A pill of color slides from word to word, stretching toward where it is going like a liquid tab indicator. A white copy of the line is clipped to the pill, so the text under it inverts exactly.
Also known as: highlight moving between words, active word highlight, tab indicator text animation.
<div class="txt-sliding-highlight-text">Plan. Build. Ship.<span class="txt-sliding-highlight-text-pill" aria-hidden="true">Plan. Build. Ship.</span></div>
.txt-sliding-highlight-text {
--c: var(--txt-color, #3b82f6);
font-size: var(--txt-size, 32px);
font-family: system-ui, sans-serif;
font-weight: 700;
line-height: 1.2;
position: relative;
display: inline-block;
font-family: ui-monospace, SFMono-Regular, Menlo, Consolas, monospace;
white-space: nowrap;}
/* a white copy of the line on an accent fill, clipped to the pill.
Monospace makes every word a known width: Plan. (0-5ch) Build. (6-12ch) Ship. (13-18ch),
and the copy is 0.35ch wider on each side to pad the pill */
.txt-sliding-highlight-text-pill {
position: absolute;
top: 0;
bottom: 0;
left: -0.35ch;
right: -0.35ch;
padding: 0 0.35ch;
background: var(--c);
color: #fff;
clip-path: inset(0 13ch 0 0 round 0.2em);
/* 3 words x 1.5s = 4.5s; halfway through each move the front edge is nearly there */
animation: txt-sliding-highlight-text-slide 4.5s infinite;
}
@keyframes txt-sliding-highlight-text-slide {
0%, 22.22% {
clip-path: inset(0 13ch 0 0 round 0.2em);
animation-timing-function: cubic-bezier(0.55, 0, 0.8, 0.6);
}
27.78% {
clip-path: inset(0 7.05ch 0 0.9ch round 0.2em);
animation-timing-function: cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.4, 0.45, 1);
}
33.33%, 55.56% {
clip-path: inset(0 6ch 0 6ch round 0.2em);
animation-timing-function: cubic-bezier(0.55, 0, 0.8, 0.6);
}
61.11% {
clip-path: inset(0 0.9ch 0 7.05ch round 0.2em);
animation-timing-function: cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.4, 0.45, 1);
}
66.67%, 88.89% {
clip-path: inset(0 0 0 13ch round 0.2em);
animation-timing-function: cubic-bezier(0.55, 0, 0.8, 0.6);
}
94.44% {
clip-path: inset(0 1.95ch 0 1.95ch round 0.2em);
animation-timing-function: cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.4, 0.45, 1);
}
100% { clip-path: inset(0 13ch 0 0 round 0.2em); }
}
@media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
.txt-sliding-highlight-text, .txt-sliding-highlight-text *, .txt-sliding-highlight-text::before, .txt-sliding-highlight-text::after, .txt-sliding-highlight-text *::before, .txt-sliding-highlight-text *::after {
animation-duration: 0.01ms !important;
animation-iteration-count: 1 !important;
transition-duration: 0.01ms !important;
}
}--txt-color on the element or a parent.
Currently previewing #3b82f6.--txt-size. Every other dimension is in
em, so the whole thing scales together. Currently previewing 40px.transition or animation
shorthand. Staggered delays are relative, so they keep their rhythm.