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jQuery animate() Method

< jQuery Effect Methods

Example

"Animate" an element, by changing its height:

$("button").click(function(){
    $("#box").animate({height: "300px"});
});
Try it Yourself »

Definition and Usage

The animate() method performs a custom animation of a set of CSS properties.

This method changes an element from one state to another with CSS styles. The CSS property value is changed gradually, to create an animated effect.

Only numeric values can be animated (like "margin:30px"). String values cannot be animated (like "background-color:red"), except for the strings "show", "hide" and "toggle". These values allow hiding and showing the animated element.

Tip: Use "+=""-=" for relative animations.

Syntax

(selector).animate({styles},speed,easing,callback)

Parameter Description
styles Required. Specifies one or more CSS properties/values to animate.

Note: The property names must be camel-cased when used with the animate() method: You will need to write paddingLeft instead of padding-left, marginRight instead of margin-right, and so on.

Properties that can be animated:


Only numeric values can be animated (like "margin:30px"). String values cannot be animated (like "background-color:red"), except for the strings "show", "hide" and "toggle". These values allow hiding and showing the animated element.

Tip: Color animations are not included in the core jQuery library. If you want to animate color, you need to download the Color Animations plugin from jQuery.com
speed Optional. Specifies the speed of the animation. Default value is 400 milliseconds

Possible values:

  • milliseconds (like 100, 1000, 5000, etc)
  • "slow"
  • "fast"
easing Optional. Specifies the speed of the element in different points of the animation. Default value is "swing". Possible values:
  • "swing" - moves slower at the beginning/end, but faster in the middle
  • "linear" - moves in a constant speed
Tip: More easing functions are available in external plugins.
callback Optional. A function to be executed after the animation completes. To learn more about callback, please read our jQuery Callback chapter

Alternate Syntax

(selector).animate({styles},{options})

Parameter Description
styles Required. Specifies one or more CSS properties/values to animate (See possible values above)
options Optional. Specifies additional options for the animation. Possible values:
  • duration - sets the speed of the animation
  • easing - specifies the easing function to use
  • complete - specifies a function to be executed after the animation completes
  • step - specifies a function to be executed for each step in the animation
  • progress - specifies a function to be executed after each step in the animation
  • queue - a Boolean value specifying whether or not to place the animation in the effects queue
  • specialEasing - a map of one or more CSS properties from the >styles parameter, and their corresponding easing functions
  • start - specifies a function to be executed when the animation begins
  • done - specifies a function to be executed when the animation ends
  • fail - specifies a function to be executed if the animation fails to complete
  • always - specifies a function to be executed if the animation stops without completing

Try it Yourself - Examples

Using animate() with a callback function
How to use animate() with a callback function that repeats the animation.

Alternate Syntax Example
Using the alternate syntax to specify multiple animation styles and options.

Using animate() to create a progress bar
How to use the animate() method to create a progress bar.

Add smooth scrolling to page anchors
How to use animate() to add smooth scrolling to links.

< jQuery Effect Methods