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svg_limitations_with_css

Morphing & Path Animation in SVG

Morphing and Path Animation Are Uniquely SVG​

  • Most animations so far could be done with HTML elements.
  • Morphing shapes or animating paths is where SVG excels and can't be easily replicated with HTML/CSS alone.

Animating the points Attribute Enables Shape Morphing​

  • Morphing a <polyline> involves changing its points attribute.
  • This changes the actual shape of the element over time.

Not All SVG Attributes Are Animatable with CSS​

  • Only presentation attributes (e.g. fill, stroke) and some geometry attributes (e.g. x, y) are CSS-animatable.
  • points is neither, so CSS can’t animate it.

Transform Hacks Don’t Achieve True Morphing​

  • Using transform: rotateX(...) might create a visual effect but does not truly morph the shape.
  • These are workarounds, not real solutions.

CSS Has Limitations for SVG Animations​

  • CSS can't animate most SVG-specific properties.
  • For advanced or true morphing animations, CSS alone is not enough.

Two Alternatives to CSS for SVG Animation​

ApproachUse When...Trade-offs
SMILYou want simple, native SVG animationsLimited control, not fully supported in all tools
JavaScriptYou need fine-grained control over timing and shape transitionsMore flexible but more complex and potentially slower

References