Create a Scrolling Text Circle Animation with JavaScript

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Set up HTML Structure
• Style Text Elements
• Calculate Rotation Percentages
• Animate Rotation on Scroll
• Add Flags and Active Styling
• Conclusion

Introduction to Animated Circular Text Rotation Effect Including Core SEO Keywords

Animated text effects can be a great way to make a website more engaging and interactive. One particularly eye-catching text effect is a circular text rotation animation, where pieces of text rotate around in a circle. This type of animation can help highlight important text elements on a page in a fun and dynamic way.

In this blog post, we'll walk through step-by-step how to recreate a circular text rotation effect using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. We'll start with setting up the basic HTML structure and CSS styling. Then we'll use JavaScript to calculate the rotation amount for each text element based on scroll position and animate the rotation on scroll.

Overview of Circular Text Rotation Effect

The circular text rotation effect we'll be recreating involves having multiple text elements positioned in a circle formation. As the user scrolls, each text element will rotate around the center of the circle to varying degrees based on the scroll position. This creates a playful scrolling experience where the text appears to spin around as you move through the content. The text in the center of the circle will be the most legible, while the text at the edges will be rotated upside down.

HTML, CSS, and JavaScript Tools Used

To recreate this effect, we'll use standard web development tools: HTML for the content structure, CSS for styling and positioning, and JavaScript for the scroll-based rotation logic and calculations. Some key tools we'll use include: flexbox for positioning, CSS transforms for rotating, scroll and IntersectionObserver events for tracking scroll progress, and requestAnimationFrame for smooth animation.

Setting Up Initial HTML Structure and CSS Styling for Circular Text Rotation

Let's start by setting up the HTML and initial CSS styling we'll need for the circular text layout. We'll create a parent container that allows scrolling, with a child container inside that will hold each of our text elements.

Parent Container to Allow Scrolling

The parent container needs to have a height larger than the viewport, so that scrolling is enabled. We'll give it a fixed height and make it position: relative so that we can position its child container absolutly inside of it.

Child Container to Hold Text Elements

Inside the parent container, we'll add a child <div> with position: absolute and dimensions that match the viewport width and height. This will create a fixed container that fills the screen and sticks to the top on scroll.

Text Elements Positioned Absolutely

Inside the child container, we'll add our text elements and position them absolutely so they share the same origin point in the center. We'll also offset each element horizontally so they spread out in a circle formation.

Styling Text Elements for Circular Layout

With the structure in place, we can add CSS styling like rotations and transitions to achieve the circular text effect.

Positioning Text Elements in a Circle

Using absolute positioning and horizontal offsets, we can space the text elements out equally in a circular pattern. Rotating the elements makes them appear oriented around the center rather than stacked vertically.

Adding CSS Transitions for Smooth Animation

By adding CSS transitions for the transform property, we can ensure the text rotations animate smoothly rather than abruptly changing on scroll. This helps enhance the circular flowing effect.

Calculating Text Rotation Percentages Based on Scroll Position

Now for the JavaScript! First we'll calculate how much each text element should rotate based on the scroll position percentage.

Determining Overall Rotation Range

We need to decide on the overall rotation range for the effect. For simplicity, we'll say the first text doesn't rotate, the last text rotates 180 degrees, and everything in between rotates incrementally between those values.

Looping Through Text Elements to Set Rotation

We can loop through each text element and use its index plus the total number of elements to calculate what percentage of the 180 degree range it should rotate. This will evenly space out the rotation values.

Animating Text Rotation Based on Scroll Position

Now that we have the rotation percentages calculated, we can use JavaScript to update the values on scroll for the animation effect.

Scroll Event Listener Triggers Updates

Using a scroll event listener, we can track the scroll position and trigger our rotation update logic. We'll need to determine the scroll percentage to animate the values smoothly.

Updating Rotation Values on Scroll

Inside the scroll handler, we'll update the rotation transform style for each text element based on the current scroll percentage and rotation amounts we pre-calculated.

Adding Flags and Active Styles to Highlight Current Text

A few finishing touches can help highlight the active text element that is centered as you scroll.

Flag Icon to Indicate Current Text

We can add a small flag icon on the current centered text element to help it stand out. This could be done with a pseudo-element and only displayed on the active text.

Active Class for Styling Current Text

An active class can be toggled on the current centered text element to give it additional styling like making it bolder or a different color.

Conclusion

With some HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, we can bring an interactive circular text rotation effect to life on scroll. This helps guide the user through content in a fun and engaging way. The techniques covered here like transform rotations, scroll-based animations, and toggling active classes can be expanded on for all kinds of creative effects.

FAQ

Q: How do I center text vertically with CSS?
A: Use Flexbox with align-items set to center to vertically center text and other elements.

Q: How do I get an element to stick to the top of the page when scrolling?
A: Give the element position: sticky and top: 0 to make it stick to the top when scrolling.