Navigation That Flows Instead of Blinks

Page transitions and route animations that eliminate the jarring white flash between pages, making your website feel like a native application where every view connects seamlessly to the next.

15%

Animation increases perceived navigation performance by 15% by providing visual continuity between views

NNGroup, 2020

Page Transitions

Smooth page transitions and route animations using the View Transitions API and framework-native patterns that make navigation feel seamless and maintain user context between views.
Page transition animation design for seamless navigation

What's Included

Everything you get with our Page Transitions

Page Transition System

Complete View Transitions API or framework-native implementation for all primary navigation paths with cross-fade, slide, and morph effects

Shared Element Animations

Shared element transitions for images, cards, and content blocks that animate smoothly between their positions on different pages

Progressive Enhancement

Graceful degradation for browsers without View Transitions API support, plus loading state integration for data-dependent transitions

Our Page Transition Process

1

Navigation Flow Mapping

We map your application's navigation patterns to identify which page-to-page transitions benefit most from animation. We define shared elements, transition directions, and animation types for each navigation path.

2

Transition Design

We design the visual choreography for each transition: cross-fade timing, slide directions, shared element morphing paths, and staggered content entrance sequences. Each transition communicates the spatial relationship between views.

3

API Implementation

We implement using the View Transitions API for MPA sites, your framework's transition system (React, Vue, Svelte, Astro) for SPAs, and CSS-based fallbacks for unsupported browsers. Progressive enhancement ensures every user gets a smooth experience.

4

Loading State Integration

We integrate transitions with your data loading patterns so animations play smoothly even when new page data needs to be fetched. Skeleton screens and placeholder content maintain the transition flow while real content loads.

Key Benefits

App-like navigation feel

Page transitions eliminate the jarring white flash that makes websites feel like documents instead of applications. Content flows between views with smooth cross-fades, slides, and shared element animations that make navigation feel fast and connected.

Preserved spatial context

Shared element transitions animate objects between their positions on different pages. A product card image morphs into the product detail hero. A list item expands into its detail view. Users understand where they are because the visual connection between views is maintained.

Reduced perceived load time

NNGroup research shows animation increases perceived performance by 15%. Page transitions provide visual activity during the brief moment when new content is loading, making navigation feel instant even when there is a small data fetch delay.

Research & Evidence

Backed by industry research and proven results

Perceived Performance Study

Animation in UIs increases perceived performance by 15%

NNGroup (2020)

Material Design Navigation

Motion during navigation creates visual continuity that helps users understand where content came from and where it is going

Google Material Design (2021)

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the View Transitions API work in all browsers?

The View Transitions API is currently supported in Chromium browsers (Chrome, Edge, Opera, Arc) which represent roughly 70% of web traffic. For Safari and Firefox, we implement graceful fallbacks using CSS transitions or framework-native transition APIs. Users on unsupported browsers get standard instant navigation, not a broken experience.

Can page transitions work with server-rendered pages?

Yes. The View Transitions API was specifically designed for multi-page applications where each page is a full server render. It captures a screenshot of the current page, navigates to the new page, and cross-fades between them. This works with any server rendering framework including Astro, Next.js, PHP, Rails, and static HTML.

Do page transitions slow down navigation?

No. Page transitions run concurrently with navigation. The browser fetches the new page while the exit animation plays. If the page loads faster than the animation duration, there is zero perceived delay. If the page loads slower, the transition provides visual activity that makes the wait feel shorter.

How do page transitions affect the browser's back button?

Page transitions work seamlessly with browser history navigation. The View Transitions API automatically reverses transition direction for back navigation, so forward navigation slides left and back navigation slides right. Framework-native transitions handle history the same way.

Make Navigation Feel Seamless

Free consultation. No commitment. Get a custom ui animations strategy in 24 hours.