This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by martin rojas
Page transitions are a crucial part of modern web experiences. Traditionally, smooth page-to-page animations required JavaScript-heavy frameworks like React, Vue, or GSAP. But now, CSS View Transitions introduce a native, browser-powered way to animate elements between pages—without relying on complex JavaScript solutions.
This feature is a game-changer for developers looking to improve user experience, reduce layout shifts, and make web navigation feel more fluid.
In this post, we’ll cover:
✅ What View Transitions are and how they work.
✅ How to implement them in CSS for seamless animations.
✅ How they can reduce reliance on JavaScript frameworks.
✅ Browser support and fallbacks for older browsers.
Let’s dive in and animate the web the right way! 🚀
What Are CSS View Transitions?
The View Transitions API is a new browser feature that allows you to animate elements between different states or pages natively, without manually tracking animations in JavaScript.
🔹 Before View Transitions:
- Developers had to use full-page fades or instant cuts between pages.
- Smooth animations required JavaScript-heavy libraries (React, Vue, Barba.js).
- SPA frameworks faked "seamless transitions" by preventing full page reloads.
🔹 Now (With View Transitions):
✅ You can animate elements across pages automatically.
✅ The browser handles animations for you—no need for external libraries.
✅ Works with both single-page and multi-page applications (MPAs & SPAs).
How View Transitions Work
At its core, a View Transition creates a snapshot of the current page, waits for the new page to load, and then animates the differences between the two.
1️⃣ The browser captures a snapshot of elements that should be animated.
2️⃣ The page updates (navigates or changes state).
3️⃣ The browser animates the transition smoothly instead of cutting instantly.
Basic Example: Page Fade Transition
::view-transition-old(root),
::view-transition-new(root) {
animation: fade 0.4s ease-in-out;
}
@keyframes fade {
from {
opacity: 0;
}
to {
opacity: 1;
}
}
✅ This creates a smooth fade-in effect when navigating between pages.
Animating Specific Elements Across Pages
You can assign custom View Transition names to elements, allowing them to animate across different pages instead of disappearing instantly.
🔹 Example: Animating a Header Across Pages
<h1 style="view-transition-name: site-title">My Website</h1>
🔹 CSS for the Animation
::view-transition-old(site-title),
::view-transition-new(site-title) {
animation: slide 0.4s ease-in-out;
}
@keyframes slide {
from {
transform: translateY(-20px);
opacity: 0;
}
to {
transform: translateY(0);
opacity: 1;
}
}
✅ This allows the <h1> to move smoothly between pages instead of reloading abruptly.
Using View Transitions in JavaScript for Enhanced Control
If you need more fine-grained control over animations, you can trigger View Transitions manually using JavaScript.
🔹 Example: Triggering a Transition on a Button Click
if (document.startViewTransition) {
document.getElementById("myButton").addEventListener("click", () => {
document.startViewTransition(() => {
document.body.classList.toggle("dark-mode");
});
});
}
✅ This ensures that switching themes (light/dark mode) happens smoothly.
How View Transitions Reduce Reliance on JavaScript Frameworks
Frameworks like React and Vue often rely on client-side routing to create smooth page transitions. However, this approach adds extra JavaScript overhead—which can slow down performance.
With native View Transitions, you can:
✅ Remove unnecessary client-side navigation logic.
✅ Create smooth transitions even in Multi-Page Apps (MPAs).
✅ Reduce JavaScript bundle sizes by eliminating animation libraries.
Example: Instead of using a React-based animation solution, developers can now use View Transitions in regular HTML and CSS, making animations lighter and faster.
Browser Support & Fallbacks
🚀 Supported in:
✅ Chrome 111+
✅ Edge (Chromium-based)
❌ Not yet supported in:
- Firefox
- Safari
How to Handle Unsupported Browsers
Since View Transitions are an opt-in feature, older browsers will simply ignore them. To ensure smooth experiences, you can provide fallback animations using CSS or JavaScript.
🔹 Example: Fallback CSS Animation
@supports not (view-transition-name: example) {
.fade {
animation: fade 0.4s ease-in-out;
}
}
✅ This ensures older browsers still get a smooth transition instead of an instant cut.
Final Thoughts: The Future of Native Animations
CSS View Transitions are a major step forward in making animations more native, lightweight, and performant.
Key Takeaways:
✅ View Transitions allow seamless page-to-page animations with CSS.
✅ They reduce reliance on JavaScript-heavy frameworks like React/Vue.
✅ Elements can animate between states using view-transition-name.
✅ JavaScript can trigger manual transitions when needed.
✅ Browser support is growing, but fallbacks ensure a smooth experience.
By embracing View Transitions, we can create smoother, more engaging web experiences—all while keeping performance in check.
Coming Up Next: The “Paving the Cow Paths” Philosophy in Web Development
In the final post of this series, we’ll explore how browser vendors decide which features to standardize—and why new HTML features often reflect what developers are already doing manually.
🔹 Why do some features (like <dialog> or View Transitions) get standardized, while others don’t?
🔹 How do browsers analyze developer trends to “pave the cow paths”?
🔹 What’s next for HTML, CSS, and JavaScript based on existing developer practices?
Stay tuned! 🚀
Have you tried CSS View Transitions yet? Let me know how you plan to use them!
This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by martin rojas
martin rojas | Sciencx (2025-02-20T17:03:00+00:00) View Transitions: Bringing Seamless Page Transitions to the Web. Retrieved from https://www.scien.cx/2025/02/20/view-transitions-bringing-seamless-page-transitions-to-the-web/
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