The future of page transitions with Shared Element Transitions
The future of page transitions with Shared Element Transitions
By Milan Vogels
4 min read
The Shared Element Transitions API allows creating page transitions using a browser API that can provide users with a better visual connection between page-a and page-b by transitioning shared elements on both pages.
- Authors
- Name
- Milan Vogels
- linkedinMilan Vogels
- twitter@milanvogels
In native mobile app development transitioning from one page/state to another is something that has been supported for a long time. For example, you can do this using Activity transitions for Android. For the web, however, things aren't all that easy.
Yes, we can create transitions between pages using libraries like BarbaJs. But these don't provide any visual connection between page-a and page-b to the user. So to close the gap, a new browser API is in the works: Shared Element Transition API.
The Shared Element Transition is a proposal for a new Web API. It allows for creating transition animations between page navigation and transitioning elements that are present on both pages.
Getting started
To get started with the Shared Element Transition API the following flags have to be enabled in Chrome:
chrome://flags/#document-transitionchrome://flags/#enable-experimental-web-platform-features
First of all, we need to check if the browser supports the API, and add a fallback if they don't.
async function navigate() {
if (!document.createDocumentTransition) {
updateDOM(); // update the DOM
return;
}
}
If it does support the new API, we can use the createDocumentTransition function to create a new transition.
async function navigate() {
if (!document.createDocumentTransition) {
updateDOM(); // update the DOM
return;
}
const transition = document.createDocumentTransition();
await transition.start(() => updateDOM());
}
The default transition the API creates is a simple fade. I created a small CodePen example that just toggles between a card view and a detail view by toggling the display style.
Changing the animation
The animation is using CSS. The default browser UA styles will animate ::page-transition-incoming-image from opacity: 0; and ::page-transition-outgoing-image to opacity: 0;.
We can add our own animations by using the following pseudo-element selectors
::page-transition
::page-transition-container(root)
::page-transition-image-wrapper(root)
::page-transition-outgoing-image(root)
::page-transition-incoming-image(root)
For example, we can change the animation to a slide out:
@keyframes slide-to-top {
to {
transform: translateY(-100%);
}
}
::page-transition-outgoing-image(root) {
animation: 400ms ease-out both slide-to-top;
}
::page-transition-incoming-image(root) {
animation: none; /* disable default animation */
}
To animate separate elements, instead of the whole page, we can replace root with a page-transition-tag property value you can add to another css selector. The default animation transitions the width and height attributes from the 'before' state to the 'after' state. Also, it animates the transform to update to the position of the targeted element.
In the following example, we add a page-transition-tag: article-img to an image tag.
.foo img {
page-transition-tag: article-img;
}
::page-transition-outgoing-image(article-image) {}
::page-transition-incoming-image(article-image) {}
This gives us an already pretty cool effect.
If we want specific elements of our site to stay in place during the transition, we have to add a page-transition-tag and contain: paint. Assuming the element won't change between page-a and page-b, the element will now remain in the same place.
.header {
page-transition-tag: header;
contain: paint;
}
We can't have the same page-transition-tag being used multiple times on the same page. We'll get an error in the console when starting the transition:
Unexpected duplicate page transition tag: tag-name
So instead of defining it in CSS, we can add it with JavaScript, for example on a click event.
async function navigate() {
if (!document.createDocumentTransition) {
updateDOM(); // update the DOM
return;
}
const foo = GetElementYouClickedOn();
foo.style.pageTransitionTag = 'article-img';
const transition = document.createDocumentTransition();
await transition.start(() => updateDOM());
foo.style.pageTransitionTag = '';
}
Here's an example of a full grid of cards animating each card's image to the full article image. It still shows the singular article detail view we created, hence the detail image doesn't reflect the card's image.
Multi-page applications
The current iteration of the Shared Element Transition API only supports Single-page applications (SPAs). Support for Multi-page applications (MPAs) is on the roadmap to be added in the future. The use of the API for SPAs or MPAs should work similarly.
Start experimenting!
I'm really excited about this API myself, it allows us to create page transitions that can add context to the user in a non-complicated way without the use of any 3rd party libraries. The Shared Element Transition API is still in an early phase and it will take some time until it's ready for shipping and implemented by other browsers, but we can already experiment a lot with it.
I would like to encourage you to do the same and share your opinions in the Github repository. Can't wait to see what others can create with this new API.
Bright times ahead for page transitions!
Upcoming events
The Test Automation Meetup
PLEASE RSVP SO THAT WE KNOW HOW MUCH FOOD WE WILL NEED Test automation is a cornerstone of effective software development. It's about creating robust, predictable test suites that enhance quality and reliability. By diving into automation, you're architecting systems that ensure consistency and catch issues early. This expertise not only improves the development process but also broadens your skillset, making you a more versatile team member. Whether you're a developer looking to enhance your testing skills or a QA professional aiming to dive deeper into automation, RSVP for an evening of learning, delicious food, and the fusion of coding and quality assurance! 🚀🚀 18:00 – 🚪 Doors open to the public 18:15 – 🍕 Let’s eat 19:00 – 📢 First round of Talks 19:45 – 🍹 Small break 20:00 – 📢 Second round of Talks 20:45 – 🍻 Drinks 21:00 – 🙋♀️ See you next time? First Round of Talks: The Power of Cross-browser Component Testing - Clarke Verdel, SR. Front-end Developer at iO How can you use Component Testing to ensure consistency cross-browser? Second Round of Talks: Omg who wrote this **** code!? - Erwin Heitzman, SR. Test Automation Engineer at Rabobank How can tests help you and your team? Beyond the Unit Test - Christian Würthner, SR. Android Developer at iO How can you do advanced automated testing for, for instance, biometrics? RSVP now to secure your spot, and let's explore the fascinating world of test automation together!
| Coven of Wisdom - Amsterdam
Go to page for The Test Automation MeetupCoven of Wisdom - Herentals - Winter `24 edition
Worstelen jij en je team met automated testing en performance? Kom naar onze meetup waar ervaren sprekers hun inzichten en ervaringen delen over het bouwen van robuuste en efficiënte applicaties. Schrijf je in voor een avond vol kennis, heerlijk eten en een mix van creativiteit en technologie! 🚀 18:00 – 🚪 Deuren open 18:15 – 🍕 Food & drinks 19:00 – 📢 Talk 1 20:00 – 🍹 Kleine pauze 20:15 – 📢 Talk 2 21:00 – 🙋♀️ Drinks 22:00 – 🍻 Tot de volgende keer? Tijdens deze meetup gaan we dieper in op automated testing en performance. Onze sprekers delen heel wat praktische inzichten en ervaringen. Ze vertellen je hoe je effectieve geautomatiseerde tests kunt schrijven en onderhouden, en hoe je de prestaties van je applicatie kunt optimaliseren. Houd onze updates in de gaten voor meer informatie over de sprekers en hun specifieke onderwerpen. Over iO Wij zijn iO: een groeiend team van experts die end-to-end-diensten aanbieden voor communicatie en digitale transformatie. We denken groot en werken lokaal. Aan strategie, creatie, content, marketing en technologie. In nauwe samenwerking met onze klanten om hun merken te versterken, hun digitale systemen te verbeteren en hun toekomstbestendige groei veilig te stellen. We helpen klanten niet alleen hun zakelijke doelen te bereiken. Samen verkennen en benutten we de eindeloze mogelijkheden die markten in constante verandering bieden. De springplank voor die visie is talent. Onze campus is onze broedplaats voor innovatie, die een omgeving creëert die talent de ruimte en stimulans geeft die het nodig heeft om te ontkiemen, te ontwikkelen en te floreren. Want werken aan de infinite opportunities van morgen, dat doen we vandaag.
| Coven of Wisdom Herentals
Go to page for Coven of Wisdom - Herentals - Winter `24 editionMastering Event-Driven Design
PLEASE RSVP SO THAT WE KNOW HOW MUCH FOOD WE WILL NEED Are you and your team struggling with event-driven microservices? Join us for a meetup with Mehmet Akif Tütüncü, a senior software engineer, who has given multiple great talks so far and Allard Buijze founder of CTO and founder of AxonIQ, who built the fundaments of the Axon Framework. RSVP for an evening of learning, delicious food, and the fusion of creativity and tech! 🚀 18:00 – 🚪 Doors open to the public 18:15 – 🍕 Let’s eat 19:00 – 📢 Getting Your Axe On Event Sourcing with Axon Framework 20:00 – 🍹 Small break 20:15 – 📢 Event-Driven Microservices - Beyond the Fairy Tale 21:00 – 🙋♀️ drinks 22:00 – 🍻 See you next time? Details: Getting Your Axe On - Event Sourcing with Axon Framework In this presentation, we will explore the basics of event-driven architecture using Axon Framework. We'll start by explaining key concepts such as Event Sourcing and Command Query Responsibility Segregation (CQRS), and how they can improve the scalability and maintainability of modern applications. You will learn what Axon Framework is, how it simplifies implementing these patterns, and see hands-on examples of setting up a project with Axon Framework and Spring Boot. Whether you are new to these concepts or looking to understand them more, this session will provide practical insights and tools to help you build resilient and efficient applications. Event-Driven Microservices - Beyond the Fairy Tale Our applications need to be faster, better, bigger, smarter, and more enjoyable to meet our demanding end-users needs. In recent years, the way we build, run, and operate our software has changed significantly. We use scalable platforms to deploy and manage our applications. Instead of big monolithic deployment applications, we now deploy small, functionally consistent components as microservices. Problem. Solved. Right? Unfortunately, for most of us, microservices, and especially their event-driven variants, do not deliver on the beautiful, fairy-tale-like promises that surround them.In this session, Allard will share a different take on microservices. We will see that not much has changed in how we build software, which is why so many “microservices projects” fail nowadays. What lessons can we learn from concepts like DDD, CQRS, and Event Sourcing to help manage the complexity of our systems? He will also show how message-driven communication allows us to focus on finding the boundaries of functionally cohesive components, which we can evolve into microservices should the need arise.
| Coven of Wisdom - Utrecht
Go to page for Mastering Event-Driven Design