Title: Overcoming Preloading Challenges with CSS-Driven Frame Animations in Web Projects

If you’re working on modern web projects that involve animated visuals, you might have encountered issues with preloading image sequences, especially when trying to replace intricate animations like Lottie files with pure CSS or JavaScript solutions.

In a recent personal project, I faced a similar challenge: creating a smooth hover animation for energy cans that simulate a 3D rotation. Originally built in Webflow using a Lottie animation, I aimed to convert this into a more lightweight, CSS-based solution. However, I ran into a common hurdle—ensuring that all image frames are preloaded so that the animation runs seamlessly without lag or layout shifts during user interaction.

The problem was that the initial hover caused all frames to load simultaneously, leading to flickering and unexpected shifts in page layout. I also attempted to programmatically trigger the animation once before user interaction using JavaScript, but this approach didn’t fully resolve the staging issue.

After some experimentation, I found that effective preloading of all image frames is crucial for smooth CSS-based animations. Strategies such as preloading images using JavaScript, setting background images in CSS, or employing techniques like off-screen preloading can significantly improve performance.

If you’re working on similar animations or trying to optimize frame-based animations without relying on Lottie, consider implementing these preloading techniques. They can help ensure that your animations are silky smooth and provide a better user experience.

For reference, you can explore the current version of my project here: https://mitchangus.design/LiftOff

Feel free to share your experiences or ask questions in the comments—I’m happy to discuss solutions and best practices for CSS and JavaScript animations!