What are timing functions (ease, linear, ease-in-out, etc.)?
Jun 23, 2025 am 12:03 AM
CSS timing functions control animation pacing. 1. linear ensures constant speed, suitable for mechanical transitions. 2. ease starts slow, speeds up, then slows again, ideal for natural UI interactions. 3. ease-in accelerates from a slow start, good for gradual entrances. 4. ease-out decelerates at the end, useful for smooth exits. 5. ease-in-out combines both, perfect for balanced bidirectional animations. Choosing the right one depends on context, and custom curves can be created using cubic-bezier().
Timing functions in CSS—like ease, linear, and ease-in-out—control how the intermediate values of a CSS transition or animation are calculated over time. In simpler terms, they define the speed at which an animation progresses from start to finish, making it feel smooth, sudden, or natural.
What Do Timing Functions Actually Do?
At their core, timing functions (also known as easing functions) determine the pacing of an animation. They don't change the start or end points of the animation, just how the element gets there. Think of them like different driving styles: one might accelerate slowly and stop suddenly (ease-in), another might go at a constant speed (linear), and yet another might start slow, speed up, then slow down again (ease-in-out).
Common Timing Functions Explained
1. linear – Steady and Predictable
This is the most straightforward timing function. The animation moves at a constant rate from start to finish—no acceleration, no slowdown.
- Good for simple transitions where you want consistent movement
- Often used in sliders or progress bars that need to feel mechanical or precise
Example:
transition: all 0.5s linear;
You might notice this can feel a bit robotic or unnatural, especially for UI animations meant to feel smooth.
2. ease – Default and Natural
This is the default setting in most browsers. It starts slightly slower, speeds up, then slows down at the end.
- Mimics real-world motion more closely
- Feels more organic and less jarring than
linear - Suitable for most UI interactions like hover effects or modal entrances
Example:
transition: opacity 0.3s ease;
It’s a good starting point unless you have a specific reason to use another function.
3. ease-in – Slow Start, Fast Finish
The animation begins slowly and then accelerates until it ends.
- Can create a sense of anticipation
- Less common because it feels abrupt at the end
- Useful when you want something to appear gradually but disappear quickly
Use cases:
- Fade-ins that don’t need a soft landing
- Elements entering the screen from off-screen
4. ease-out – Fast Start, Slow Finish
Starts fast and then decelerates toward the end.
- Feels smoother on exit animations
- Makes elements feel like they’re settling into place
- Often used for hiding or removing elements
Example:
transition: transform 0.4s ease-out;
This one gives a nice “l(fā)anding” effect, like a door closing gently after swinging open quickly.
5. ease-in-out – Balanced Acceleration and Deceleration
Combines both ease-in and ease-out. Starts slow, speeds up in the middle, then slows down again at the end.
- Most commonly used for symmetrical animations
- Feels balanced and polished
- Great for toggling states (like opening and closing a menu)
Example:
transition: width 0.6s ease-in-out;
Because it's symmetrical, it works well when the same animation is used in both directions.
How to Choose the Right One
There’s no single "best" timing function—it depends on what you're animating and how you want it to feel. Here are a few practical tips:
- ? Use
ease-in-outfor general-purpose animations that need to feel smooth in both directions. - ?? Try
linearif you want uniform motion, but be aware it may feel artificial. - ? Use
ease-infor dramatic entrances andease-outfor graceful exits. - ? Don’t be afraid to test different options in your browser dev tools—you’ll often see the difference better than you can imagine it.
Bonus: Custom Easing with cubic-bezier()
If the built-in ones aren’t quite right, you can define your own using cubic-bezier().
For example:
transition: all 0.4s cubic-bezier(0.25, 0.1, 0.25, 1);
This gives you full control over the acceleration curve. Tools like cubic-bezier.com let you visually tweak the curve and copy the values into your code.
That’s the basic idea behind timing functions. They shape the rhythm of your animations, and once you get a feel for them, you'll start choosing them more intentionally based on what kind of motion you want to create.
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