css animations vs transitions

CSS Animations vs Transitions — When to Use Each

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Want to add smooth motion to your website? CSS gives you two powerful tools: transitions and animations. Both bring your UI to life, but they solve different problems. Knowing when to use each helps you build polished, delightful experiences without overcomplicating your code. In this MiniCoursey quick guide, you’ll learn the difference between CSS animations and transitions, how they work, and when to choose one over the other.

What Are CSS Transitions?

Transitions animate property changes that happen when a state changes — like :hover or :focus. They’re perfect for simple, state-driven effects.


.button {
  background: blue;
  transition: background 0.3s ease;
}

.button:hover {
  background: red;
}

Here, the button smoothly changes color when hovered — that’s a transition!

What Are CSS Animations?

Animations run automatically and don’t need a trigger like a hover. They use keyframes to define exactly what happens at each stage.


@keyframes bounce {
  0%, 100% { transform: translateY(0); }
  50% { transform: translateY(-20px); }
}

.box {
  animation: bounce 1s infinite;
}

This .box bounces up and down endlessly, whether the user interacts or not.

When to Use Each

  • Use transitions for simple, interactive effects like hover states, focus, or toggles.
  • Use animations for more complex, timed sequences like loaders, background loops, or attention grabbers.

💡 Pro Tip: Combine both! Use transitions for interactivity and animations for continuous motion.

⚠️ Common Mistake: Don’t force an animation when a simple transition will do — keep it smooth but simple.

FAQ

Q: Can I pause animations?
A: Yes! Use animation-play-state to pause/resume animations dynamically.

Q: Are transitions or animations heavier for performance?
A: Both are lightweight if you stick to GPU-friendly properties like opacity and transform.

Related Link

👉 Check out previous: CSS Pseudo-Elements — Add Content Without Extra HTML

Where to Learn More

Explore MDN’s Animations and Transitions docs to practice chaining both for richer motion design.

Conclusion

Congrats — you now know when to use CSS animations vs transitions! Keep your UIs smooth, delightful, and efficient.

✨ Bookmark MiniCoursey for more quick & free mini courses!

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