MCPInstall

ui-animation

Motion design and animation for user interfaces. Use when creating micro-interactions, page transitions, loading states, or any UI animation across web and mobile platforms.

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Install

Works with every agent the skills CLI supports.

npx skills add https://github.com/travisjneuman/.claude --skill ui-animation
  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 ui-animation 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.

UI Animation & Motion Design

Comprehensive guide for creating purposeful, performant animations in user interfaces.

Animation Principles

The 12 Principles of Animation (Applied to UI)

PrincipleUI Application
TimingDuration reflects importance/distance
EasingNatural acceleration/deceleration
AnticipationVisual preparation for action
Follow-throughMomentum continues after stop
Secondary ActionSupporting elements respond
StagingDraw attention to key element
Squash & StretchBouncy, playful interactions
ExaggerationEmphasize important feedback
ArcNatural curved motion paths
OverlapElements move at different rates
Solid DrawingMaintain consistent 3D space
AppealEngaging, delightful motion

Why Animate?

FUNCTIONAL PURPOSES:
✓ Guide attention to important changes
✓ Show relationships between elements
✓ Provide feedback for actions
✓ Communicate system status
✓ Ease cognitive load
✓ Create spatial orientation

NOT FOR:
✗ Pure decoration
✗ Showing off skills
✗ Making things "feel modern"
✗ Distracting from content

Timing & Duration

Duration Guidelines

INSTANT (0-100ms):
└─→ Button state changes
└─→ Toggle switches
└─→ Micro-feedback

FAST (100-200ms):
└─→ Hover effects
└─→ Simple fades
└─→ Small movements

STANDARD (200-300ms):
└─→ Most UI transitions
└─→ Modal open/close
└─→ Dropdown menus

SLOW (300-500ms):
└─→ Complex transitions
└─→ Page transitions
└─→ Large element movement

DELIBERATE (500ms+):
└─→ Hero animations
└─→ Skeleton loading
└─→ Onboarding sequences

Distance-Based Timing

Rule: Longer distance = Longer duration

Small (< 100px):   150-200ms
Medium (100-300px): 200-300ms
Large (300-500px):  300-400ms
Full screen:        400-500ms

Formula:
duration = baseTime + (distance × factor)

Easing Functions

Standard Easings

LINEAR
├────────────────────────────┤
Constant speed. Rarely natural.
Use: Progress bars, clock hands

EASE-OUT (Deceleration)
├═══════════────────────────┤
Fast start, slow end.
Use: Elements entering the screen

EASE-IN (Acceleration)
├────────────────═══════════┤
Slow start, fast end.
Use: Elements leaving the screen

EASE-IN-OUT (S-curve)
├────═══════════════────────┤
Slow start and end, fast middle.
Use: On-screen transitions

EASE-OUT-BACK (Overshoot)
├═══════════────────────╗───┤
Overshoots, settles back.
Use: Playful entrances, bounces

CSS Easing Values

/* Built-in keywords */
linear: cubic-bezier(0, 0, 1, 1)
ease: cubic-bezier(0.25, 0.1, 0.25, 1)
ease-in: cubic-bezier(0.42, 0, 1, 1)
ease-out: cubic-bezier(0, 0, 0.58, 1)
ease-in-out: cubic-bezier(0.42, 0, 0.58, 1)

/* Material Design standard */
standard: cubic-bezier(0.4, 0, 0.2, 1)
decelerate: cubic-bezier(0, 0, 0.2, 1)
accelerate: cubic-bezier(0.4, 0, 1, 1)

/* Custom: Snappy */
snappy: cubic-bezier(0.5, 0, 0, 1)

/* Custom: Bouncy */
bouncy: cubic-bezier(0.68, -0.55, 0.27, 1.55)

/* Spring-like (use JS libraries) */
spring: { stiffness: 300, damping: 20 }

When to Use Each

ScenarioEasingWhy
Element enteringease-outArrives energetically, settles
Element leavingease-inGathers momentum to exit
On-screen changeease-in-outSmooth state change
Attention grabbingbounce/springPlayful, noticeable
Background/subtleease-outUnobtrusive

Animation Patterns

Micro-interactions

BUTTON STATES:
┌─────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Rest → Hover: scale(1.02), 100ms        │
│ Hover → Active: scale(0.98), 50ms       │
│ Active → Rest: scale(1), 150ms ease-out │
└─────────────────────────────────────────┘

TOGGLE SWITCH:
┌─────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Thumb: translateX, 200ms ease-out       │
│ Track: background-color, 200ms          │
│ State: slight bounce at end             │
└─────────────────────────────────────────┘

CHECKBOX:
┌─────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Check mark: stroke-dashoffset animation │
│ Background: scale from center, 150ms    │
│ Ripple: expanding circle, 300ms         │
└─────────────────────────────────────────┘

Loading States

SKELETON SCREENS:
┌──────────────────────────┐
│ ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░░░░░░░░░░░░  │ Shimmer effect
│ ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░░░░░░░░░░  │ Linear gradient
│ ▓▓▓▓▓▓░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░  │ Moving left to right
└──────────────────────────┘

CSS:
background: linear-gradient(
  90deg,
  #f0f0f0 25%,
  #e0e0e0 50%,
  #f0f0f0 75%
);
background-size: 200% 100%;
animation: shimmer 1.5s infinite;

SPINNER:
- Duration: 1-2 seconds per rotation
- Easing: linear (consistent motion)
- Style: Match brand identity

Page Transitions

CROSSFADE:
├──────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Old page: opacity 1 → 0, 200ms           │
│ New page: opacity 0 → 1, 200ms           │
│ Timing: Sequential or overlapping        │
└──────────────────────────────────────────┘

SLIDE:
├──────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Direction follows navigation hierarchy   │
│ Forward: Slide left (new from right)     │
│ Back: Slide right (prev from left)       │
│ Duration: 300-400ms                      │
└──────────────────────────────────────────┘

SHARED ELEMENT:
├──────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Element morphs between states            │
│ Position, size, border-radius change     │
│ Creates continuity between screens       │
│ Duration: 300-500ms                      │
└──────────────────────────────────────────┘

List Animations

STAGGERED ENTRANCE:
┌─ Item 1 ────────────────┐  delay: 0ms
├─ Item 2 ────────────────┤  delay: 50ms
├─ Item 3 ────────────────┤  delay: 100ms
├─ Item 4 ────────────────┤  delay: 150ms
└─ Item 5 ────────────────┘  delay: 200ms

Max total duration: 500ms
Stagger: 30-50ms per item
Animation: translateY + opacity

REORDER:
- Use FLIP technique
- Duration: 200-300ms
- Ease: ease-out

Performance

GPU-Accelerated Properties

FAST (Compositor only):
✓ transform: translate, scale, rotate
✓ opacity
✓ filter (with will-change)

SLOW (Triggers layout/paint):
✗ width, height
✗ margin, padding
✗ top, left, right, bottom
✗ border, border-radius
✗ font-size
✗ box-shadow (repaints)

OPTIMIZATION:
will-change: transform, opacity;
/* Use sparingly! */

Performance Guidelines

/* Good: GPU-accelerated */
.animated-element {
  transform: translateX(0);
  transition: transform 300ms ease-out;
}
.animated-element.moved {
  transform: translateX(100px);
}

/* Bad: Layout thrashing */
.animated-element {
  left: 0;
  transition: left 300ms ease-out;
}
.animated-element.moved {
  left: 100px;
}

FLIP Technique

// First: Get initial position
const first = element.getBoundingClientRect();

// Last: Apply change, get final position
element.classList.add("moved");
const last = element.getBoundingClientRect();

// Invert: Calculate delta, apply inverse transform
const deltaX = first.left - last.left;
const deltaY = first.top - last.top;
element.style.transform = `translate(${deltaX}px, ${deltaY}px)`;

// Play: Remove transform with transition
requestAnimationFrame(() => {
  element.style.transition = "transform 300ms ease-out";
  element.style.transform = "";
});

CSS Animation Techniques

Keyframe Animation

@keyframes fadeSlideIn {
  from {
    opacity: 0;
    transform: translateY(20px);
  }
  to {
    opacity: 1;
    transform: translateY(0);
  }
}

.element {
  animation: fadeSlideIn 300ms ease-out forwards;
}

/* With steps */
@keyframes typewriter {
  from {
    width: 0;
  }
  to {
    width: 100%;
  }
}

.typing-text {
  animation: typewriter 2s steps(20) forwards;
}

Transition

.button {
  background: var(--primary);
  transform: scale(1);
  transition:
    background 150ms ease-out,
    transform 100ms ease-out;
}

.button:hover {
  background: var(--primary-hover);
  transform: scale(1.02);
}

.button:active {
  transform: scale(0.98);
  transition-duration: 50ms;
}

Animation Shorthand

/* animation: name duration timing-function delay
              iteration-count direction fill-mode play-state */

animation: slideIn 300ms ease-out 100ms 1 normal forwards running;

/* Common patterns */
animation: spin 1s linear infinite;
animation: pulse 2s ease-in-out infinite alternate;
animation: fadeIn 300ms ease-out forwards;

JavaScript Animation Libraries

Comparison

LibraryBest ForBundle Size
CSSSimple transitions0kb
Web Animations APINative, performant0kb
GSAPComplex, precise~60kb
Framer MotionReact ecosystem~50kb
anime.jsTimeline, SVG~17kb
Motion OneModern, lightweight~18kb
LottieAfter Effects export~50kb

Framer Motion (React)

import { motion, AnimatePresence } from "framer-motion";

// Basic animation
<motion.div
  initial={{ opacity: 0, y: 20 }}
  animate={{ opacity: 1, y: 0 }}
  exit={{ opacity: 0, y: -20 }}
  transition={{ duration: 0.3, ease: "easeOut" }}
>
  Content
</motion.div>;

// Variants for complex animations
const containerVariants = {
  hidden: { opacity: 0 },
  visible: {
    opacity: 1,
    transition: {
      staggerChildren: 0.1,
    },
  },
};

const itemVariants = {
  hidden: { opacity: 0, y: 20 },
  visible: { opacity: 1, y: 0 },
};

<motion.ul variants={containerVariants} initial="hidden" animate="visible">
  {items.map((item) => (
    <motion.li key={item.id} variants={itemVariants}>
      {item.name}
    </motion.li>
  ))}
</motion.ul>;

GSAP

import { gsap } from "gsap";

// Basic tween
gsap.to(".element", {
  x: 100,
  opacity: 1,
  duration: 0.3,
  ease: "power2.out",
});

// Timeline
const tl = gsap.timeline();
tl.from(".header", { y: -100, duration: 0.5 })
  .from(".content", { opacity: 0, duration: 0.3 }, "-=0.2")
  .from(".button", { scale: 0.8, duration: 0.2 });

// ScrollTrigger
gsap.registerPlugin(ScrollTrigger);
gsap.to(".parallax", {
  y: -100,
  scrollTrigger: {
    trigger: ".section",
    start: "top center",
    end: "bottom center",
    scrub: true,
  },
});

Accessibility

Respecting User Preferences

/* Reduce motion for users who prefer it */
@media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
  *,
  *::before,
  *::after {
    animation-duration: 0.01ms !important;
    animation-iteration-count: 1 !important;
    transition-duration: 0.01ms !important;
  }
}

/* Or provide simpler alternatives */
@media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
  .animated-element {
    /* Replace motion with opacity */
    animation: none;
    transition: opacity 200ms ease;
  }
}

Safe Animation Practices

AVOID for vestibular disorders:
✗ Parallax scrolling effects
✗ Zooming/scaling animations
✗ Spinning/rotating elements
✗ Auto-playing animations
✗ Flashing (>3 times/second)

SAFE alternatives:
✓ Opacity fades
✓ Color transitions
✓ Subtle position changes
✓ User-initiated animations

WCAG Guidelines

2.2.2 Pause, Stop, Hide:
- Auto-updating content can be paused
- No time limits on reading

2.3.1 Three Flashes:
- Nothing flashes more than 3x per second

2.3.3 Animation from Interactions:
- Motion can be disabled
- Triggered animations respect preferences

Mobile Considerations

Touch Feedback

/* iOS-style tap feedback */
.button {
  -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent;
  touch-action: manipulation;
}

.button:active {
  opacity: 0.7;
  transition: opacity 50ms;
}

/* Ripple effect */
.ripple {
  position: relative;
  overflow: hidden;
}

.ripple::after {
  content: "";
  position: absolute;
  background: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.3);
  border-radius: 50%;
  transform: scale(0);
  animation: ripple 400ms ease-out;
}

Platform Conventions

PlatformAnimation Style
iOSSpring physics, 300-500ms, subtle
AndroidMaterial motion, 200-300ms, emphasized
WebVaries, typically 200-400ms

Design System Integration

Animation Tokens

:root {
  /* Durations */
  --duration-instant: 100ms;
  --duration-fast: 150ms;
  --duration-normal: 250ms;
  --duration-slow: 400ms;
  --duration-slower: 600ms;

  /* Easings */
  --ease-default: cubic-bezier(0.4, 0, 0.2, 1);
  --ease-in: cubic-bezier(0.4, 0, 1, 1);
  --ease-out: cubic-bezier(0, 0, 0.2, 1);
  --ease-bounce: cubic-bezier(0.68, -0.55, 0.27, 1.55);

  /* Combined */
  --transition-default: var(--duration-normal) var(--ease-default);
  --transition-fast: var(--duration-fast) var(--ease-out);
}

/* Usage */
.element {
  transition: transform var(--transition-default);
}

Best Practices

DO:

  • Animate with purpose (feedback, guidance)
  • Use GPU-accelerated properties
  • Keep durations under 500ms
  • Match animation to brand personality
  • Respect prefers-reduced-motion
  • Test on low-end devices
  • Use consistent timing system

DON'T:

  • Animate for decoration alone
  • Block user interaction
  • Use excessive bounce/overshoot
  • Create motion sickness triggers
  • Forget exit animations
  • Ignore performance metrics
  • Delay essential content

Animation Checklist

Pre-Implementation

  • Animation serves a purpose
  • Duration appropriate for action
  • Easing matches motion intent
  • Performance impact assessed

Implementation

  • Uses GPU-accelerated properties
  • prefers-reduced-motion respected
  • Works on target devices
  • No layout thrashing

Quality Check

  • Feels natural and responsive
  • Doesn't delay user
  • Consistent with design system
  • Accessible to all users

FAQ

What does the ui-animation skill do?

Motion design and animation for user interfaces. Use when creating micro-interactions, page transitions, loading states, or any UI animation across web and mobile platforms.

How do I install ui-animation?

Run npx skills add https://github.com/travisjneuman/.claude --skill ui-animation 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/ui-animation/ (personal) or .claude/skills/ui-animation/ (project).

Which AI agents can use ui-animation?

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 ui-animation 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 ui-animation?

It is published by travisjneuman in travisjneuman/.claude. It has 291 recorded installs.

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