Behavior comparison
Reduced motion and fallback vs Spring animation
Decisive difference
Reduced motion and fallback addresses the same result without movement; Spring animation addresses a damped physical response. They can be combined when both needs apply.
Choice criteria, links and sources
- Reduced motion and fallbackChoose Reduced motion and fallback if you need the same result without movement.Open entry Reduced motion and fallback
- Spring animationChoose Spring animation if you need a damped physical response.Open entry Spring animation
See the nine dimensionsSee the sources
Motion & Effects
Try it
Does motion explain a change, report state, or only decorate?
Reduced motion and fallback
Shared trial context
An item moves, changes state or waits for content. Which information must survive without motion?
Reduced motion and fallback
Static preview: state and result remain readable without motion. Activate the demo to compare the parameter, pause and try the fallback.
Force the static fallback, then play the action. The destination and status remain identical. The system preference always wins, including when it changes during playback.
Spring animation
Static preview: state and result remain readable without motion. Activate the demo to compare the parameter, pause and try the fallback.
Change damping from 10 to 20 with mass 1 and stiffness 100. Less damping overshoots; critical damping settles without oscillation. The demo samples two seconds then snaps to the exact target.
What this example shows
Pause freezes a running animation; reduced motion replaces it with a static result. A fallback also covers missing browser APIs and failed loading.
Which fits your need?
Reduced motion and fallback
Provide a static result for every essential action, respecting system settings and an explicit local opt-out.
Spring animation
Explain settling after a drag or a spatial change when a physical response helps orientation.
Difference and sources
Pause freezes a running animation; reduced motion replaces it with a static result. A fallback also covers missing browser APIs and failed loading.
Read the sourcesParts of the specimen
Select a numbered marker on the schematic, or use the list below, to see its role. The schematic shows the concept's representative state.
Trigger
The control that opens or reveals the surface.
Decision
Family question
Does motion explain a change, report state, or only decorate?
Three criteria to choose
- Use case
Reduced motion and fallback
Provide a static result for every essential action, respecting system settings and an explicit local opt-out.
Spring animation
Explain settling after a drag or a spatial change when a physical response helps orientation.
- Interactivity
Reduced motion and fallback
Adjust one parameter for the same result without movement; pause or use a static result.
Spring animation
Adjust one parameter for a damped physical response; pause or use a static result.
- Mobile behavior
Reduced motion and fallback
Native touch controls; system motion reduction always wins.
Spring animation
Native touch controls; system motion reduction always wins.
Nine dimensions
- Trigger
Reduced motion and fallback
Explicit activation to demonstrate the same result without movement.
Spring animation
Explicit activation to demonstrate a damped physical response.
- Modality
Reduced motion and fallback
Non-modal; surrounding content stays usable.
Spring animation
Non-modal; surrounding content stays usable.
- Placement
Reduced motion and fallback
Inside a bounded specimen; no page-level decoration.
Spring animation
Inside a bounded specimen; no page-level decoration.
- Interactivity
Reduced motion and fallback
Adjust one parameter for the same result without movement; pause or use a static result.
Spring animation
Adjust one parameter for a damped physical response; pause or use a static result.
- Focus
Reduced motion and fallback
Focus stays on the activated control. Reset restores focus to its button.
Spring animation
Focus stays on the activated control. Reset restores focus to its button.
- Dismissal
Reduced motion and fallback
Pause freezes playback; static fallback cancels it. Leaving the specimen cancels its animation and removes listeners.
Spring animation
Pause freezes playback; static fallback cancels it. Leaving the specimen cancels its animation and removes listeners.
- Accessible role
Reduced motion and fallback
button + checkbox + status
Spring animation
button + select + checkbox + status
- Use case
Reduced motion and fallback
Provide a static result for every essential action, respecting system settings and an explicit local opt-out.
Spring animation
Explain settling after a drag or a spatial change when a physical response helps orientation.
- Mobile behavior
Reduced motion and fallback
Native touch controls; system motion reduction always wins.
Spring animation
Native touch controls; system motion reduction always wins.
| Dimension | Reduced motion and fallbackReduced motion and fallback | Spring animationSpring animation |
|---|---|---|
| Trigger | Explicit activation to demonstrate the same result without movement. | Explicit activation to demonstrate a damped physical response. |
| Modality | Non-modal; surrounding content stays usable. | Non-modal; surrounding content stays usable. |
| Placement | Inside a bounded specimen; no page-level decoration. | Inside a bounded specimen; no page-level decoration. |
| Interactivity | Adjust one parameter for the same result without movement; pause or use a static result. | Adjust one parameter for a damped physical response; pause or use a static result. |
| Focus | Focus stays on the activated control. Reset restores focus to its button. | Focus stays on the activated control. Reset restores focus to its button. |
| Dismissal | Pause freezes playback; static fallback cancels it. Leaving the specimen cancels its animation and removes listeners. | Pause freezes playback; static fallback cancels it. Leaving the specimen cancels its animation and removes listeners. |
| Accessible role | button + checkbox + status | button + select + checkbox + status |
| Use case | Provide a static result for every essential action, respecting system settings and an explicit local opt-out. | Explain settling after a drag or a spatial change when a physical response helps orientation. |
| Mobile behavior | Native touch controls; system motion reduction always wins. | Native touch controls; system motion reduction always wins. |