🎨 How to Create Stunning Border Animation Using Pure CSS
Looking to add eye-catching effects to your webpage? One of the most elegant ways is by using CSS border animations. With just a few lines of code, you can give your elements a glowing, rotating animated border that grabs attention without the need for JavaScript or external libraries.
In this tutorial, we’ll walk you through how to create a beautiful animated border effect around a card using pure CSS. This effect uses @property
, conic-gradient
, and keyframes
for smooth performance and sleek visuals.
🚀 Why Use Border Animation in CSS?
CSS border animations are perfect for:
-
Highlighting cards, buttons, or containers.
-
Creating visual interest without affecting performance.
-
Making your UI look more modern and professional.
💡 Live Preview: What Are We Building?
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We’re going to build a card with a rotating, multi-color border glow. It looks dynamic, futuristic, and is fully responsive.
🛠 Full Source Code for CSS Border Animation
Below is the complete HTML and CSS code for the animation:
🔍 Explanation of Key Concepts
1. @property --angle
We use the CSS @property
rule to define a custom property --angle
, which allows us to animate angles smoothly in the conic gradient.
2. conic-gradient()
This creates the rotating rainbow-like effect around the card. It starts at the --angle
value, which we continuously rotate using a keyframe animation.
3. ::before
and ::after
Pseudo-elements
These layers allow us to create both a sharp edge and a glowing blur for the border, giving the animation more depth.
4. animation: spin
We use a CSS keyframe to animate the --angle
from 0deg
to 360deg
continuously.
✅ Final Thoughts
Using pure CSS for animations like this means faster load times, smoother performance, and no dependency on JavaScript. Whether you’re building a portfolio, landing page, or web app — this kind of animation can add a touch of magic ✨ to your UI.