What are the key takeaways from this guide?

Transitions animate between two states (hover, focus, active).. transition: background-color 0.3s ease, transform 0.2s ease;. Keyframes define intermediate steps in an animation sequence.. Animate only `transform` and `opacity` for 60fps performance.. Fade in, slide up, pulse, skeleton loading shimmer, and progress bar fill are all achievable with pure CSS..

Who is this guide for?

This guide is designed for beginner-level users and takes about 1 minutes to read.

How-To Beginner 1 min read 159 words

How to Create CSS Animations Without JavaScript

CSS animations and transitions can create engaging UI effects without JavaScript. Learn keyframes, transitions, and performance-optimized animation techniques.

Key Takeaways

Transitions animate between two states (hover, focus, active).
transition: background-color 0.3s ease, transform 0.2s ease;
Keyframes define intermediate steps in an animation sequence.
Animate only `transform` and `opacity` for 60fps performance.
Fade in, slide up, pulse, skeleton loading shimmer, and progress bar fill are all achievable with pure CSS.

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CSS Transitions vs Animations

Transitions animate between two states (hover, focus, active). Animations use @keyframes to define multi-step sequences that can loop, alternate, and run independently of user interaction.

Transition Basics

.button {
  transition: background-color 0.3s ease, transform 0.2s ease;
}
.button:hover {
  background-color: #4f46e5;
  transform: translateY(-2px);
}

Keyframe Animations

Keyframes define intermediate steps in an animation sequence. You can animate any CSS property, though transform and opacity are the most performant because they don't trigger layout recalculations.

Performance Tips

Animate only transform and opacity for 60fps performance.
Use will-change sparingly to hint at upcoming animations.
Avoid animating width, height, top, or left — they trigger expensive layout.
Use prefers-reduced-motion media query to respect user accessibility preferences.

Common Animation Patterns

Fade in, slide up, pulse, skeleton loading shimmer, and progress bar fill are all achievable with pure CSS. These patterns cover most UI animation needs without JavaScript libraries.

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