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
  5user-invocable: true
  6argument-hint: "[target]"
  7---
  8
  9Analyze a feature and strategically add animations and micro-interactions that enhance understanding, provide feedback, and create delight.
 10
 11## MANDATORY PREPARATION
 12
 13Invoke /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.
 14
 15---
 16
 17## Assess Animation Opportunities
 18
 19Analyze where motion would improve the experience:
 20
 211. **Identify static areas**:
 22   - **Missing feedback**: Actions without visual acknowledgment (button clicks, form submission, etc.)
 23   - **Jarring transitions**: Instant state changes that feel abrupt (show/hide, page loads, route changes)
 24   - **Unclear relationships**: Spatial or hierarchical relationships that aren't obvious
 25   - **Lack of delight**: Functional but joyless interactions
 26   - **Missed guidance**: Opportunities to direct attention or explain behavior
 27
 282. **Understand the context**:
 29   - What's the personality? (Playful vs serious, energetic vs calm)
 30   - What's the performance budget? (Mobile-first? Complex page?)
 31   - Who's the audience? (Motion-sensitive users? Power users who want speed?)
 32   - What matters most? (One hero animation vs many micro-interactions?)
 33
 34If any of these are unclear from the codebase, STOP and call the `question` tool to clarify.
 35
 36**CRITICAL**: Respect `prefers-reduced-motion`. Always provide non-animated alternatives for users who need them.
 37
 38## Plan Animation Strategy
 39
 40Create a purposeful animation plan:
 41
 42- **Hero moment**: What's the ONE signature animation? (Page load? Hero section? Key interaction?)
 43- **Feedback layer**: Which interactions need acknowledgment?
 44- **Transition layer**: Which state changes need smoothing?
 45- **Delight layer**: Where can we surprise and delight?
 46
 47**IMPORTANT**: One well-orchestrated experience beats scattered animations everywhere. Focus on high-impact moments.
 48
 49## Implement Animations
 50
 51Add motion systematically across these categories:
 52
 53### Entrance Animations
 54- **Page load choreography**: Stagger element reveals (100-150ms delays), fade + slide combinations
 55- **Hero section**: Dramatic entrance for primary content (scale, parallax, or creative effects)
 56- **Content reveals**: Scroll-triggered animations using intersection observer
 57- **Modal/drawer entry**: Smooth slide + fade, backdrop fade, focus management
 58
 59### Micro-interactions
 60- **Button feedback**:
 61  - Hover: Subtle scale (1.02-1.05), color shift, shadow increase
 62  - Click: Quick scale down then up (0.95 → 1), ripple effect
 63  - Loading: Spinner or pulse state
 64- **Form interactions**:
 65  - Input focus: Border color transition, slight scale or glow
 66  - Validation: Shake on error, check mark on success, smooth color transitions
 67- **Toggle switches**: Smooth slide + color transition (200-300ms)
 68- **Checkboxes/radio**: Check mark animation, ripple effect
 69- **Like/favorite**: Scale + rotation, particle effects, color transition
 70
 71### State Transitions
 72- **Show/hide**: Fade + slide (not instant), appropriate timing (200-300ms)
 73- **Expand/collapse**: Height transition with overflow handling, icon rotation
 74- **Loading states**: Skeleton screen fades, spinner animations, progress bars
 75- **Success/error**: Color transitions, icon animations, gentle scale pulse
 76- **Enable/disable**: Opacity transitions, cursor changes
 77
 78### Navigation & Flow
 79- **Page transitions**: Crossfade between routes, shared element transitions
 80- **Tab switching**: Slide indicator, content fade/slide
 81- **Carousel/slider**: Smooth transforms, snap points, momentum
 82- **Scroll effects**: Parallax layers, sticky headers with state changes, scroll progress indicators
 83
 84### Feedback & Guidance
 85- **Hover hints**: Tooltip fade-ins, cursor changes, element highlights
 86- **Drag & drop**: Lift effect (shadow + scale), drop zone highlights, smooth repositioning
 87- **Copy/paste**: Brief highlight flash on paste, "copied" confirmation
 88- **Focus flow**: Highlight path through form or workflow
 89
 90### Delight Moments
 91- **Empty states**: Subtle floating animations on illustrations
 92- **Completed actions**: Confetti, check mark flourish, success celebrations
 93- **Easter eggs**: Hidden interactions for discovery
 94- **Contextual animation**: Weather effects, time-of-day themes, seasonal touches
 95
 96## Technical Implementation
 97
 98Use appropriate techniques for each animation:
 99
100### Timing & Easing
101
102**Durations by purpose:**
103- **100-150ms**: Instant feedback (button press, toggle)
104- **200-300ms**: State changes (hover, menu open)
105- **300-500ms**: Layout changes (accordion, modal)
106- **500-800ms**: Entrance animations (page load)
107
108**Easing curves (use these, not CSS defaults):**
109```css
110/* Recommended - natural deceleration */
111--ease-out-quart: cubic-bezier(0.25, 1, 0.5, 1);    /* Smooth, refined */
112--ease-out-quint: cubic-bezier(0.22, 1, 0.36, 1);   /* Slightly snappier */
113--ease-out-expo: cubic-bezier(0.16, 1, 0.3, 1);     /* Confident, decisive */
114
115/* AVOID - feel dated and tacky */
116/* bounce: cubic-bezier(0.34, 1.56, 0.64, 1); */
117/* elastic: cubic-bezier(0.68, -0.6, 0.32, 1.6); */
118```
119
120**Exit animations are faster than entrances.** Use ~75% of enter duration.
121
122### CSS Animations
123```css
124/* Prefer for simple, declarative animations */
125- transitions for state changes
126- @keyframes for complex sequences
127- transform + opacity only (GPU-accelerated)
128```
129
130### JavaScript Animation
131```javascript
132/* Use for complex, interactive animations */
133- Web Animations API for programmatic control
134- Framer Motion for React
135- GSAP for complex sequences
136```
137
138### Performance
139- **GPU acceleration**: Use `transform` and `opacity`, avoid layout properties
140- **will-change**: Add sparingly for known expensive animations
141- **Reduce paint**: Minimize repaints, use `contain` where appropriate
142- **Monitor FPS**: Ensure 60fps on target devices
143
144### Accessibility
145```css
146@media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
147  * {
148    animation-duration: 0.01ms !important;
149    animation-iteration-count: 1 !important;
150    transition-duration: 0.01ms !important;
151  }
152}
153```
154
155**NEVER**:
156- Use bounce or elastic easing curves—they feel dated and draw attention to the animation itself
157- Animate layout properties (width, height, top, left)—use transform instead
158- Use durations over 500ms for feedback—it feels laggy
159- Animate without purpose—every animation needs a reason
160- Ignore `prefers-reduced-motion`—this is an accessibility violation
161- Animate everything—animation fatigue makes interfaces feel exhausting
162- Block interaction during animations unless intentional
163
164## Verify Quality
165
166Test animations thoroughly:
167
168- **Smooth at 60fps**: No jank on target devices
169- **Feels natural**: Easing curves feel organic, not robotic
170- **Appropriate timing**: Not too fast (jarring) or too slow (laggy)
171- **Reduced motion works**: Animations disabled or simplified appropriately
172- **Doesn't block**: Users can interact during/after animations
173- **Adds value**: Makes interface clearer or more delightful
174
175Remember: 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.