Anime.js Animation Skill

Anime.js is a lightweight but extremely powerful JavaScript animation engine. It excels at complex timelines, staggering, and precise control over DOM, CSS, and SVGs.

Context

This skill is used for creating high-fidelity, jaw-dropping web animations that go far beyond simple CSS transitions. It's the tool of choice for awards-caliber interactive sites.

When to Use

Trigger this skill when:

• Creating complex, multi-stage landing page orchestrations.
• Implementing staggered animations for revealing grids, text, or data visualizations.
• Animating SVG paths (morphing shapes, drawing dynamic lines).
• Building highly interactive, kinetic UI elements that respond fluidly to user input.

Execution Workflow

1. Identify Targets: Select the DOM elements or SVGs to be animated.
2. Define Properties & Easing: Specify values to animate. Crucially, utilize advanced easing functions (e.g., custom cubicBezier, spring, or elastic) instead of basic linear or ease-in-out to make the motion feel expensive and natural.
3. Orchestrate Timelines: Inspect the installed major version first. This example targets Anime.js v3; use anime.timeline() to sequence complex choreography. Master the use of timeline offsets (relative '-=200' vs absolute) to create seamless overlapping motion.
4. Implement:

For a bundler with Anime.js v3 installed, import anime from "animejs"; supplies the anime binding. The selectors must exist in the rendered DOM.

   const tl = anime.timeline({
     easing: "spring(1, 80, 10, 0)",
     duration: 1000,
   });
   tl.add({
     targets: ".hero-text",
     translateY: [50, 0],
     opacity: [0, 1],
     delay: anime.stagger(100),
   }).add(
     { targets: ".hero-image", scale: [0.9, 1], opacity: [0, 1] },
     "-=800",
   );

Motion and Compatibility

• Scope: Use motion when it serves the product brief and user task. Respect the existing design system; simple transitions and static states are valid choices.
• Staggering: Leverage anime.stagger() extensively to add organic rhythm to multiple elements.
• Performance: Monitor main thread usage; use will-change: transform, opacity where appropriate for GPU acceleration.

Example

User request:

Create complex, multi-stage landing page orchestrations.

Limitations

• The code above uses the v3 API. Anime.js v4 uses imported createTimeline() and a different target/parameter signature; do not mix major-version examples. Consult official timeline documentation for the installed version.
• Respect prefers-reduced-motion: provide a static final state, avoid scroll hijacking, and keep focus/keyboard interactions immediately usable. Dispose animations when their component unmounts.
• will-change is a temporary optimization hint, not a guarantee of GPU acceleration; measure real frames and avoid leaving it on every element.
• Use this skill only when the task clearly matches the scope described above.
• Do not treat the output as a substitute for environment-specific validation, testing, or expert review.
• Stop and ask for clarification if required inputs, permissions, safety boundaries, or success criteria are missing.