The look and feel is no longer the only crucial aspect when building a new website, thanks to the shift from static web pages to more interactive ones, created using modern techniques like HTML5, CSS3, and JavaScript.

It’s not only websites that need to look great, but mobile apps and games need animations to be visually attractive or even functional. Below is a list of some of the best web applications for creating browser animations.

1. GSAP

The GreenSock (GSAP) library may just be one of the best free resources available to JavaScript developers. It offers some of the most impressive animation libraries you can use.

It works on top of HTML5 and adapts to most modern browsers effortlessly. In addition, it has a dedicated team that constantly updates it with new features. It can work with canvas elements, SVGs, and even jQuery objects with other related libraries like Easeljs.

This is a no-brainer if you’re looking for a powerful JS animation library.

Top Features

  • Easily accessible and free.
  • It offers fast animations that display at high refresh rates even on mobile devices.
  • Packed with robust features and is suited for professional users.
  • Broad compatibility with HTML, React, Angular, Vue, Canvas, jQuery, old browsers, new browsers, mobile browsers, and many more.

2. Tuesday

One of the most desirable qualities of Tuesday is the simplicity of the animations. With this library, you can control how elements pop up and disappear from the page. However, these animations are not over-the-top or extremely glamorous. They are impressive yet subtle enough to improve the page aesthetics but do not distract the user from the rest of its contents.

Few sites are usingTuesday, but it’s one of the cleanest CSS libraries available.

Top Features

  • Runs on pure CSS code.
  • The animations are so reasonable that they can blend in with any page.
  • More than a dozen fade-in/fade-out styles.

3. WICKED CSS

Wicked CSS is one of the newer libraries with a heavy focus on pure CSS code. The library works on top of CSS3 properties to produce fabulous results. On the site’s homepage, you’ll access a few live demos you can test right on your browser. These include object rotations, flips, slide-ins, and many more animation effects.

The library is generally straightforward to use; although most of the animations are basic enough for you to build them yourself, others get complex, making Wicked CSS a fun tool to play with.

Top Features

  • User-friendly interface that allows you to test the animations.
  • Runs on pure CSS code.
  • Produces simple animations but can get more complex the more you use it.

4. Anime.js

Anime.js is another interesting example of a robust animation library for your site. This remarkable tool is heavy and goes beyond simple UI/UX animations. Anime.js is also built with a focus on CSS. It allows you to design beautiful animations with buttons, logos, and even images. These animations support all the interactive user triggers like clicks, swipes, and hovers. Additionally, you have access to countless custom-built animations.

If you look at the documentation, you’ll find some examples of code that’s embedded right into the page.

Top Features

  • An interactive site with examples of embedded code.
  • Free access to custom-built animations.
  • Compatibility with JS, HTML, CSS and SVG.

5. CSShake

CSShake is one of the strangest yet most fun CSS libraries. Its eccentric nature is not for every website. However, it earns its spot on the list because few libraries have similar features. CSShake specializes in shake animations and goes crazy with them. With it, you can power hover animations of different types and styles, all running on CSS.

The library has you covered from vigorous shaking to gentle movements and everything in between, with a pretty straightforward setup to boot. It is also entertaining to just go on the site and play around with the different animations.

Top Features

  • Runs on pure CSS.
  • Extreme control over shake animations.
  • Easy to use with numerous examples and embedded code on the site.

6. Animate CSS

Conceivably the definitive resource for website animations, Animate.css was introduced a couple of years ago, but it remains more relevant than ever today. Daniel Eden initially developed it as a simple way of adding CSS3 animations to a webpage. However, it has grown over time to become a fully-fledged animation library, powerful enough to run on a major project.

The main page offers many examples and demos that you can use to test out the animations and see how you like them. Additionally, there’s comprehensive documentation on Github that includes a long list of classes and some code snippets.

Top Features

  • One of the most popular resources for website animations.
  • Great documentation available on Github.
  • Lots of examples and demos on the homepage.

7. Mo.js

Mo.js is a detailed JavaScript library for animation. It is massive and is designed for motion graphics over UI/UX animations. However, you can use it for practically anything when you learn how it works. The codes are pretty easy to manipulate, and there are a bunch of tutorials available that can make the work even easier.

Although it has a few shortcomings, it does have many outstanding features. It simplifies animation whether you’re animating a logo, navigation bar, or other complex objects.

Top Features

  • Over 1500 unit tests and ci techniques help the developers carve and backstrap the tool.
  • Mo.js is open source and has an ever-growing community.
  • Fast and smooth animations even on mobile browsers.

8. Magic

Magic library can be described as fun animations with a hint of playfulness. The collection focuses on CSS3 animations while pushing unique styles that designers can’t find in other libraries. It’s a pretty extensive collection of CSS codes, and you’re likely to find many new tricks here. From flips to perspective rotations and fading effects, Magic has it all.

The site has a demo page that you can use to try out some of these features. However, this library is smaller than other CSS3 libraries like Animate.css or Tuesday. Nevertheless, it has many unique animations that you won’t find in other libraries.

Top Features

  • Many unique animations are not available in other libraries.
  • Dedicated demo page.
  • Based on pure CSS code.

9. Bounce.js

Bounce.js is powerful enough to make CSS3 and JS animations in just a few clicks. You can find a custom animation builder on the main page that focuses on modules first. That way, you can add the animation features you want to your page without additional code.

What makes Bounce.js unique is that it doesn’t work just like a library. Although you can find the setup information on Github, it’s not just a basic script. Instead, it comes with a web builder, making it one of the few animation libraries you can stylize in a browser.

Top Features

  • Makes CSS and JavaScript animations.
  • Custom animation builder on the homepage.
  • Comes with a fully-fledged web builder.

10. Zdog

Another unique entry on the list is Zdog. This is a 3D Javascript engine for Canvas and SVG. With Zdog, you can design and render simple 3D animations on the web. It is a pseudo-3D engine, meaning that its geometries exist in 3D and are rendered as flat shapes.

Additionally, the entire library is only 2100 lines or 28kb. It was designed to introduce the simplicity of vector illustration to 3D. Zdog is easy to learn if you’re already familiar with JavaScript. The homepage also has some demos you can use to try out some of the library’s features.

Top Features

  • The library is small, comprising only 2100 lines.
  • With Zdog, circular shapes are rendered as real circles with rounded edges and no polygonal jaggies.
  • Zdog is user-friendly.

11. AniJS

AniJS is one of the most creative libraries on this list. It assists in intuitively handling animation using simple instructions like On, If, Do, and To. What’s more, you’re allowed to use your classes or even Animate.css to explore your creativity. It is pretty straightforward and adds simple animations to plain text. However, in the right hands, it can create an excellent page.

Top Features

  • Uses simple instructions instead of long blocks of code.
  • Comprehensive documentation.

12. Kute.js

Kute.js is a JavaScript animation engine reimagined for the modern web. It is built on the ES6+ JavaScript standard, packed with build tools, utilities, and many supported properties. It is a fully-fledged animation engine that you can use to make animations with complex properties or elements that cannot be animated with CSS3.

Although Kute.js doesn’t support legacy browsers, it has a bunch of tools and utilities that you can use to create a fallback animation for the old browsers.

Top Features

  • Fully-fledged animation engine capable of making complex animations.
  • Countless tools and utilities.
  • Made for the modern browser and receives regular updates.

Final Thoughts

The libraries above will help you make amazing animations for your site and give it a new look and feel. They are all good and are differentiated by their features. Ultimately, it depends on your needs as a designer. Depending on the type of designs you’re working on and the workflow you have set up, one portfolio might be more fitting than another.