10 Creative Animation Demos in CSS and JavaScript

No matter what kind of website you have, a little bit of animation can go a long way to create visual interest and engage your visitors. From animated tab bars and CSS waves to creative text hovers, there are plenty of ways to spice up your website.

In this post, we’ll share 10 eye-catching CSS and JavaScript animations that you can use as an inspiration for incorporating animated effects in your next web design project.

Animated Tab Bar

Here’s a simple and stylish tab bar that’s animated whenever a user clicks on a different icon. You can easily use this as a tab bar but you can also implement it in a menu to make your navigation more dynamic.

See the Pen Animated Tab Bar by abxlfazl khxrshidi (@abxlfazl) on CodePen.

Simple CSS Waves

This animation relies on CSS alone so there’s no JavaScript code. It features a subtle and elegant animation that looks like ocean waves. This would work perfectly on a hotel or a travel website as well as on a website promoting wellness products or services.

See the Pen Simple CSS Waves | Mobile & Full width by Goodkatz (@goodkatz) on CodePen.

Space Globe

Lately, everyone’s been buzzing about space travel and this animation would highlight that topic perfectly. It features a space globe along with another sphere resembling a meteor. If you have any type of futuristic website or if you’re working on a technology oriented project, this animation could come in handy.

See the Pen Space globe – Three.js by isladjan (@isladjan) on CodePen.

Gooey Footer

Here’s a fun animation that once again relies on pure CSS. If you decide to add it to your website, your footer will have a fun and playful gooey look. This animation would add a dose of interest to any creative website or website that’s not serving a corporate audience.

See the Pen CSS Goey footer by Zed Dash (@z-) on CodePen.

Parallax Scroll Animation

Here’s a true work of art when it comes to what’s possible with a little bit of CSS and JavaScript. As you scroll down, the scene changes entirely from morning to night. If you need a creative background for a timelapse, this animation is a must-have.

See the Pen Parallax scroll animation by isladjan (@isladjan) on CodePen.

Scroll Trigger Demo

At first glance, all you see is white background with black letters. But, when you scroll text and photos come into view and bring the entire thing to life. This animation would be a creative way to display any type of portfolio. Designers, photographers, and artists should definitely check this one out.

See the Pen GSAP ScrollTrigger – Demo by Noel Delgado (@noeldelgado) on CodePen.

Fun Toggles

Toggles are pretty ubiquitous nowadays. But that doesn’t mean they have to be boring. With a bit of creativity, you can add simple animations and make them more fun. You’ll find a nice collection of various toggle animations, including a beer pong and a Kobe Bryant tribute.

See the Pen Toggles by Olivia Ng (@oliviale) on CodePen.

Realistic Red Switch

CSS has indeed come a long way since its inception. This realistic red switch that relies on pure CSS animation is the best proof of what’s possible when you master CSS.

See the Pen Realistic Red Switch (Pure CSS) by Yoav Kadosh (@ykadosh) on CodePen.

Neon Love

This animation would work well for any type of Valentine’s Day promotional campaign or on any website that caters to couples. It features a blue and pink neon heart that truly looks like neon lights.

See the Pen NEON LOVE by al-ro (@al-ro) on CodePen.

Fluid Text Hover

Here’s another animation that at first glance looks like nothing special. Instead of a solid color, the text uses a photo fill. Once you hover over the word, the text becomes fluid. It’s pretty creative and it would work well on any artists or designer’s website that wants to show off their skills.

See the Pen Fluid text hover by Robin Delaporte (@robin-dela) on CodePen.