Animation Basics

Abstract

Animation allows you to create truly dynamic user interfaces. It’s often used to apply effects—for example, icons that grow when you move over them, logos that spin, text that scrolls into view, and so on. Sometimes these effects seem like excessive glitz. But used properly, animations can enhance an application in several ways. They can make an application seem more responsive, natural, and intuitive. (For example, a button that slides in when you click it feels like a real, physical button—not just another gray rectangle.) Animations can also draw attention to important elements and guide the user through transitions to new content. (For example, an application could advertise newly downloaded content with a twinkling icon in a status bar.)