Transform & Animation

CSS transition-timing-function Property

Sets the speed curve of a transition effect

Syntax

CSS
transition-timing-function: ease | linear | ease-in | ease-out | ease-in-out | cubic-bezier() | steps();

Values

ValueDescription
easeSlow start, fast middle, slow end (default)
linearConstant speed
ease-inSlow start
ease-outSlow end
ease-in-outSlow start and end
cubic-bezier()Custom easing curve
steps()Stepped animation

Example

CSS
.smooth {
  transition: transform 0.4s cubic-bezier(0.16, 1, 0.3, 1);
}

Understanding CSS transition-timing-function

The CSS transition-timing-function property sets the speed curve of a transition effect. As part of the Transform & Animation module in CSS, it is one of the most commonly used properties for controlling the visual presentation of web pages.

You can set transition-timing-function to values such as ease, linear, ease-in, ease-out, among others. Each value changes how the browser renders the affected element, giving you fine-grained control over your page layout and design. Choosing the right value depends on the specific design requirements of your project.

Common use cases for the transition-timing-function property include responsive web design, component-based layouts, and creating visually consistent interfaces across devices. It works closely with related properties like transition, transition-duration, animation-timing-function to achieve complex styling effects. Understanding how these properties interact helps you write cleaner, more maintainable stylesheets.

Browser support for transition-timing-function is excellent across all modern browsers including Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge. For older browsers, consider using fallback values or progressive enhancement strategies. The property can also be set dynamically via JavaScript using element.style.transitionTimingFunction or the CSS custom properties (variables) approach for theming.

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