LED Dot Matrix Text
Text built from glowing dots on a dark LED board, wiping on column by column, holding, blinking twice and clearing. A radial-gradient mask turns the letters into dots aligned with the board.
Also known as: led sign text css, dot matrix display, departure board text.
BOARDING
HTML
<div class="txt-led-dot-matrix"><span class="txt-led-dot-matrix-glow"><span class="txt-led-dot-matrix-text">BOARDING</span></span></div>
CSS
.txt-led-dot-matrix {
--c: var(--txt-color, #3b82f6);
font-size: var(--txt-size, 32px);
font-family: system-ui, sans-serif;
font-weight: 700;
line-height: 1.2;
display: inline-block;
padding: 0.36em 0.48em;
border-radius: 0.24em;
background-color: #0d0f12;
background-image: radial-gradient(circle, color-mix(in srgb, var(--c) 22%, transparent) 0.035em, transparent 0.045em);
background-size: 0.12em 0.12em;
box-shadow: 0 0 0 0.06em #23262d;
font-family: ui-monospace, SFMono-Regular, Menlo, Consolas, monospace;
font-weight: 800;
letter-spacing: 0.12em;}
.txt-led-dot-matrix-glow {
display: inline-block;
filter: drop-shadow(0 0 0.06em var(--c));
}
.txt-led-dot-matrix-text {
display: inline-block;
color: color-mix(in srgb, var(--c) 70%, #fff);
-webkit-mask-image: radial-gradient(circle, #000 0.045em, transparent 0.055em);
mask-image: radial-gradient(circle, #000 0.045em, transparent 0.055em);
-webkit-mask-size: 0.12em 0.12em;
mask-size: 0.12em 0.12em;
clip-path: inset(0 100% 0 0);
animation: txt-led-dot-matrix-wipe 4.5s linear infinite;
}
@keyframes txt-led-dot-matrix-wipe {
0% { clip-path: inset(0 100% 0 0); animation-timing-function: steps(24, end); }
22%, 64% { clip-path: inset(0 0 0 0); animation-timing-function: steps(1, end); }
67% { clip-path: inset(0 0 0 100%); }
70% { clip-path: inset(0 0 0 0); }
73% { clip-path: inset(0 0 0 100%); }
76% { clip-path: inset(0 0 0 0); animation-timing-function: steps(24, end); }
90%, 100% { clip-path: inset(0 0 0 100%); }
}
@media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
.txt-led-dot-matrix, .txt-led-dot-matrix *, .txt-led-dot-matrix::before, .txt-led-dot-matrix::after, .txt-led-dot-matrix *::before, .txt-led-dot-matrix *::after {
animation-duration: 0.01ms !important;
animation-iteration-count: 1 !important;
transition-duration: 0.01ms !important;
}
}Customizing this snippet
- Color: set
--txt-coloron the element or a parent. Currently previewing#3b82f6. - Font size: set
--txt-size. Every other dimension is inem, so the whole thing scales together. Currently previewing40px. - Speed: change the duration on the
transitionoranimationshorthand. 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.