Detail
Open an item from a list
A named shared element can show that the detail view belongs to the card the user selected.
01 / The skill · React · View transitions
React View Transitions: animate the relationship, not every click
A Skill for transitions between React UI states: shared elements, page changes, list identity, and content reveals—with guidance on when motion should stay silent.
Publisher, source, and installation
Published by Vercel Labs · Type: React animation implementation Skill
Independent guide. Vercel Labs has not endorsed Floatboat.
Upstream installation
npx skills add vercel-labs/agent-skills --skill vercel-react-view-transitionsInstalls upstream instructions, not an animation library or Floatboat feature.
A realistic request
The source ties animation patterns to spatial meaning. A list-to-detail movement may need a shared element; a background refresh often should not animate at all. Implementation advice is version-sensitive.
Ask the agent
“Make this gallery's card-to-detail navigation feel continuous, but leave tab switching and background refresh unobtrusive.”
A useful result
A useful plan identifies the shared item, names its transition boundary, and states which changes intentionally have no animation.
When view transitions earn their place
Add motion where it helps people understand continuity or arrival.
Order
Reorder persistent items
Use stable item identity so motion communicates rearrangement rather than disappearance and reappearance.
Reveal
Reveal content after Suspense
A restrained entrance can mark newly arrived content without animating every data refresh.
Where motion can mislead
- Background revalidation that should not interrupt the user's focus.
- Directional slides between unrelated tabs; they suggest a false hierarchy.
How to choose a transition pattern
Audit the relationship between states before touching CSS or transition APIs.
- 01
Map UI relationships
Separate hierarchy, lateral navigation, reordering, and data reveal.
- 02
Choose the matching trigger
Use the source's React transition pattern for that relationship and version.
- 03
Test motion and fallback
Check browser support, reduced motion, and behavior without animation.
02 / Practical guide
Choose motion that explains navigation
Shared identity, direction, and reveal each tell a different story. Check framework and browser support before implementation.
When is a shared-element transition appropriate?
When the same conceptual item persists across views, such as a card opening its detail page. The source recommends using identity and direction to make that relationship legible, not adding movement for its own sake.
What should be checked before using React ViewTransition?
Check the React and Next.js setup, browser behavior, transition triggers, and reduced-motion support. The source distinguishes Next.js's bundled React behavior from non-Next.js setups.
What you can take away
- A transition map for UI states
- A bounded React/CSS implementation
- A fallback and reduced-motion checklist
What to check first
- Does motion communicate a real relationship?
- Does the project's React version support the approach?
- Is the screen usable when animation is skipped?
Explore More Agent Skills
Read another Skill guide and check its original source before using it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does every route change need a transition?
No. The source says transitions should communicate spatial continuity. Unrelated or background changes may be clearer without motion.
Is a third-party animation library required?
The Skill focuses on React's ViewTransition API and CSS. Whether that API is available depends on your React and framework setup.
What about reduced-motion preferences?
Provide a usable no-motion path and test the user's reduced-motion setting; animation must not carry essential information alone.
Can I use the same recipe in any React app?
No. The source distinguishes Next.js from non-Next.js availability and recommends following its version-specific implementation references.
03 / Put it to work · Shape the interaction
Discuss the transition with the actual screen in view
Keep route structure, UI states, and accessibility checks together in Floatboat while you refine the interaction.