Chain Link Icon Hover: CSS Hover Effect

Chain Link Icon Hover

The two halves of a chain link icon pull apart and snap back together, over and over, like a tug test. Each half is its own path moving along the diagonal with a spring on the return.

Also known as: copy link icon animation, hyperlink icon hover css, link icon tug.

Color Base size 16px Dark background Hold hover state

HTML

<button class="hfx-link-icon-chain" aria-label="Copy link"><svg viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" aria-hidden="true"><path class="hfx-link-icon-chain-a" d="M10 13a5 5 0 0 0 7.5.5l3-3a5 5 0 0 0-7-7l-1.8 1.7"/><path class="hfx-link-icon-chain-b" d="M14 11a5 5 0 0 0-7.5-.5l-3 3a5 5 0 0 0 7 7l1.7-1.7"/></svg></button>

CSS

.hfx-link-icon-chain {
  --c: var(--hfx-color, #3b82f6);
  font-size: var(--hfx-size, 16px);
  position: relative;
  display: grid;
  place-items: center;
  width: 3.5em;
  height: 3.5em;
  padding: 0;
  border: 0;
  border-radius: 50%;
  cursor: pointer;
  border-radius: 0.85em;
  background: color-mix(in srgb, var(--c) 12%, transparent);
  color: var(--c);
  transition: background-color 0.25s ease, color 0.25s ease;}
.hfx-link-icon-chain svg {
  width: 1.55em;
  height: 1.55em;
  overflow: visible;
}
.hfx-link-icon-chain-a,
.hfx-link-icon-chain-b {
  transform-box: view-box;
}
.hfx-link-icon-chain:is(:hover, :focus-visible) {
  background: var(--c);
  color: #fff;
}
.hfx-link-icon-chain:is(:hover, :focus-visible) .hfx-link-icon-chain-a {
  animation: hfx-link-icon-chain-tug-a 1.3s infinite;
}
.hfx-link-icon-chain:is(:hover, :focus-visible) .hfx-link-icon-chain-b {
  animation: hfx-link-icon-chain-tug-b 1.3s infinite;
}
@keyframes hfx-link-icon-chain-tug-a {
  0%, 100% { transform: translate(0, 0); animation-timing-function: cubic-bezier(0.3, 0, 0.2, 1); }
  35%      { transform: translate(9%, -9%); animation-timing-function: cubic-bezier(0.6, 0, 0.9, 0.4); }
  52%      { transform: translate(-2%, 2%); animation-timing-function: ease-out; }
  64%      { transform: translate(0, 0); }
}
@keyframes hfx-link-icon-chain-tug-b {
  0%, 100% { transform: translate(0, 0); animation-timing-function: cubic-bezier(0.3, 0, 0.2, 1); }
  35%      { transform: translate(-9%, 9%); animation-timing-function: cubic-bezier(0.6, 0, 0.9, 0.4); }
  52%      { transform: translate(2%, -2%); animation-timing-function: ease-out; }
  64%      { transform: translate(0, 0); }
}

@media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
  .hfx-link-icon-chain, .hfx-link-icon-chain *, .hfx-link-icon-chain::before, .hfx-link-icon-chain::after, .hfx-link-icon-chain *::before, .hfx-link-icon-chain *::after {
    animation-duration: 0.01ms !important;
    animation-iteration-count: 1 !important;
    transition-duration: 0.01ms !important;
  }
}

Customizing this snippet

Color: set --hfx-color on the element or a parent. Currently previewing #3b82f6.
Base size: set --hfx-size. Every other dimension is in em, so the whole thing scales together. Currently previewing 16px.
Speed: change the duration on the transition or animation shorthand. Staggered delays are relative, so they keep their rhythm.
Reduced motion: the rule at the end of the CSS turns the motion off for people who asked their OS for less of it. Keep it.

Chain Link Icon Hover

HTML

CSS

Customizing this snippet

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