How do you debug front-end animations?

1 Use browser dev tools

One of the most essential tools for debugging front-end animations is the browser's developer tools. Most modern browsers have built-in tools that allow you to inspect, modify, and analyze the elements, styles, and performance of your web pages. You can use the dev tools to inspect the animation properties, such as duration, delay, easing, and keyframes, and edit them on the fly. You can also use the dev tools to pause, slow down, or replay the animations, and see how they affect the layout, rendering, and performance of your web page.

3 Use animation tools

Besides animation libraries, you can also use animation tools that help you design, prototype, and export animations for your web projects. Animation tools can give you more creative freedom and flexibility, and allow you to preview and test your animations before implementing them. Some examples of animation tools are Figma, Adobe After Effects, and Keyshape. These tools enable you to create animations using a graphical user interface, and export them as code, SVG, or JSON files that you can integrate with your web page.

4 Use console and breakpoints

Sometimes, you may need to debug front-end animations that involve JavaScript logic, events, or data. In that case, you can use the console and breakpoints features of your browser's dev tools to inspect and manipulate the JavaScript code that controls your animations. You can use the console to log messages, errors, and values, and execute commands that affect your animations. You can also use breakpoints to pause the execution of your code at specific points, and examine the state and behavior of your animations.

5 Use online resources

Finally, you can use online resources to learn more about front-end animations and how to debug them. There are many websites, blogs, tutorials, and courses that cover various aspects of front-end animation, such as CSS animations, JavaScript animations, SVG animations, and web animation principles. You can also find online communities, forums, and platforms where you can ask questions, share your problems, and get feedback from other front-end developers. Some examples of online resources for front-end animation are CSS-Tricks, CodePen, and Frontend Masters.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?