CSS keyframe animations let you describe how an element’s styles change at named points in a sequence, then configure how that sequence runs. Define a @keyframes rule, connect it to an element with animation-name or the animation shorthand, and choose timing and behavior that fit the effect.
How CSS keyframes work
A keyframe marks a position in an animation’s timeline and supplies styles for that point. The browser interpolates between keyframes for properties that support interpolation. The keyframe percentages describe positions in the sequence, not elapsed seconds: 50% is halfway through the active duration.
The element’s animation settings control timing and behavior; animation-name associates those settings with a named @keyframes rule. You can put multiple properties in one keyframe, and a property may be interpolated across frames where it is omitted if the browser can determine the values. Properties that cannot be animated are ignored; other supported properties in the same rule can still animate. MDN: @keyframes
How to create and apply a keyframe animation
- Choose the visual change. Add a class to the element whose appearance should change.
- Define the named sequence. Write a
@keyframesrule using the same name you plan to apply to the element. - Configure the animation. Set its duration and any necessary timing, delay, repetition, direction, fill mode, or play state.
- Test the start and end states. Check the element before, during, and after the animation, including any reduced-motion alternative.
.card {
animation: 600ms ease-out 1 both enter;
}
@keyframes enter {
from {
opacity: 0;
transform: translateY(0.75rem);
}
to {
opacity: 1;
transform: translateY(0);
}
}Here enter is the name link between the element’s configuration and the keyframes. The duration is 600 milliseconds, the timing function is ease-out, the iteration count is one, and both applies the animation’s styles before and after its active run according to its fill behavior. These are example choices, not requirements for every animation.
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Using from/to or percentage keyframes
from means 0%, and to means 100%. Use them for a simple start-to-end change. Add percentage keyframes when the motion needs intermediate waypoints:
@keyframes nudge {
0% {
transform: translateX(0);
}
40% {
transform: translateX(-0.5rem);
}
70% {
transform: translateX(0.25rem);
}
100% {
transform: translateX(0);
}
}Keyframe selectors can appear in any order in the stylesheet; the browser processes them in timeline order. If a sequence omits its starting or ending keyframe, the element’s computed styles supply the missing endpoint. That can be useful when an animation should begin at the current style and return to it, but check the computed start and end values when the result looks unexpected. MDN: @keyframes
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Choosing animation properties and shorthand
The animation shorthand can set the name, duration, timing function, delay, iteration count, direction, fill mode, and play state. For clarity, especially when revisiting code later, use longhand properties or keep each shorthand’s values easy to associate with its animation name.
One frequent mistake is leaving out the duration: animation-duration defaults to 0s. The animation may therefore produce events without a visible run. Set an intentional nonzero duration when the reader is meant to see motion. MDN: animation
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When an element has multiple animations, separate their configurations with commas and provide a corresponding name for each sequence. If the result is hard to debug, temporarily move each animation into its own rule or longhand declaration to identify which settings belong to which name.
Use animation-fill-mode when the element needs to retain or apply animated styles outside the active run. In the example above, both includes both backwards and forwards fill behavior. If the final state should instead come from the element’s regular CSS after the animation, choose a fill mode that does not hold the animated end state.
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Keyframes or a transition?
A transition is generally a better fit for a change between states, such as a control’s hover appearance. Keyframes are useful when the sequence needs intermediate waypoints, repeated motion, or control over direction and iteration. Choose based on the behavior the interface needs, and verify that the animated property interpolates as intended. MDN: Using CSS animations
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Support reduced motion
Motion can cause problems for people with vestibular disorders, epilepsy, migraine, or other sensitivities. The prefers-reduced-motion media query lets a site provide fewer animations or transitions when someone has asked their operating system to reduce motion. MDN describes the query as enabling “an experience with fewer animations and transitions” for those users. MDN: prefers-reduced-motion
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@media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
.card {
animation: none;
}
}This is a starting point, not a rule that every animation must disappear. Decide whether a static presentation preserves the information and function conveyed by motion; where animation is essential, provide a carefully considered alternative. For persistent or user-controlled motion, consider a way to pause or disable it where appropriate. MDN: prefers-reduced-motion
Performance: animate with care
CSS animation does not guarantee low rendering cost. Animating box-model properties can trigger layout reflow and repaints; transform can be a useful alternative for some movement effects, but it is not a universal performance guarantee. Style recalculation, layout, and paint can all contribute to jank. Profile the actual page on the devices that matter when performance is important. MDN: CSS and JavaScript animation performance
Troubleshooting common problems
- Nothing visibly moves: Check that the element’s animation name matches the keyframes name and that the duration is nonzero. Also confirm that the changed property can animate.
- The animation starts or ends at an unexpected style: Check for omitted endpoints; computed styles supply any missing start or end keyframe.
- The final style does not remain: Review
animation-fill-modeand decide whether the element should return to its regular CSS or retain the animated end state. - An animation disappears after adding another rule: Look for duplicate named
@keyframesrules. They do not merge; the last matching rule encountered is used. - One property does not animate while another does: The unsupported or non-animatable property may be ignored while supported properties in the same keyframe continue to animate.
- The page feels slow or jerky: Review which properties change and the resulting rendering work, then profile the interface rather than assuming CSS animation is automatically fast.
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