| name | barba-js |
| description | Page transitions library for creating fluid, smooth transitions between website pages. Use this skill when implementing page transitions, creating SPA-like experiences, adding animated route changes, or building websites with smooth navigation. Triggers on tasks involving Barba.js, page transitions, routing, view management, transition hooks, GSAP integration, or smooth page navigation. Works with gsap-scrolltrigger for transition animations. |
Barba.js
Modern page transition library for creating fluid, smooth transitions between website pages. Barba.js makes multi-page websites feel like Single Page Applications (SPAs) by hijacking navigation and managing transitions without full page reloads.
Overview
Barba.js is a lightweight (7kb minified and compressed) JavaScript library that intercepts navigation between pages, fetches new content via AJAX, and smoothly transitions between old and new containers. It reduces page load delays and HTTP requests while maintaining the benefits of traditional multi-page architecture.
Core Features:
- Smooth page transitions without full reloads
- Lifecycle hooks for precise control over transition phases
- View-based logic for page-specific behaviors
- Built-in routing with @barba/router plugin
- Extensible plugin system
- Small footprint and high performance
- Framework-agnostic (works with vanilla JS, GSAP, anime.js, etc.)
Core Concepts
1. Wrapper, Container, and Namespace
Barba.js uses a specific DOM structure to manage transitions:
HTML Structure:
<body data-barba="wrapper">
<header>
<nav>
<a href="/">Home</a>
<a href="/about">About</a>
</nav>
</header>
<main data-barba="container" data-barba-namespace="home">
<h1>Home Page</h1>
<p>Content that will transition out...</p>
</main>
<footer>© 2025</footer>
</body>
Three Key Elements:
-
Wrapper (data-barba="wrapper")
- Outermost container
- Everything inside wrapper but outside container stays persistent
- Ideal for headers, navigation, footers that don't change
-
Container (data-barba="container")
- Dynamic content area that updates on navigation
- Only this section gets replaced during transitions
- Must exist on every page
-
Namespace (data-barba-namespace="home")
- Unique identifier for each page type
- Used in transition rules and view logic
- Examples: "home", "about", "product", "blog-post"
2. Transition Lifecycle
Barba.js follows a precise lifecycle for each navigation:
Default Async Flow:
- User clicks link
- Barba intercepts navigation
- Prefetch next page (via AJAX)
- Cache new content
- Leave hook - Animate current page out
- Wait for leave animation to complete
- Remove old container, insert new container
- Enter hook - Animate new page in
- Wait for enter animation to complete
- Update browser history
Sync Flow (with sync: true):
- User clicks link
- Barba intercepts navigation
- Prefetch next page
- Wait for new page to load
- Leave and Enter hooks run simultaneously (crossfade effect)
- Swap containers
- Update browser history
3. Hooks
Barba provides 11 lifecycle hooks for controlling transitions:
Hook Execution Order:
Initial page load:
beforeOnce → once → afterOnce
Every navigation:
before → beforeLeave → leave → afterLeave →
beforeEnter → enter → afterEnter → after
Hook Types:
- Global hooks: Run on every transition (
barba.hooks.before())
- Transition hooks: Defined within specific transition objects
- View hooks: Defined within view objects for page-specific logic
Common Hook Use Cases:
beforeLeave - Reset scroll position, prepare animationsleave - Animate current page outafterLeave - Clean up old pagebeforeEnter - Prepare new page (hide elements, set initial states)enter - Animate new page inafterEnter - Initialize page scripts, analytics tracking
4. Views
Views are page-specific logic containers that run based on namespace:
barba.init({
views: [{
namespace: 'home',
beforeEnter() {
console.log('Entering home page');
},
afterEnter() {
initHomeSlider();
}
}, {
namespace: 'product',
beforeEnter() {
console.log('Entering product page');
},
afterEnter() {
initProductGallery();
}
}]
});
Common Patterns
1. Basic Setup
Installation:
npm install --save-dev @barba/core
yarn add @barba/core --dev
Minimal Configuration:
import barba from '@barba/core';
barba.init({
transitions: [{
name: 'default',
leave({ current }) {
return gsap.to(current.container, {
opacity: 0,
duration: 0.5
});
},
enter({ next }) {
return gsap.from(next.container, {
opacity: 0,
duration: 0.5
});
}
}]
});
2. Fade Transition (Async)
Classic fade-out, fade-in transition:
import barba from '@barba/core';
import gsap from 'gsap';
barba.init({
transitions: [{
name: 'fade',
async leave({ current }) {
await gsap.to(current.container, {
opacity: 0,
duration: 0.5,
ease: 'power2.inOut'
});
},
async enter({ next }) {
gsap.set(next.container, { opacity: 0 });
await gsap.to(next.container, {
opacity: 1,
duration: 0.5,
ease: 'power2.inOut'
});
}
}]
});
3. Crossfade Transition (Sync)
Simultaneous fade between pages:
barba.init({
transitions: [{
name: 'crossfade',
sync: true,
leave({ current }) {
return gsap.to(current.container, {
opacity: 0,
duration: 0.8,
ease: 'power2.inOut'
});
},
enter({ next }) {
return gsap.from(next.container, {
opacity: 0,
duration: 0.8,
ease: 'power2.inOut'
});
}
}]
});
4. Slide Transition with Overlap
Slide old page out, new page in with overlap:
barba.init({
transitions: [{
name: 'slide',
sync: true,
leave({ current }) {
return gsap.to(current.container, {
x: '-100%',
duration: 0.7,
ease: 'power3.inOut'
});
},
enter({ next }) {
gsap.set(next.container, { x: '100%' });
return gsap.to(next.container, {
x: '0%',
duration: 0.7,
ease: 'power3.inOut'
});
}
}]
});
5. Transition Rules (Conditional Transitions)
Define different transitions based on navigation context:
barba.init({
transitions: [
{
name: 'from-home-fade',
from: { namespace: 'home' },
leave({ current }) {
return gsap.to(current.container, {
opacity: 0,
duration: 0.5
});
},
enter({ next }) {
return gsap.from(next.container, {
opacity: 0,
duration: 0.5
});
}
},
{
name: 'product-to-product',
from: { namespace: 'product' },
to: { namespace: 'product' },
leave({ current }) {
return gsap.to(current.container, {
x: '-100%',
duration: 0.6
});
},
enter({ next }) {
gsap.set(next.container, { x: '100%' });
return gsap.to(next.container, {
x: '0%',
duration: 0.6
});
}
},
{
name: 'default',
leave({ current }) {
return gsap.to(current.container, {
opacity: 0,
duration: 0.3
});
},
enter({ next }) {
return gsap.from(next.container, {
opacity: 0,
duration: 0.3
});
}
}
]
});
6. Router Plugin for Route-Based Transitions
Use @barba/router for route-specific transitions:
Installation:
npm install --save-dev @barba/router
Usage:
import barba from '@barba/core';
import barbaPrefetch from '@barba/prefetch';
import barbaRouter from '@barba/router';
barbaRouter.init({
routes: [
{ path: '/', name: 'home' },
{ path: '/about', name: 'about' },
{ path: '/products/:id', name: 'product' },
{ path: '/blog/:category/:slug', name: 'blog-post' }
]
});
barba.use(barbaRouter);
barba.use(barbaPrefetch);
barba.init({
transitions: [{
name: 'product-transition',
to: { route: 'product' },
leave({ current }) {
return gsap.to(current.container, {
scale: 0.95,
opacity: 0,
duration: 0.5
});
},
enter({ next }) {
return gsap.from(next.container, {
scale: 1.05,
opacity: 0,
duration: 0.5
});
}
}]
});
7. Loading Indicator
Show loading state during page fetch:
barba.init({
transitions: [{
async leave({ current }) {
const loader = document.querySelector('.loader');
gsap.set(loader, { display: 'flex', opacity: 0 });
gsap.to(loader, { opacity: 1, duration: 0.3 });
await gsap.to(current.container, {
opacity: 0,
duration: 0.5
});
},
async enter({ next }) {
const loader = document.querySelector('.loader');
await gsap.to(loader, { opacity: 0, duration: 0.3 });
gsap.set(loader, { display: 'none' });
await gsap.from(next.container, {
opacity: 0,
duration: 0.5
});
}
}]
});
Integration Patterns
GSAP Integration
Barba.js works seamlessly with GSAP for animations:
Timeline-Based Transitions:
import barba from '@barba/core';
import gsap from 'gsap';
barba.init({
transitions: [{
async leave({ current }) {
const tl = gsap.timeline();
tl.to(current.container.querySelector('h1'), {
y: -50,
opacity: 0,
duration: 0.3
})
.to(current.container.querySelector('.content'), {
y: -30,
opacity: 0,
duration: 0.3
}, '-=0.2')
.to(current.container, {
opacity: 0,
duration: 0.2
});
await tl.play();
},
async enter({ next }) {
const tl = gsap.timeline();
gsap.set(next.container, { opacity: 0 });
gsap.set(next.container.querySelector('h1'), { y: 50, opacity: 0 });
gsap.set(next.container.querySelector('.content'), { y: 30, opacity: 0 });
tl.to(next.container, {
opacity: 1,
duration: 0.2
})
.to(next.container.querySelector('h1'), {
y: 0,
opacity: 1,
duration: 0.5,
ease: 'power3.out'
})
.to(next.container.querySelector('.content'), {
y: 0,
opacity: 1,
duration: 0.5,
ease: 'power3.out'
}, '-=0.3');
await tl.play();
}
}]
});
Reference gsap-scrolltrigger skill for advanced GSAP integration patterns.
View-Specific Initialization
Initialize libraries or scripts per page:
barba.init({
views: [
{
namespace: 'home',
afterEnter() {
initHomepageSlider();
initParallaxEffects();
},
beforeLeave() {
destroyHomepageSlider();
}
},
{
namespace: 'gallery',
afterEnter() {
initLightbox();
initMasonry();
},
beforeLeave() {
destroyLightbox();
}
}
]
});
Analytics Tracking
Track page views on navigation:
barba.hooks.after(() => {
if (typeof gtag !== 'undefined') {
gtag('config', 'GA_MEASUREMENT_ID', {
page_path: window.location.pathname
});
}
window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || [];
window.dataLayer.push({
event: 'pageview',
page: window.location.pathname
});
});
Third-Party Script Re-Initialization
Re-run scripts after page transitions:
barba.hooks.after(() => {
if (typeof twttr !== 'undefined') {
twttr.widgets.load();
}
if (typeof FB !== 'undefined') {
FB.XFBML.parse();
}
if (typeof Prism !== 'undefined') {
Prism.highlightAll();
}
});
Performance Optimization
1. Prefetching
Use @barba/prefetch to load pages on hover:
npm install --save-dev @barba/prefetch
import barba from '@barba/core';
import barbaPrefetch from '@barba/prefetch';
barba.use(barbaPrefetch);
barba.init({
prefetch: {
root: null,
timeout: 3000
}
});
2. Prevent Layout Shift
Set container min-height to prevent content jump:
[data-barba="container"] {
min-height: 100vh;
min-height: calc(100vh - 80px - 60px);
}
3. Optimize Animations
Use GPU-accelerated properties:
gsap.to(element, {
opacity: 0,
x: -100,
scale: 0.9,
rotation: 45
});
gsap.to(element, {
width: '50%',
height: '300px',
top: '100px'
});
4. Clean Up Event Listeners
Remove listeners in beforeLeave or view hooks:
barba.init({
views: [{
namespace: 'home',
afterEnter() {
this.clickHandler = () => console.log('clicked');
document.querySelector('.btn').addEventListener('click', this.clickHandler);
},
beforeLeave() {
document.querySelector('.btn').removeEventListener('click', this.clickHandler);
}
}]
});
5. Lazy Load Images
Defer image loading until after transition:
barba.init({
transitions: [{
async enter({ next }) {
await gsap.from(next.container, {
opacity: 0,
duration: 0.5
});
const images = next.container.querySelectorAll('img[data-src]');
images.forEach(img => {
img.src = img.dataset.src;
img.removeAttribute('data-src');
});
}
}]
});
Common Pitfalls
1. Forgetting to Return Promises
Problem: Transitions complete instantly without waiting for animations.
Solution: Always return promises or use async/await:
leave({ current }) {
gsap.to(current.container, { opacity: 0, duration: 0.5 });
}
leave({ current }) {
return gsap.to(current.container, { opacity: 0, duration: 0.5 });
}
async leave({ current }) {
await gsap.to(current.container, { opacity: 0, duration: 0.5 });
}
2. Not Preventing Default Link Behavior
Problem: Some links cause full page reloads.
Solution: Barba automatically prevents default on internal links, but you may need to exclude external links:
barba.init({
prevent: ({ href }) => {
if (href.indexOf('http') > -1 && href.indexOf(window.location.host) === -1) {
return true;
}
return false;
}
});
3. CSS Conflicts Between Pages
Problem: Old page CSS affects new page layout during transition.
Solution: Use namespace-specific CSS or reset styles:
[data-barba-namespace="home"] .hero {
background: blue;
}
[data-barba-namespace="about"] .hero {
background: red;
}
Or reset in beforeEnter:
beforeEnter({ next }) {
window.scrollTo(0, 0);
document.body.classList.remove('menu-open');
}
4. Not Updating Document Title and Meta Tags
Problem: Page title and meta tags don't update on navigation.
Solution: Use @barba/head plugin or update manually:
npm install --save-dev @barba/head
import barba from '@barba/core';
import barbaHead from '@barba/head';
barba.use(barbaHead);
barba.init({
});
Or manually:
barba.hooks.after(({ next }) => {
document.title = next.html.querySelector('title').textContent;
const newMeta = next.html.querySelectorAll('meta');
newMeta.forEach(meta => {
const name = meta.getAttribute('name') || meta.getAttribute('property');
if (name) {
const existing = document.querySelector(`meta[name="${name}"], meta[property="${name}"]`);
if (existing) {
existing.setAttribute('content', meta.getAttribute('content'));
}
}
});
});
5. Animation Flicker on Enter
Problem: New page flashes visible before enter animation starts.
Solution: Set initial invisible state in CSS or beforeEnter:
[data-barba="container"] {
opacity: 0;
}
[data-barba="container"].is-visible {
opacity: 1;
}
beforeEnter({ next }) {
gsap.set(next.container, { opacity: 0 });
}
6. Sync Transitions Without Proper Positioning
Problem: Sync transitions cause layout shift as containers stack.
Solution: Position containers absolutely during transition:
[data-barba="wrapper"] {
position: relative;
}
[data-barba="container"] {
position: absolute;
top: 0;
left: 0;
width: 100%;
}
Or manage in JavaScript:
barba.init({
transitions: [{
sync: true,
beforeLeave({ current }) {
gsap.set(current.container, {
position: 'absolute',
top: 0,
left: 0,
width: '100%'
});
}
}]
});
Resources
This skill includes:
scripts/
Executable utilities for common Barba.js tasks:
transition_generator.py - Generate transition boilerplate codeproject_setup.py - Initialize Barba.js project structure
references/
Detailed documentation:
api_reference.md - Complete Barba.js API (hooks, transitions, views, router)hooks_guide.md - All 11 hooks with execution order and use casesgsap_integration.md - GSAP animation patterns for Barba transitionstransition_patterns.md - Common transition implementations
assets/
Templates and starter projects:
starter_barba/ - Complete Barba.js + GSAP starter templateexamples/ - Real-world transition implementations
Related Skills
- gsap-scrolltrigger - For advanced GSAP animations in transitions
- locomotive-scroll - Can be combined with Barba for smooth scrolling between pages
- motion-framer - Alternative approach for React-based page transitions
