Web Animations Medium

SVG Workflow Animation

SVG connector paths draw themselves as you scroll using stroke-dasharray/dashoffset technique. Workflow nodes and labels appear in sequence with scroll-triggered reveals.

Open in Lab

gsap scrolltrigger svg stroke-dasharray lenis

Targets: JS HTML

Code

:root {
  --bg: #070a12;
  --text: #f0f4fb;
  --panel: #121a2b;
  --border: #263249;
  --accent: #86e8ff;
  --muted: #8a95a8;
}

* {
  margin: 0;
  padding: 0;
  box-sizing: border-box;
}

body {
  font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", sans-serif;
  background: var(--bg);
  color: var(--text);
  line-height: 1.6;
  overflow-x: hidden;
}

.hero {
  min-height: 100vh;
  display: flex;
  align-items: center;
  justify-content: center;
  padding: 2rem;
  background: linear-gradient(135deg, rgba(134, 232, 255, 0.04) 0%, rgba(174, 82, 255, 0.04) 100%);
}

.hero .content {
  max-width: 600px;
  text-align: center;
}

.eyebrow {
  display: inline-block;
  font-size: 0.75rem;
  font-weight: 700;
  letter-spacing: 2px;
  text-transform: uppercase;
  color: var(--accent);
  margin-bottom: 1rem;
}

.hero h1 {
  font-size: 3.5rem;
  font-weight: 800;
  line-height: 1.1;
  margin-bottom: 1.5rem;
  letter-spacing: -1px;
}

.subtitle {
  font-size: 1.1rem;
  color: var(--muted);
}

/* Workflow Section */
.workflow-section {
  padding: 6rem 2rem;
  background: rgba(18, 26, 43, 0.5);
  border-top: 1px solid var(--border);
  border-bottom: 1px solid var(--border);
}

.workflow-wrapper {
  max-width: 900px;
  margin: 0 auto;
  position: relative;
}

#workflow-svg {
  width: 100%;
  height: auto;
  max-height: 650px;
  display: block;
  overflow: visible;
}

/* SVG node text */
#workflow-svg text {
  font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", sans-serif;
  font-weight: 600;
}

.node-label {
  font-size: 13px;
  fill: var(--text);
}

/* Connect lines — initially faint */
.connect-line {
  stroke: var(--border);
  opacity: 0.4;
}

/* Details Section */
.details-section {
  max-width: 800px;
  margin: 4rem auto;
  padding: 4rem 2rem;
  border: 1px solid var(--border);
  border-radius: 12px;
  background: rgba(18, 26, 43, 0.8);
}

.content {
  max-width: 800px;
  margin: 0 auto;
}

.details-section h2 {
  font-size: 1.8rem;
  margin-bottom: 1.5rem;
  color: var(--text);
}

.details-section h3 {
  font-size: 1.2rem;
  margin-top: 2rem;
  margin-bottom: 0.8rem;
  color: var(--accent);
}

.details-section p {
  font-size: 1rem;
  color: var(--muted);
  margin-bottom: 1.5rem;
  line-height: 1.8;
}

.details-section ol {
  margin-left: 1.5rem;
  margin-bottom: 1.5rem;
}

.details-section ol li {
  color: var(--muted);
  margin-bottom: 0.8rem;
  line-height: 1.7;
}

code {
  background: rgba(134, 232, 255, 0.1);
  color: var(--accent);
  padding: 0.2rem 0.5rem;
  border-radius: 4px;
  font-family: "Monaco", "Courier New", monospace;
  font-size: 0.9rem;
}

.btn-back {
  display: inline-block;
  margin-top: 2rem;
  padding: 0.8rem 1.5rem;
  background: var(--accent);
  color: var(--bg);
  border-radius: 4px;
  font-weight: 600;
  text-decoration: none;
  transition: all 0.3s ease;
}

.btn-back:hover {
  background: rgba(134, 232, 255, 0.8);
  transform: translateY(-2px);
}

/* Responsive */
@media (max-width: 768px) {
  .hero h1 {
    font-size: 2.5rem;
  }
  .workflow-section {
    padding: 4rem 1rem;
  }
  .details-section {
    margin: 2rem auto;
    padding: 2rem 1.5rem;
  }
  .details-section h2 {
    font-size: 1.4rem;
  }
}

@media (max-width: 480px) {
  .hero h1 {
    font-size: 2rem;
  }
  .subtitle {
    font-size: 1rem;
  }
}

html.reduced-motion * {
  animation-duration: 0.01ms !important;
  transition-duration: 0.01ms !important;
}

if (!window.MotionPreference) {
  const __mql = window.matchMedia("(prefers-reduced-motion: reduce)");
  const __listeners = new Set();

  const MotionPreference = {
    prefersReducedMotion() {
      return __mql.matches;
    },
    setOverride(value) {
      const reduced = Boolean(value);
      document.documentElement.classList.toggle("reduced-motion", reduced);
      window.dispatchEvent(new CustomEvent("motion-preference", { detail: { reduced } }));
      for (const listener of __listeners) {
        try {
          listener({ reduced, override: reduced, systemReduced: __mql.matches });
        } catch {}
      }
    },
    onChange(listener) {
      __listeners.add(listener);
      try {
        listener({
          reduced: __mql.matches,
          override: null,
          systemReduced: __mql.matches,
        });
      } catch {}
      return () => __listeners.delete(listener);
    },
    getState() {
      return { reduced: __mql.matches, override: null, systemReduced: __mql.matches };
    },
  };

  window.MotionPreference = MotionPreference;
}

function prefersReducedMotion() {
  return window.MotionPreference.prefersReducedMotion();
}

function initDemoShell() {
  // No-op shim in imported standalone snippets.
}

import gsap from "gsap";
import { ScrollTrigger } from "gsap/ScrollTrigger";
import Lenis from "lenis";

gsap.registerPlugin(ScrollTrigger);

initDemoShell({
  title: "SVG Workflow Animation",
  category: "scroll",
  tech: ["gsap", "scrolltrigger", "svg", "stroke-dasharray"],
});

const lenis = new Lenis({ lerp: 0.1, smoothWheel: true });
lenis.on("scroll", ScrollTrigger.update);
gsap.ticker.add((time) => lenis.raf(time * 1000));
gsap.ticker.lagSmoothing(0);

const reduced = prefersReducedMotion();
if (reduced) document.documentElement.classList.add("reduced-motion");

// Hero entrance
if (!reduced) {
  gsap.set(".hero .eyebrow", { opacity: 0, y: 20 });
  gsap.set(".hero h1", { opacity: 0, y: 40 });
  gsap.set(".hero .subtitle", { opacity: 0, y: 25 });

  gsap
    .timeline({ defaults: { ease: "expo.out" } })
    .to(".hero .eyebrow", { opacity: 1, y: 0, duration: 0.7, delay: 0.3 })
    .to(".hero h1", { opacity: 1, y: 0, duration: 0.9 }, "-=0.4")
    .to(".hero .subtitle", { opacity: 1, y: 0, duration: 0.7 }, "-=0.5");
}

// SVG path drawing — core technique
const connectLines = document.querySelectorAll(".connect-line");

connectLines.forEach((path) => {
  const length = path.getTotalLength();

  // Set up stroke-dasharray for drawing effect
  gsap.set(path, {
    strokeDasharray: length,
    strokeDashoffset: length,
    opacity: 1,
  });

  if (!reduced) {
    // Draw the line as user scrolls through the workflow section
    gsap.to(path, {
      strokeDashoffset: 0,
      duration: 1,
      ease: "none",
      scrollTrigger: {
        trigger: ".workflow-section",
        start: "top 60%",
        end: "bottom 80%",
        scrub: 1.5,
      },
    });
  } else {
    // Show immediately for reduced motion
    gsap.set(path, { strokeDashoffset: 0 });
  }
});

// Node reveals — staggered sequentially as scroll progresses
const nodeOrder = [
  { id: "#node-1", label: "#label-1", delay: 0 },
  { id: "#node-2", label: "#label-2", delay: 0.15 },
  { id: "#node-3a", label: "#label-3a", delay: 0.25 },
  { id: "#node-3b", label: "#label-3b", delay: 0.25 },
  { id: "#node-4", label: "#label-4", delay: 0.4 },
];

nodeOrder.forEach(({ id, label, delay }) => {
  const node = document.querySelector(id);
  const labelEl = document.querySelector(label);
  if (!node) return;

  if (!reduced) {
    gsap.to(node, {
      opacity: 1,
      scale: 1,
      duration: 0.6,
      ease: "back.out(1.7)",
      scrollTrigger: {
        trigger: ".workflow-section",
        start: `top ${70 - delay * 20}%`,
        toggleActions: "play none none reverse",
      },
    });

    if (labelEl) {
      gsap.to(labelEl, {
        opacity: 1,
        x: 0,
        duration: 0.5,
        ease: "expo.out",
        scrollTrigger: {
          trigger: ".workflow-section",
          start: `top ${68 - delay * 20}%`,
          toggleActions: "play none none reverse",
        },
      });
      gsap.set(labelEl, { x: 10 });
    }
  } else {
    gsap.set(node, { opacity: 1 });
    if (labelEl) gsap.set(labelEl, { opacity: 1 });
  }
});

// Colour pulse on nodes after reveal (ambient animation)
if (!reduced) {
  ScrollTrigger.create({
    trigger: ".workflow-section",
    start: "top 30%",
    onEnter: () => {
      const circles = document.querySelectorAll(".node circle");
      circles.forEach((circle, i) => {
        gsap.to(circle, {
          r: 40,
          duration: 1.2,
          ease: "sine.inOut",
          yoyo: true,
          repeat: -1,
          delay: i * 0.3,
        });
      });
    },
  });
}

// Details section reveals
document
  .querySelectorAll(
    ".details-section h2, .details-section h3, .details-section p, .details-section ol"
  )
  .forEach((el) => {
    if (!reduced) {
      gsap.set(el, { opacity: 0, y: 20 });
      gsap.to(el, {
        opacity: 1,
        y: 0,
        duration: 0.6,
        ease: "expo.out",
        scrollTrigger: { trigger: el, start: "top 75%", toggleActions: "play none none reverse" },
      });
    }
  });

document.querySelectorAll(".details-section ol li").forEach((li, i) => {
  if (!reduced) {
    gsap.set(li, { opacity: 0, x: -15 });
    gsap.to(li, {
      opacity: 1,
      x: 0,
      duration: 0.5,
      ease: "expo.out",
      delay: i * 0.08,
      scrollTrigger: { trigger: li, start: "top 75%", toggleActions: "play none none reverse" },
    });
  }
});

// Motion preference listener
window.addEventListener("motion-preference", (e) => {
  if (e.detail.reduced) {
    gsap.globalTimeline.paused(true);
  } else {
    gsap.globalTimeline.paused(false);
  }
});

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="UTF-8">
  <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
  <title>SVG Workflow Animation — stealthisdesign</title>
  <link rel="stylesheet" href="style.css">
    <script type="importmap">{"imports":{"gsap":"https://esm.sh/gsap@3.13.0","gsap/ScrollTrigger":"https://esm.sh/gsap@3.13.0/ScrollTrigger","gsap/SplitText":"https://esm.sh/gsap@3.13.0/SplitText","gsap/Flip":"https://esm.sh/gsap@3.13.0/Flip","gsap/ScrambleTextPlugin":"https://esm.sh/gsap@3.13.0/ScrambleTextPlugin","gsap/TextPlugin":"https://esm.sh/gsap@3.13.0/TextPlugin","gsap/all":"https://esm.sh/gsap@3.13.0/all","gsap/":"https://esm.sh/gsap@3.13.0/","lenis":"https://esm.sh/lenis@1.1.13/dist/lenis.mjs","three":"https://esm.sh/three@0.171.0","three/addons/":"https://esm.sh/three@0.171.0/examples/jsm/"}}</script>
  <style>html.lenis,
html.lenis body {
  height: auto;
}

.lenis:not(.lenis-autoToggle).lenis-stopped {
  overflow: clip;
}

.lenis [data-lenis-prevent],
.lenis [data-lenis-prevent-wheel],
.lenis [data-lenis-prevent-touch] {
  overscroll-behavior: contain;
}

.lenis.lenis-smooth iframe {
  pointer-events: none;
}

.lenis.lenis-autoToggle {
  transition-property: overflow;
  transition-duration: 1ms;
  transition-behavior: allow-discrete;
}</style>
</head>
<body>
  <section class="hero">
    <div class="content">
      <span class="eyebrow">Demo 40</span>
      <h1>SVG Workflow Animation</h1>
      <p class="subtitle">SVG paths draw themselves as you scroll, with nodes and labels appearing in sequence. A clean way to visualize processes, timelines, and workflows.</p>
    </div>
  </section>

  <section class="workflow-section">
    <div class="workflow-wrapper">
      <svg id="workflow-svg" viewBox="0 0 800 600" preserveAspectRatio="xMidYMid meet" aria-hidden="true">
        <!-- Connection lines (drawn last) -->
        <path class="connect-line" id="line-1-2" d="M 200 120 C 200 200 400 200 400 280" stroke="#263249" fill="none" stroke-width="2" stroke-dasharray="0" />
        <path class="connect-line" id="line-2-3a" d="M 400 320 C 400 380 200 380 200 440" stroke="#263249" fill="none" stroke-width="2" stroke-dasharray="0" />
        <path class="connect-line" id="line-2-3b" d="M 400 320 C 400 380 600 380 600 440" stroke="#263249" fill="none" stroke-width="2" stroke-dasharray="0" />
        <path class="connect-line" id="line-3a-4" d="M 200 480 C 200 520 400 520 400 560" stroke="#263249" fill="none" stroke-width="2" stroke-dasharray="0" />
        <path class="connect-line" id="line-3b-4" d="M 600 480 C 600 520 400 520 400 560" stroke="#263249" fill="none" stroke-width="2" stroke-dasharray="0" />

        <!-- Node 1: Start -->
        <g class="node" id="node-1" opacity="0">
          <circle cx="200" cy="100" r="36" fill="#121a2b" stroke="#86e8ff" stroke-width="2"/>
          <text x="200" y="96" text-anchor="middle" fill="#86e8ff" font-size="11" font-weight="600" dy="0">KICK</text>
          <text x="200" y="110" text-anchor="middle" fill="#86e8ff" font-size="11" font-weight="600" dy="0">OFF</text>
        </g>
        <text class="node-label" id="label-1" x="260" y="105" fill="#f0f4fb" font-size="13" opacity="0">Discovery &amp; Brief</text>

        <!-- Node 2: Research -->
        <g class="node" id="node-2" opacity="0">
          <circle cx="400" cy="300" r="36" fill="#121a2b" stroke="#ae52ff" stroke-width="2"/>
          <text x="400" y="296" text-anchor="middle" fill="#ae52ff" font-size="11" font-weight="600" dy="0">RE</text>
          <text x="400" y="310" text-anchor="middle" fill="#ae52ff" font-size="11" font-weight="600" dy="0">SEARCH</text>
        </g>
        <text class="node-label" id="label-2" x="450" y="305" fill="#f0f4fb" font-size="13" opacity="0">Strategy &amp; Analysis</text>

        <!-- Node 3a: Design -->
        <g class="node" id="node-3a" opacity="0">
          <circle cx="200" cy="460" r="36" fill="#121a2b" stroke="#ffcc66" stroke-width="2"/>
          <text x="200" y="456" text-anchor="middle" fill="#ffcc66" font-size="11" font-weight="600" dy="0">DE</text>
          <text x="200" y="470" text-anchor="middle" fill="#ffcc66" font-size="11" font-weight="600" dy="0">SIGN</text>
        </g>
        <text class="node-label" id="label-3a" x="250" y="465" fill="#f0f4fb" font-size="13" opacity="0">UI / UX Design</text>

        <!-- Node 3b: Dev -->
        <g class="node" id="node-3b" opacity="0">
          <circle cx="600" cy="460" r="36" fill="#121a2b" stroke="#ff40d6" stroke-width="2"/>
          <text x="600" y="456" text-anchor="middle" fill="#ff40d6" font-size="11" font-weight="600" dy="0">DE</text>
          <text x="600" y="470" text-anchor="middle" fill="#ff40d6" font-size="11" font-weight="600" dy="0">DEV</text>
        </g>
        <text class="node-label" id="label-3b" x="550" y="465" fill="#f0f4fb" font-size="13" opacity="0" text-anchor="end">Frontend Dev</text>

        <!-- Node 4: Launch -->
        <g class="node" id="node-4" opacity="0">
          <circle cx="400" cy="570" r="36" fill="#121a2b" stroke="#86e8ff" stroke-width="2"/>
          <text x="400" y="566" text-anchor="middle" fill="#86e8ff" font-size="11" font-weight="600" dy="0">LAUN</text>
          <text x="400" y="580" text-anchor="middle" fill="#86e8ff" font-size="11" font-weight="600" dy="0">CH</text>
        </g>
        <text class="node-label" id="label-4" x="450" y="575" fill="#f0f4fb" font-size="13" opacity="0">Ship &amp; Iterate</text>
      </svg>
    </div>
  </section>

  <section class="details-section">
    <div class="content">
      <h2>How It Works</h2>
      <p>The key CSS property is <code>stroke-dasharray</code> and <code>stroke-dashoffset</code>. By setting the dashoffset to the full path length and animating it to 0, the path appears to "draw itself."</p>
      <p>GSAP ScrollTrigger measures the path length with <code>path.getTotalLength()</code> at initialization, then animates the offset during scroll using <code>scrub: 1</code> for direct scroll-position linking.</p>
      <h3>Step-by-Step</h3>
      <ol>
        <li>Get path length: <code>const len = path.getTotalLength()</code></li>
        <li>Set initial state: <code>path.style.strokeDasharray = len</code>, <code>path.style.strokeDashoffset = len</code></li>
        <li>Animate: <code>gsap.to(path, { strokeDashoffset: 0, scrollTrigger: { scrub: 1 } })</code></li>
        <li>Reveal nodes with staggered <code>ScrollTrigger</code> at appropriate scroll positions</li>
      </ol>
      <a href="/" class="btn-back">Back to Showcase</a>
    </div>
  </section>

  <script type="module" src="script.js"></script>
</body>
</html>

SVG Workflow Animation

SVG connector paths draw themselves as you scroll using stroke-dasharray/dashoffset technique. Workflow nodes and labels appear in sequence with scroll-triggered reveals.

Source

Repository: libs-genclaude
Original demo id: 40-svg-workflow-animation

Notes

SVG connector paths draw themselves as you scroll using stroke-dasharray/dashoffset technique. Workflow nodes and labels appear in sequence with scroll-triggered reveals.