MCPInstall

gsap-fundamentals

Core GSAP animation concepts including tweens, timelines, easing functions, and animation properties. Use when implementing basic animations, transitions, or learning GSAP foundations. Essential starting point for any GSAP-based animation work.

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Install

Works with every agent the skills CLI supports.

npx skills add https://github.com/bbeierle12/skill-mcp-claude --skill gsap-fundamentals
  1. 01

    Install

    Run the command in your project. The CLI asks which agents to install for.

  2. 02

    Describe the task

    Ask your agent for something this skill covers. It loads gsap-fundamentals automatically when relevant.

  3. 03

    Review the result

    The agent follows the SKILL.md steps, scripts and references bundled with the skill.

SKILL.md

The instructions your agent reads when the skill is triggered.

GSAP Fundamentals

Core animation concepts with GreenSock Animation Platform.

Quick Start

npm install gsap
import gsap from 'gsap';

// Basic tween
gsap.to('.box', {
  x: 200,
  duration: 1,
  ease: 'power2.out'
});

Core Concepts

Tween Types

MethodDescriptionUse Case
gsap.to()Animate from current → targetMost common
gsap.from()Animate from target → currentEntrance animations
gsap.fromTo()Animate from defined start → endFull control
gsap.set()Instantly set propertiesInitial state

Basic Tweens

// To: current state → target
gsap.to('.element', {
  x: 100,
  y: 50,
  rotation: 360,
  duration: 1
});

// From: target → current state
gsap.from('.element', {
  opacity: 0,
  y: -50,
  duration: 0.5
});

// FromTo: explicit start and end
gsap.fromTo('.element',
  { opacity: 0, scale: 0.5 },  // from
  { opacity: 1, scale: 1, duration: 1 }  // to
);

// Set: instant property change
gsap.set('.element', { visibility: 'visible', opacity: 0 });

Animation Properties

Transform Properties

gsap.to('.element', {
  // Position
  x: 100,           // translateX in pixels
  y: 50,            // translateY in pixels
  xPercent: 50,     // translateX as percentage of element width
  yPercent: -100,   // translateY as percentage of element height

  // Rotation
  rotation: 360,    // 2D rotation in degrees
  rotationX: 45,    // 3D rotation around X axis
  rotationY: 45,    // 3D rotation around Y axis

  // Scale
  scale: 1.5,       // Uniform scale
  scaleX: 2,        // Horizontal scale
  scaleY: 0.5,      // Vertical scale

  // Skew
  skewX: 20,        // Horizontal skew in degrees
  skewY: 10,        // Vertical skew in degrees

  // Transform origin
  transformOrigin: 'center center',
  transformPerspective: 500,

  duration: 1
});

CSS Properties

gsap.to('.element', {
  // Colors
  color: '#00F5FF',
  backgroundColor: '#FF00FF',
  borderColor: 'rgba(255, 215, 0, 0.5)',

  // Dimensions
  width: 200,
  height: '50%',
  padding: 20,
  margin: '10px 20px',

  // Display
  opacity: 0.8,
  visibility: 'visible',
  display: 'block',

  // Border
  borderRadius: '50%',
  borderWidth: 2,

  // Shadow
  boxShadow: '0 0 20px rgba(0, 245, 255, 0.5)',

  duration: 1
});

SVG Properties

gsap.to('svg path', {
  // Path morphing (requires MorphSVGPlugin)
  morphSVG: '#targetPath',

  // Draw SVG
  strokeDashoffset: 0,
  drawSVG: '100%',

  // SVG attributes
  attr: {
    cx: 100,
    cy: 100,
    r: 50,
    fill: '#00F5FF'
  },

  duration: 2
});

Timing Controls

Duration and Delay

gsap.to('.element', {
  x: 100,
  duration: 1,      // Animation length in seconds
  delay: 0.5,       // Wait before starting
  repeat: 3,        // Repeat 3 times (4 total plays)
  repeatDelay: 0.2, // Pause between repeats
  yoyo: true        // Reverse on alternate repeats
});

Infinite Repeat

gsap.to('.spinner', {
  rotation: 360,
  duration: 1,
  repeat: -1,       // Infinite repeat
  ease: 'none'      // Linear for constant speed
});

Stagger

// Animate multiple elements with offset timing
gsap.to('.card', {
  y: 0,
  opacity: 1,
  duration: 0.5,
  stagger: 0.1      // 0.1s delay between each element
});

// Advanced stagger
gsap.to('.grid-item', {
  scale: 1,
  duration: 0.3,
  stagger: {
    each: 0.05,     // Time between each
    from: 'center', // Start from center, edges, random, etc.
    grid: [4, 4],   // Grid dimensions for 2D stagger
    axis: 'x'       // Stagger along axis
  }
});

Easing Functions

Built-in Eases

// Power eases (1-4, higher = more pronounced)
'power1.out'    // Subtle deceleration
'power2.out'    // Smooth deceleration (default feel)
'power3.out'    // Strong deceleration
'power4.out'    // Very strong deceleration

// Directional suffixes
'power2.in'     // Accelerate
'power2.out'    // Decelerate
'power2.inOut'  // Accelerate then decelerate

// Special eases
'back.out(1.7)' // Overshoot then settle
'elastic.out'   // Springy bounce
'bounce.out'    // Ball-drop bounce
'circ.out'      // Circular motion
'expo.out'      // Exponential
'sine.out'      // Gentle sine wave

Ease Comparison

// UI Elements - snappy, responsive
gsap.to('.button', { scale: 1.1, ease: 'power2.out', duration: 0.2 });

// Entrances - smooth deceleration
gsap.from('.modal', { y: 100, opacity: 0, ease: 'power3.out', duration: 0.5 });

// Playful - bounce or elastic
gsap.to('.notification', { y: 0, ease: 'back.out(1.7)', duration: 0.6 });

// Mechanical - linear
gsap.to('.progress', { width: '100%', ease: 'none', duration: 2 });

Custom Easing

import { CustomEase } from 'gsap/CustomEase';
gsap.registerPlugin(CustomEase);

// Create custom ease from SVG path
CustomEase.create('custom', 'M0,0 C0.25,0.1 0.25,1 1,1');

gsap.to('.element', {
  x: 200,
  ease: 'custom',
  duration: 1
});

Controlling Tweens

Tween Instance Methods

const tween = gsap.to('.element', {
  x: 200,
  duration: 2,
  paused: true  // Start paused
});

// Playback control
tween.play();
tween.pause();
tween.resume();
tween.reverse();
tween.restart();

// Seeking
tween.seek(0.5);        // Jump to 0.5 seconds
tween.progress(0.5);    // Jump to 50%
tween.time(1);          // Jump to 1 second

// Speed control
tween.timeScale(2);     // Double speed
tween.timeScale(0.5);   // Half speed

// State
tween.isActive();       // Currently animating?
tween.progress();       // Get current progress (0-1)

// Cleanup
tween.kill();           // Stop and remove

Callbacks

gsap.to('.element', {
  x: 200,
  duration: 1,

  // Lifecycle callbacks
  onStart: () => console.log('Started'),
  onUpdate: () => console.log('Frame update'),
  onComplete: () => console.log('Finished'),
  onRepeat: () => console.log('Repeated'),
  onReverseComplete: () => console.log('Reverse finished'),

  // With parameters
  onComplete: (param) => console.log('Done:', param),
  onCompleteParams: ['myValue'],

  // Access tween in callback
  onUpdate: function() {
    console.log('Progress:', this.progress());
  }
});

Targeting Elements

Selector Strings

// CSS selectors
gsap.to('.class', { x: 100 });
gsap.to('#id', { x: 100 });
gsap.to('div', { x: 100 });
gsap.to('[data-animate]', { x: 100 });
gsap.to('.parent .child', { x: 100 });

DOM References

// Direct element reference
const element = document.querySelector('.box');
gsap.to(element, { x: 100 });

// NodeList / Array
const elements = document.querySelectorAll('.item');
gsap.to(elements, { x: 100, stagger: 0.1 });

// Array of mixed targets
gsap.to(['.box', '#circle', element], { opacity: 0.5 });

Object Properties

// Animate any object property
const obj = { value: 0, x: 100, y: 200 };

gsap.to(obj, {
  value: 100,
  x: 500,
  duration: 2,
  onUpdate: () => {
    console.log(obj.value);  // Interpolated value
    // Update Three.js, Canvas, etc.
  }
});

Common Patterns

Fade In/Out

// Fade in
gsap.from('.element', {
  opacity: 0,
  duration: 0.5
});

// Fade out and remove
gsap.to('.element', {
  opacity: 0,
  duration: 0.5,
  onComplete: () => element.remove()
});

Slide Animations

// Slide in from left
gsap.from('.panel', {
  x: -100,
  opacity: 0,
  duration: 0.5,
  ease: 'power2.out'
});

// Slide in from bottom
gsap.from('.notification', {
  y: 50,
  opacity: 0,
  duration: 0.4,
  ease: 'power3.out'
});

Scale Animations

// Pop in
gsap.from('.modal', {
  scale: 0.8,
  opacity: 0,
  duration: 0.3,
  ease: 'back.out(1.7)'
});

// Pulse
gsap.to('.heart', {
  scale: 1.2,
  duration: 0.3,
  repeat: -1,
  yoyo: true,
  ease: 'power1.inOut'
});

Temporal Collapse Patterns

Countdown-specific animations:

// Digit flip animation
function flipDigit(element, newValue) {
  gsap.to(element, {
    rotationX: -90,
    opacity: 0,
    duration: 0.3,
    ease: 'power2.in',
    onComplete: () => {
      element.textContent = newValue;
      gsap.fromTo(element,
        { rotationX: 90, opacity: 0 },
        { rotationX: 0, opacity: 1, duration: 0.3, ease: 'power2.out' }
      );
    }
  });
}

// Time dilation pulse (cyan glow)
gsap.to('.countdown-digit', {
  textShadow: '0 0 30px #00F5FF, 0 0 60px #00F5FF',
  duration: 0.5,
  repeat: -1,
  yoyo: true,
  ease: 'sine.inOut'
});

// Final countdown intensity ramp
function intensifyCountdown(secondsRemaining) {
  const intensity = 1 - (secondsRemaining / 60);
  gsap.to('.glow-element', {
    filter: `brightness(${1 + intensity})`,
    duration: 0.5
  });
}

Performance Tips

// Use transforms over layout properties
// GOOD
gsap.to('.element', { x: 100, y: 50, scale: 1.2 });

// AVOID (triggers layout)
gsap.to('.element', { left: 100, top: 50, width: 200 });

// Force GPU acceleration
gsap.set('.element', { force3D: true });

// Kill tweens when component unmounts
const tween = gsap.to('.element', { x: 100 });
// Later...
tween.kill();

// Or kill all tweens on a target
gsap.killTweensOf('.element');

Reference

  • See gsap-sequencing for timelines and complex sequences
  • See gsap-react for React integration patterns
  • See gsap-scrolltrigger for scroll-based animations

FAQ

What does the gsap-fundamentals skill do?

Core GSAP animation concepts including tweens, timelines, easing functions, and animation properties. Use when implementing basic animations, transitions, or learning GSAP foundations. Essential starting point for any GSAP-based animation work.

How do I install gsap-fundamentals?

Run npx skills add https://github.com/bbeierle12/skill-mcp-claude --skill gsap-fundamentals in your project. The skills CLI detects the agents you use and copies the skill into the right folder. For Claude Code you can also place the skill folder at ~/.claude/skills/gsap-fundamentals/ (personal) or .claude/skills/gsap-fundamentals/ (project).

Which AI agents can use gsap-fundamentals?

Any agent that supports the open Agent Skills format (a folder with a SKILL.md file), including Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, Windsurf, Cline, OpenCode and more.

Is gsap-fundamentals safe to install?

No partner security audit is available yet. Skills can run commands and scripts, so read the SKILL.md and any bundled files before installing.

Who maintains gsap-fundamentals?

It is published by bbeierle12 in bbeierle12/skill-mcp-claude. It has 282 recorded installs.

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