delightful Remember: Motion should enhance understanding and provide feedback, not just add decoration. Animate with purpose, respect performance constraints, and always consider accessibility. Great animation is invisible - it just makes everything feel right.