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CSS motion path
The CSS motion path module allows authors to animate any graphical object along a custom path.
The CSS transforms module provides features that enable boxes to be repositioned, rotated, scaled, and skewed relative to its laid out position, without disrupting the layout of any other elements on the page. These transforms can be animated and transitioned, but only in relatively basic ways.
The features of the CSS motion path module provide offset transforms: transforms that align a point on an element to an offset distance along an offset path, optionally rotating the transformed element to follow the path direction. This module enables powerful transform possibilities, for example:
- Positioning using polar coordinates rather than limiting transformation to the standard rectangular
transform
function coordinates. - Animating an element along a defined path.
CSS motion paths allow the definition of complex 2D spatial transitions by leveraging CSS shape functions.
For example, you can define a specific path of any shape you want with the offset-path
property. You can then animate an element to move along that path by animating the offset-distance
property, and rotate it at any point with the offset-rotate
property.
Motion paths in action
<div id="heart">
<div id="motion-demo"></div>
</div>
#motion-demo {
offset-path: path(
"M20,70 A40,40,0,0,1,100,70 A40,40,0,0,1,180,70 Q180,130,100,190 Q20,130,20,70 Z"
);
animation: move 3000ms infinite linear;
width: 10px;
height: 10px;
background: red;
}
#heart {
width: 200px;
height: 200px;
background-color: lightpink;
clip-path: path(
"M20,70 A40,40,0,0,1,100,70 A40,40,0,0,1,180,70 Q180,130,100,190 Q20,130,20,70 Z"
);
}
@keyframes move {
100% {
offset-distance: 100%;
}
}
In this example, we used CSS masking and CSS shapes to clip a container with a light pink background into a heart shape. We used a path()
function as the value of the clip-path
property. Its child is a 10px
by 10px
red box that is made to follow the edge of its parent. We did this by using the same <basic-shape>
as the path, setting the box's offset-path
property to the same path()
function value. We used CSS animations to change the offset-distance
from 0%
to 100%
over three seconds.
Reference
>Properties
Functions
Guides
- Using CSS animations
-
Step-by-step tutorial on how to create animations using CSS.
Related concepts
CSS transforms module
CSS masking module
CSS shapes module
CSS animations module
animation
shorthand@keyframes
CSS box model module
Specifications
Specification |
---|
Motion Path Module Level 1> |
See also
<position>
<easing-function>
radial-gradient()
functionprefers-reduced-motion
media querywill-change
CSS property