1---
  2name: animate
  3description: Review a feature and enhance it with purposeful animations, micro-interactions, and motion effects that improve usability and delight. Use when the user mentions adding animation, transitions, micro-interactions, motion design, hover effects, or making the UI feel more alive.
  4version: 2.1.1
  5---
  6
  7Analyze a feature and strategically add animations and micro-interactions that enhance understanding, provide feedback, and create delight.
  8
  9## MANDATORY PREPARATION
 10
 11Invoke /impeccable — it contains design principles, anti-patterns, and the **Context Gathering Protocol**. Follow the protocol before proceeding — if no design context exists yet, you MUST run /impeccable teach first. Additionally gather: performance constraints.
 12
 13---
 14
 15## Assess Animation Opportunities
 16
 17Analyze where motion would improve the experience:
 18
 191. **Identify static areas**:
 20   - **Missing feedback**: Actions without visual acknowledgment (button clicks, form submission, etc.)
 21   - **Jarring transitions**: Instant state changes that feel abrupt (show/hide, page loads, route changes)
 22   - **Unclear relationships**: Spatial or hierarchical relationships that aren't obvious
 23   - **Lack of delight**: Functional but joyless interactions
 24   - **Missed guidance**: Opportunities to direct attention or explain behavior
 25
 262. **Understand the context**:
 27   - What's the personality? (Playful vs serious, energetic vs calm)
 28   - What's the performance budget? (Mobile-first? Complex page?)
 29   - Who's the audience? (Motion-sensitive users? Power users who want speed?)
 30   - What matters most? (One hero animation vs many micro-interactions?)
 31
 32If any of these are unclear from the codebase, ask the user directly to clarify what you cannot infer.
 33
 34**CRITICAL**: Respect `prefers-reduced-motion`. Always provide non-animated alternatives for users who need them.
 35
 36## Plan Animation Strategy
 37
 38Create a purposeful animation plan:
 39
 40- **Hero moment**: What's the ONE signature animation? (Page load? Hero section? Key interaction?)
 41- **Feedback layer**: Which interactions need acknowledgment?
 42- **Transition layer**: Which state changes need smoothing?
 43- **Delight layer**: Where can we surprise and delight?
 44
 45**IMPORTANT**: One well-orchestrated experience beats scattered animations everywhere. Focus on high-impact moments.
 46
 47## Implement Animations
 48
 49Add motion systematically across these categories:
 50
 51### Entrance Animations
 52- **Page load choreography**: Stagger element reveals (100-150ms delays), fade + slide combinations
 53- **Hero section**: Dramatic entrance for primary content (scale, parallax, or creative effects)
 54- **Content reveals**: Scroll-triggered animations using intersection observer
 55- **Modal/drawer entry**: Smooth slide + fade, backdrop fade, focus management
 56
 57### Micro-interactions
 58- **Button feedback**:
 59  - Hover: Subtle scale (1.02-1.05), color shift, shadow increase
 60  - Click: Quick scale down then up (0.95 → 1), ripple effect
 61  - Loading: Spinner or pulse state
 62- **Form interactions**:
 63  - Input focus: Border color transition, slight scale or glow
 64  - Validation: Shake on error, check mark on success, smooth color transitions
 65- **Toggle switches**: Smooth slide + color transition (200-300ms)
 66- **Checkboxes/radio**: Check mark animation, ripple effect
 67- **Like/favorite**: Scale + rotation, particle effects, color transition
 68
 69### State Transitions
 70- **Show/hide**: Fade + slide (not instant), appropriate timing (200-300ms)
 71- **Expand/collapse**: Height transition with overflow handling, icon rotation
 72- **Loading states**: Skeleton screen fades, spinner animations, progress bars
 73- **Success/error**: Color transitions, icon animations, gentle scale pulse
 74- **Enable/disable**: Opacity transitions, cursor changes
 75
 76### Navigation & Flow
 77- **Page transitions**: Crossfade between routes, shared element transitions
 78- **Tab switching**: Slide indicator, content fade/slide
 79- **Carousel/slider**: Smooth transforms, snap points, momentum
 80- **Scroll effects**: Parallax layers, sticky headers with state changes, scroll progress indicators
 81
 82### Feedback & Guidance
 83- **Hover hints**: Tooltip fade-ins, cursor changes, element highlights
 84- **Drag & drop**: Lift effect (shadow + scale), drop zone highlights, smooth repositioning
 85- **Copy/paste**: Brief highlight flash on paste, "copied" confirmation
 86- **Focus flow**: Highlight path through form or workflow
 87
 88### Delight Moments
 89- **Empty states**: Subtle floating animations on illustrations
 90- **Completed actions**: Confetti, check mark flourish, success celebrations
 91- **Easter eggs**: Hidden interactions for discovery
 92- **Contextual animation**: Weather effects, time-of-day themes, seasonal touches
 93
 94## Technical Implementation
 95
 96Use appropriate techniques for each animation:
 97
 98### Timing & Easing
 99
100**Durations by purpose:**
101- **100-150ms**: Instant feedback (button press, toggle)
102- **200-300ms**: State changes (hover, menu open)
103- **300-500ms**: Layout changes (accordion, modal)
104- **500-800ms**: Entrance animations (page load)
105
106**Easing curves (use these, not CSS defaults):**
107```css
108/* Recommended - natural deceleration */
109--ease-out-quart: cubic-bezier(0.25, 1, 0.5, 1);    /* Smooth, refined */
110--ease-out-quint: cubic-bezier(0.22, 1, 0.36, 1);   /* Slightly snappier */
111--ease-out-expo: cubic-bezier(0.16, 1, 0.3, 1);     /* Confident, decisive */
112
113/* AVOID - feel dated and tacky */
114/* bounce: cubic-bezier(0.34, 1.56, 0.64, 1); */
115/* elastic: cubic-bezier(0.68, -0.6, 0.32, 1.6); */
116```
117
118**Exit animations are faster than entrances.** Use ~75% of enter duration.
119
120### CSS Animations
121```css
122/* Prefer for simple, declarative animations */
123- transitions for state changes
124- @keyframes for complex sequences
125- transform + opacity only (GPU-accelerated)
126```
127
128### JavaScript Animation
129```javascript
130/* Use for complex, interactive animations */
131- Web Animations API for programmatic control
132- Framer Motion for React
133- GSAP for complex sequences
134```
135
136### Performance
137- **GPU acceleration**: Use `transform` and `opacity`, avoid layout properties
138- **will-change**: Add sparingly for known expensive animations
139- **Reduce paint**: Minimize repaints, use `contain` where appropriate
140- **Monitor FPS**: Ensure 60fps on target devices
141
142### Accessibility
143```css
144@media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
145  * {
146    animation-duration: 0.01ms !important;
147    animation-iteration-count: 1 !important;
148    transition-duration: 0.01ms !important;
149  }
150}
151```
152
153**NEVER**:
154- Use bounce or elastic easing curves—they feel dated and draw attention to the animation itself
155- Animate layout properties (width, height, top, left)—use transform instead
156- Use durations over 500ms for feedback—it feels laggy
157- Animate without purpose—every animation needs a reason
158- Ignore `prefers-reduced-motion`—this is an accessibility violation
159- Animate everything—animation fatigue makes interfaces feel exhausting
160- Block interaction during animations unless intentional
161
162## Verify Quality
163
164Test animations thoroughly:
165
166- **Smooth at 60fps**: No jank on target devices
167- **Feels natural**: Easing curves feel organic, not robotic
168- **Appropriate timing**: Not too fast (jarring) or too slow (laggy)
169- **Reduced motion works**: Animations disabled or simplified appropriately
170- **Doesn't block**: Users can interact during/after animations
171- **Adds value**: Makes interface clearer or more delightful
172
173Remember: Motion should enhance understanding and provide feedback, not just add decoration. Animate with purpose, respect performance constraints, and always consider accessibility. Great animation is invisible - it just makes everything feel right.