Framer Motion

Version-sensitive. Every API name, SDK gate and browser-support claim below was verified on 2026-09-08 against primary sources. What against, and when, is in _jutsu/VERSIONS.md. If that date is old, re-verify before acting on a version number.

Framer Motion - Sub-skill

Two package names, one library. Framer Motion was renamed to Motion. motion and framer-motion both publish the same version (13.2.0 as of 2026-09-08): motion declares "framer-motion": "^13.2.0" as a dependency and motion/react re-exports it. Neither is broken, and framer-motion is still the one most installed projects have.

Read package.json and follow what is there. Do not migrate a project from one to the other unless the user asks - that is Iron Rule 8 in cast / 10 in paint.

In package.json	Import from	Install line
motion	"motion/react"	npm install motion
framer-motion	"framer-motion"	npm install framer-motion
both	whichever the file you are editing already imports; say the project is mid-migration	-

Every API in this skill is identical across the two names at v13. Where a symbol is newer than v11, it is flagged inline. Peers: react / react-dom ^18 || ^19.

When to use Framer Motion vs alternatives

Rule: Framer Motion for React UI interactions (modals, toasts, reorder, shared layout). GSAP for complex timelines, cinematic scroll-driven, SVG morphing.

AnimatePresence - Exit animations

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<AnimatePresence mode="wait">
  {isVisible && (
    <motion.div
      key="unique-key"        // REQUIRED - identifies the component
      initial={{ opacity: 0 }}
      animate={{ opacity: 1 }}
      exit={{ opacity: 0 }}
    />
  )}
</AnimatePresence>

• mode="wait" - waits for exit to finish before enter (page transitions)
• mode="sync" - exit and enter simultaneously
• mode="popLayout" - removes from flow immediately (good for lists)
• onExitComplete - callback when all exit animations are finished

Layout animations

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// Shared layout - the element "slides" between two positions
<motion.div layoutId="highlight" className={activeTab === id ? "active" : ""} />

// Auto layout - animates position/size when layout changes
<motion.div layout>
  {isExpanded && <motion.p layout>Additional content</motion.p>}
</motion.div>

// layout="position" - animates position only (not size)
// layout="size" - animates size only
// layout="preserve-aspect" - preserves the ratio during the transition

Variants - Propagation and orchestration

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import { stagger } from "motion/react";

const container = {
  hidden: { opacity: 0 },
  show: {
    opacity: 1,
    transition: {
      // staggerChildren + staggerDirection are DEPRECATED (Motion 12.22, Jul 2025).
      // Pass a stagger() function to delayChildren instead.
      delayChildren: stagger(0.08, { startDelay: 0.2 }),
      // reverse order: stagger(0.08, { from: "last" })
      // also available: from: "first" | "center" | "last" | index, and ease
    },
  },
};

const item = {
  hidden: { opacity: 0, y: 20 },
  show: { opacity: 1, y: 0 },
};

<motion.ul variants={container} initial="hidden" animate="show">
  {items.map((i) => (
    <motion.li key={i.id} variants={item} />
  ))}
</motion.ul>

Variants automatically propagate to motion children - no need for initial/animate on children.

Gestures

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<motion.div
  whileHover={{ scale: 1.05 }}
  whileTap={{ scale: 0.95 }}
  whileFocus={{ borderColor: "#3b82f6" }}
  // Drag
  drag               // true = x+y, "x" = horizontal only, "y" = vertical only
  dragConstraints={{ left: -100, right: 100, top: -50, bottom: 50 }}
  dragElastic={0.2}  // 0 = rigid, 1 = free (default 0.35)
  dragSnapToOrigin   // returns to initial position
  onDragEnd={(e, info) => {
    if (info.offset.x > 100) handleSwipe("right");
  }}
/>

Motion values - Reactive without re-render

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const x = useMotionValue(0);
const opacity = useTransform(x, [-200, 0, 200], [0, 1, 0]);
const background = useTransform(x, [-200, 200], ["#ff0000", "#00ff00"]);

// Spring-based smoothing
const smoothX = useSpring(x, { stiffness: 300, damping: 30 });

// Scroll tracking
const { scrollY, scrollYProgress } = useScroll();
const parallaxY = useTransform(scrollYProgress, [0, 1], [0, -300]);

// Element-scoped scroll
const ref = useRef(null);
const { scrollYProgress } = useScroll({
  target: ref,
  offset: ["start end", "end start"],
});

Motion values do NOT trigger React re-renders - they update the DOM directly via style.

Do Not

Do not use motion with styled-components / Emotion without isValidProp (v13+)

Motion 13.0 removed @emotion/is-prop-valid as an optional dependency. Without explicit injection, motion-only props leak onto the DOM.

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import isPropValid from "@emotion/is-prop-valid";
import { MotionConfig } from "motion/react";

<MotionConfig isValidProp={isPropValid}>
  <App />
</MotionConfig>

Or reverse the composition so the styling library owns prop forwarding: const MotionDiv = motion.create(StyledDiv).

Do not setState in callbacks without a guard

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// BAD - infinite re-render if animate depends on state
onUpdate={(latest) => setPosition(latest.x)}

// GOOD - guard or useMotionValueEvent
const x = useMotionValue(0);
useMotionValueEvent(x, "change", (latest) => {
  if (latest > threshold) onThresholdReached();
});

Do not use layout animation without a stable key

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// BAD - key changes every render, breaks layout tracking
<motion.div layout key={Math.random()} />

// GOOD - stable key derived from data
<motion.div layout key={item.id} />

Do not forget the unique key on AnimatePresence

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// BAD - no key, exit animation does not trigger
<AnimatePresence>
  {isOpen && <motion.div exit={{ opacity: 0 }} />}
</AnimatePresence>

// GOOD - unique key for each conditional child
<AnimatePresence>
  {isOpen && <motion.div key="modal" exit={{ opacity: 0 }} />}
</AnimatePresence>

Do not wrap an already animated component with motion.div

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// BAD - double animation, transform conflicts
<motion.div animate={{ x: 100 }}>
  <motion.div animate={{ x: -50 }}>Content</motion.div>
</motion.div>

// GOOD - single animation level per transform axis
<motion.div animate={{ x: 100 }}>
  <motion.div animate={{ opacity: 0.5 }}>Content</motion.div>
</motion.div>

// GOOD - use variants to coordinate parent/child
<motion.div variants={parent} animate="active">
  <motion.div variants={child} />
</motion.div>