React component failing to display CSS transitions

Question

React component failing to display CSS transitions

The task at hand requires the component to meet the following criteria:

Items in a list should be displayed one at a time.
There should be two buttons, Prev and Next, to reveal the previous or next item in the list.
Clicking the Back/Next button should trigger a sliding effect to indicate the transition to the previous/next item.
1. The direction of the sliding effect should correspond to the button clicked. Next: right-to-left, Prev: left-to-right.
2. No sliding effect should be applied when the first item is initially rendered.

Difficulty has arisen in the third step, where the CSS behavior is not meeting expectations.

To view the sandbox, click here: https://codesandbox.io/s/gracious-kapitsa-cxtsn6

The following CSS properties are expected for the sliding transition:

const styleSlideRtoL = {
  position: "relative",
  left: "150px",
  transition: "transform 0.3s ease-in-out",
  transform: "translateX(-150px)",
  color: "blue",
};

These styles are utilized in the list elements as shown below:

const div1 = <div style={styleSlideRtoL}>Lorem Ipsum 1</div>;
const div2 = <div style={styleSlideRtoL}>Lorem Ipsum 2</div>;
const div3 = <div style={styleSlideRtoL}>Lorem Ipsum 3</div>;
const div4 = <div style={styleSlideRtoL}>Lorem Ipsum 4</div>;
const div5 = <div style={styleSlideRtoL}>Lorem Ipsum 5</div>;
const divs = [div1, div2, div3, div4, div5];

Despite the code above, the transition effects are not appearing as expected.

However, using a different style (without sliding effect) for the 1st, 3rd, and 5th divs will result in the 2nd and 4th divs experiencing the sliding effect as intended.

const styleNoSlide = {
  // position: "relative",
  // left: "150px",
  // transition: "transform 0.3s ease-in-out",
  // transform: "translateX(-150px)",
  color: "orange",
}
const div1 = <div style={styleNoSlide}>Lorem Ipsum 1</div>;
const div2 = <div style={styleSlideRtoL}>Lorem Ipsum 2</div>;
const div3 = <div style={styleNoSlide}>Lorem Ipsum 3</div>;
const div4 = <div style={styleSlideRtoL}>Lorem Ipsum 4</div>;
const div5 = <div style={styleNoSlide}>Lorem Ipsum 5</div>;

Inquiries:

Why are the sliding effects not visible when using styleSlideRtoL for all the divs?
What is the correct method to implement the sliding effect efficiently with minimal alterations to the current code?
When alternative styles are applied, why are the 1st, 3rd, and 5th divs rendered slightly higher than the 2nd and 4th divs?

css reactjs transition

Answer 1

Answer №1

Initially, the mere act of mounting a DOM element with the transition CSS property does not trigger the "enter" animation. In order for the transition to animate something, an element must first load with one set of CSS properties and then transition to a new set of CSS properties. Simply adding a <div> with the final CSS properties will not initiate any animation.

So why does the second example partially work? When switching between these <div> elements by updating the selectedIndex state, React utilizes its reconciliation process to minimize the DOM operations needed to switch from the previous state to the next one. When transitioning from the first to the second <div>, React essentially updates the existing <div> by modifying its attributes to reflect the new styles.

This update satisfies the criteria of the transition CSS property, which requires that a DOM node's CSS properties must actually change, rather than just being inserted in their final state.

To demonstrate this, you can force React's algorithm to treat each <div> as a unique element by assigning each one a distinct key:

  const div1 = <div key={1} style={styleNoSlide}>Lorem Ipsum 1</div>;
  const div2 = <div key={2} style={styleSlideRtoL}>Lorem Ipsum 2</div>;
  const div3 = <div key={3} style={styleNoSlide}>Lorem Ipsum 3</div>;
  const div4 = <div key={4} style={styleSlideRtoL}>Lorem Ipsum 4</div>;
  const div5 = <div key={5} style={styleNoSlide}>Lorem Ipsum 5</div>;

By doing so, you will observe that React now treats them as distinct elements, resulting in the disappearance of the animation once again.

To achieve the desired outcome, consider rendering all of the <div> elements at all times instead of toggling between them. Only one will be visible while the rest remain out of view. You can then adjust the transform property in response to button clicks.

// Code example provided...

A sandbox showcasing the functionality is available.

It's worth noting that the use of key is not necessary here, as all <div> elements are rendered simultaneously without toggling between them to avoid the issue of React patching a single <div>.

The primary reason for this approach is to display the exiting of the previous element as well. Additionally, the elements are mounted initially, and the transform is adjusted afterward, aligning with the requirements for how transition functions.

Many animation libraries like framer-motion can simplify animation tasks significantly.

Answer 2

Initially, the mere act of mounting a DOM element with the transition CSS property does not trigger the "enter" animation. In order for the transition to animate something, an element must first load with one set of CSS properties and then transition to a new set of CSS properties. Simply adding a <div> with the final CSS properties will not initiate any animation.

So why does the second example partially work? When switching between these <div> elements by updating the selectedIndex state, React utilizes its reconciliation process to minimize the DOM operations needed to switch from the previous state to the next one. When transitioning from the first to the second <div>, React essentially updates the existing <div> by modifying its attributes to reflect the new styles.

This update satisfies the criteria of the transition CSS property, which requires that a DOM node's CSS properties must actually change, rather than just being inserted in their final state.

To demonstrate this, you can force React's algorithm to treat each <div> as a unique element by assigning each one a distinct key:

  const div1 = <div key={1} style={styleNoSlide}>Lorem Ipsum 1</div>;
  const div2 = <div key={2} style={styleSlideRtoL}>Lorem Ipsum 2</div>;
  const div3 = <div key={3} style={styleNoSlide}>Lorem Ipsum 3</div>;
  const div4 = <div key={4} style={styleSlideRtoL}>Lorem Ipsum 4</div>;
  const div5 = <div key={5} style={styleNoSlide}>Lorem Ipsum 5</div>;

By doing so, you will observe that React now treats them as distinct elements, resulting in the disappearance of the animation once again.

To achieve the desired outcome, consider rendering all of the <div> elements at all times instead of toggling between them. Only one will be visible while the rest remain out of view. You can then adjust the transform property in response to button clicks.

// Code example provided...

A sandbox showcasing the functionality is available.

It's worth noting that the use of key is not necessary here, as all <div> elements are rendered simultaneously without toggling between them to avoid the issue of React patching a single <div>.

The primary reason for this approach is to display the exiting of the previous element as well. Additionally, the elements are mounted initially, and the transform is adjusted afterward, aligning with the requirements for how transition functions.

Many animation libraries like framer-motion can simplify animation tasks significantly.

React component failing to display CSS transitions

Answer №1

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