CSS Transitions and Animations: A Beginner's Guide

CSS Transitions and Animations allow you to add smooth, visually appealing effects to your web pages. With just a few lines of CSS, you can enhance user experience and make your website feel more interactive and modern — without JavaScript!

What Are CSS Transitions?

CSS Transitions let you change property values smoothly (over a duration) instead of instantly.

Example:

<button class="btn">Hover Me</button>

   .btn {
  background-color: blue;
  color: white;
  padding: 10px 20px;
  border: none;
  transition: background-color 0.3s ease;
}

.btn:hover {
  background-color: green;
}       

Result:

What Are CSS Animations?

CSS Animations are more powerful than transitions. They can run automatically, loop, and follow sequences using keyframes.

Example:

<div class="box"></div>

  .box {
  width: 100px;
  height: 100px;
  background-color: red;
  animation: moveBox 2s infinite alternate;
}

@keyframes moveBox {
  0% {
    transform: translateX(0);
  }
  100% {
    transform: translateX(200px);
  }
}      

Result:

CSS Transitions vs Animations

Best Practices

• Use transitions for hover effects and subtle UI enhancements.
• Use animations for attention-grabbing visuals like loaders or banners.
• Keep effects smooth and not too distracting.
• Ensure accessibility for all users — avoid rapid flashing.

Learn More

• MDN Web Docs - CSS Transitions
• MDN Web Docs - CSS Animations

Bonus Challenge: Try animating a card flip or fade-in text using only CSS!

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