Exploring the View Transition API and @view-transition

The View Transition API is a powerful tool for creating smooth transitions between different states of a web application. This blog post explores how the API works and how the @view-transition CSS property can be used to enhance user experience.

Introduction to the View Transition API

The View Transition API is designed to make it easier for developers to create seamless transitions between different views or states in a web application. Traditionally, with technologies like PHP, transitioning between pages often required a full page reload, making smooth transitions difficult to achieve. The View Transition API provides a set of tools that allow for more control over animations and transitions, making it possible to create more engaging and dynamic user interfaces. For more details, you can refer to the CSS-Tricks article on @view-transition.

How to Use @view-transition

The @view-transition CSS property is a key part of the View Transition API. It allows developers to define custom transitions for different elements on a page, providing a more cohesive and polished look to web applications.

Example

Here is an examples of how the View Transition API and @view-transition can be used in practice with the navigation:

@view-transition {
  navigation: auto;
}
/* Create a custom animation */
@keyframes move-out {
  from {
    opacity: 1;
  }

  to {
    opacity: 0;
  }
}

@keyframes move-in {
  from {
    opacity: 0;
  }

  to {
    opacity: 1;
  }
}

/* Apply the custom animation to the old and new page states */
::view-transition-old(root) {
  animation: 0.4s ease-in both move-out;
}

::view-transition-new(root) {
  animation: 0.4s ease-in both move-in;
}

implemented on LCF Group

Conclusion

The View Transition API and @view-transition offer exciting possibilities for web developers looking to create more dynamic and engaging user interfaces. By leveraging these tools, developers can create web applications that not only function well but also provide a superior user experience. However, it's important to note that not all browsers support the View Transition API yet. Developers should check resources like Can I use to ensure compatibility with their target audience's browsers. For more technical details, visit the MDN documentation on the View Transition API.