Swipeable Tabs

A swipeable Tabs component built with with React Aria Components, Framer Motion, Tailwind CSS, and CSS scroll snapping.

Example#

import {Collection, Tab, TabList, TabPanel, Tabs} from 'react-aria-components';
import {animate, motion, useMotionValueEvent, useScroll, useTransform} from 'framer-motion';
import {useCallback, useEffect, useRef, useState} from 'react';

let tabs = [
  { id: 'world', label: 'World' },
  { id: 'ny', label: 'N.Y.' },
  { id: 'business', label: 'Business' },
  { id: 'arts', label: 'Arts' },
  { id: 'science', label: 'Science' }
];

function AnimatedTabs() {
  let [selectedKey, setSelectedKey] = useState(tabs[0].id);

  let tabListRef = useRef(null);
  let tabPanelsRef = useRef(null);

  // Track the scroll position of the tab panel container.
  let { scrollXProgress } = useScroll({
    container: tabPanelsRef
  });

  // Find all the tab elements so we can use their dimensions.
  let [tabElements, setTabElements] = useState([]);
  useEffect(() => {
    if (tabElements.length === 0) {
      let tabs = tabListRef.current.querySelectorAll('[role=tab]');
      setTabElements(tabs);
    }
  }, [tabElements]);

  // This function determines which tab should be selected
  // based on the scroll position.
  let getIndex = useCallback(
    (x) => Math.max(0, Math.floor((tabElements.length - 1) * x)),
    [tabElements]
  );

  // This function transforms the scroll position into the X position
  // or width of the selected tab indicator.
  let transform = (x, property) => {
    if (!tabElements.length) return 0;

    // Find the tab index for the scroll X position.
    let index = getIndex(x);

    // Get the difference between this tab and the next one.
    let difference = index < tabElements.length - 1
      ? tabElements[index + 1][property] - tabElements[index][property]
      : tabElements[index].offsetWidth;

    // Get the percentage between tabs.
    // This is the difference between the integer index and fractional one.
    let percent = (tabElements.length - 1) * x - index;

    // Linearly interpolate to calculate the position of the selection indicator.
    let value = tabElements[index][property] + difference * percent;

    // iOS scrolls weird when translateX is 0 for some reason. 🤷‍♂️
    return value || 0.1;
  };

  let x = useTransform(scrollXProgress, (x) => transform(x, 'offsetLeft'));
  let width = useTransform(scrollXProgress, (x) => transform(x, 'offsetWidth'));

  // When the user scrolls, update the selected key
  // so that the correct tab panel becomes interactive.
  useMotionValueEvent(scrollXProgress, 'change', (x) => {
    if (animationRef.current || !tabElements.length) return;
    setSelectedKey(tabs[getIndex(x)].id);
  });

  // When the user clicks on a tab perform an animation of
  // the scroll position to the newly selected tab panel.
  let animationRef = useRef(null);
  let onSelectionChange = (selectedKey) => {
    setSelectedKey(selectedKey);

    // If the scroll position is already moving but we aren't animating
    // then the key changed as a result of a user scrolling. Ignore.
    if (scrollXProgress.getVelocity() && !animationRef.current) {
      return;
    }

    let tabPanel = tabPanelsRef.current;
    let index = tabs.findIndex((tab) => tab.id === selectedKey);
    animationRef.current?.stop();
    animationRef.current = animate(
      tabPanel.scrollLeft,
      tabPanel.scrollWidth * (index / tabs.length),
      {
        type: 'spring',
        bounce: 0.2,
        duration: 0.6,
        onUpdate: (v) => {
          tabPanel.scrollLeft = v;
        },
        onPlay: () => {
          // Disable scroll snap while the animation is going or weird things happen.
          tabPanel.style.scrollSnapType = 'none';
        },
        onComplete: () => {
          tabPanel.style.scrollSnapType = '';
          animationRef.current = null;
        }
      }
    );
  };

  return (
    <Tabs
      className="w-fit max-w-[min(100%,350px)]"
      selectedKey={selectedKey}
      onSelectionChange={onSelectionChange}
    >
      <div className="relative">
        <TabList ref={tabListRef} className="flex -mx-1" items={tabs}>
          {(tab) => (
            <Tab className="cursor-default px-3 py-1.5 text-md transition outline-none touch-none">
              {({ isSelected, isFocusVisible }) => (
                <>
                  {tab.label}
                  {isFocusVisible && isSelected && (
                    // Focus ring.
                    <motion.span
                      className="absolute inset-0 z-10 rounded-full ring-2 ring-black ring-offset-2"
                      style={{ x, width }}
                    />
                  )}
                </>
              )}
            </Tab>
          )}
        </TabList>
        {/* Selection indicator. */}
        <motion.span
          className="absolute inset-0 z-10 bg-white rounded-full mix-blend-difference"
          style={{ x, width }}
        />
      </div>
      <div
        ref={tabPanelsRef}
        className="my-4 overflow-auto snap-x snap-mandatory no-scrollbar flex"
      >
        <Collection items={tabs}>
          {(tab) => (
            <TabPanel
              shouldForceMount
              className="flex-shrink-0 w-full px-2 box-border snap-start outline-none -outline-offset-2 rounded focus-visible:outline-black"
            >
              <h2>{tab.label} contents...</h2>
              <p>
                Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Aenean
                sit amet nisl blandit, pellentesque eros eu, scelerisque eros.
                Sed cursus urna at nunc lacinia dapibus.
              </p>
            </TabPanel>
          )}
        </Collection>
      </div>
    </Tabs>
  );
}

import {
  Collection,
  Tab,
  TabList,
  TabPanel,
  Tabs
} from 'react-aria-components';
import {
  animate,
  motion,
  useMotionValueEvent,
  useScroll,
  useTransform
} from 'framer-motion';
import {
  useCallback,
  useEffect,
  useRef,
  useState
} from 'react';

let tabs = [
  { id: 'world', label: 'World' },
  { id: 'ny', label: 'N.Y.' },
  { id: 'business', label: 'Business' },
  { id: 'arts', label: 'Arts' },
  { id: 'science', label: 'Science' }
];

function AnimatedTabs() {
  let [selectedKey, setSelectedKey] = useState(tabs[0].id);

  let tabListRef = useRef(null);
  let tabPanelsRef = useRef(null);

  // Track the scroll position of the tab panel container.
  let { scrollXProgress } = useScroll({
    container: tabPanelsRef
  });

  // Find all the tab elements so we can use their dimensions.
  let [tabElements, setTabElements] = useState([]);
  useEffect(() => {
    if (tabElements.length === 0) {
      let tabs = tabListRef.current.querySelectorAll(
        '[role=tab]'
      );
      setTabElements(tabs);
    }
  }, [tabElements]);

  // This function determines which tab should be selected
  // based on the scroll position.
  let getIndex = useCallback(
    (x) =>
      Math.max(0, Math.floor((tabElements.length - 1) * x)),
    [tabElements]
  );

  // This function transforms the scroll position into the X position
  // or width of the selected tab indicator.
  let transform = (x, property) => {
    if (!tabElements.length) return 0;

    // Find the tab index for the scroll X position.
    let index = getIndex(x);

    // Get the difference between this tab and the next one.
    let difference = index < tabElements.length - 1
      ? tabElements[index + 1][property] -
        tabElements[index][property]
      : tabElements[index].offsetWidth;

    // Get the percentage between tabs.
    // This is the difference between the integer index and fractional one.
    let percent = (tabElements.length - 1) * x - index;

    // Linearly interpolate to calculate the position of the selection indicator.
    let value = tabElements[index][property] +
      difference * percent;

    // iOS scrolls weird when translateX is 0 for some reason. 🤷‍♂️
    return value || 0.1;
  };

  let x = useTransform(
    scrollXProgress,
    (x) => transform(x, 'offsetLeft')
  );
  let width = useTransform(
    scrollXProgress,
    (x) => transform(x, 'offsetWidth')
  );

  // When the user scrolls, update the selected key
  // so that the correct tab panel becomes interactive.
  useMotionValueEvent(scrollXProgress, 'change', (x) => {
    if (animationRef.current || !tabElements.length) return;
    setSelectedKey(tabs[getIndex(x)].id);
  });

  // When the user clicks on a tab perform an animation of
  // the scroll position to the newly selected tab panel.
  let animationRef = useRef(null);
  let onSelectionChange = (selectedKey) => {
    setSelectedKey(selectedKey);

    // If the scroll position is already moving but we aren't animating
    // then the key changed as a result of a user scrolling. Ignore.
    if (
      scrollXProgress.getVelocity() && !animationRef.current
    ) {
      return;
    }

    let tabPanel = tabPanelsRef.current;
    let index = tabs.findIndex((tab) =>
      tab.id === selectedKey
    );
    animationRef.current?.stop();
    animationRef.current = animate(
      tabPanel.scrollLeft,
      tabPanel.scrollWidth * (index / tabs.length),
      {
        type: 'spring',
        bounce: 0.2,
        duration: 0.6,
        onUpdate: (v) => {
          tabPanel.scrollLeft = v;
        },
        onPlay: () => {
          // Disable scroll snap while the animation is going or weird things happen.
          tabPanel.style.scrollSnapType = 'none';
        },
        onComplete: () => {
          tabPanel.style.scrollSnapType = '';
          animationRef.current = null;
        }
      }
    );
  };

  return (
    <Tabs
      className="w-fit max-w-[min(100%,350px)]"
      selectedKey={selectedKey}
      onSelectionChange={onSelectionChange}
    >
      <div className="relative">
        <TabList
          ref={tabListRef}
          className="flex -mx-1"
          items={tabs}
        >
          {(tab) => (
            <Tab className="cursor-default px-3 py-1.5 text-md transition outline-none touch-none">
              {({ isSelected, isFocusVisible }) => (
                <>
                  {tab.label}
                  {isFocusVisible && isSelected && (
                    // Focus ring.
                    <motion.span
                      className="absolute inset-0 z-10 rounded-full ring-2 ring-black ring-offset-2"
                      style={{ x, width }}
                    />
                  )}
                </>
              )}
            </Tab>
          )}
        </TabList>
        {/* Selection indicator. */}
        <motion.span
          className="absolute inset-0 z-10 bg-white rounded-full mix-blend-difference"
          style={{ x, width }}
        />
      </div>
      <div
        ref={tabPanelsRef}
        className="my-4 overflow-auto snap-x snap-mandatory no-scrollbar flex"
      >
        <Collection items={tabs}>
          {(tab) => (
            <TabPanel
              shouldForceMount
              className="flex-shrink-0 w-full px-2 box-border snap-start outline-none -outline-offset-2 rounded focus-visible:outline-black"
            >
              <h2>{tab.label} contents...</h2>
              <p>
                Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur
                adipiscing elit. Aenean sit amet nisl
                blandit, pellentesque eros eu, scelerisque
                eros. Sed cursus urna at nunc lacinia
                dapibus.
              </p>
            </TabPanel>
          )}
        </Collection>
      </div>
    </Tabs>
  );
}

import {
  Collection,
  Tab,
  TabList,
  TabPanel,
  Tabs
} from 'react-aria-components';
import {
  animate,
  motion,
  useMotionValueEvent,
  useScroll,
  useTransform
} from 'framer-motion';
import {
  useCallback,
  useEffect,
  useRef,
  useState
} from 'react';

let tabs = [
  {
    id: 'world',
    label: 'World'
  },
  {
    id: 'ny',
    label: 'N.Y.'
  },
  {
    id: 'business',
    label: 'Business'
  },
  {
    id: 'arts',
    label: 'Arts'
  },
  {
    id: 'science',
    label: 'Science'
  }
];

function AnimatedTabs() {
  let [
    selectedKey,
    setSelectedKey
  ] = useState(
    tabs[0].id
  );

  let tabListRef =
    useRef(null);
  let tabPanelsRef =
    useRef(null);

  // Track the scroll position of the tab panel container.
  let {
    scrollXProgress
  } = useScroll({
    container:
      tabPanelsRef
  });

  // Find all the tab elements so we can use their dimensions.
  let [
    tabElements,
    setTabElements
  ] = useState([]);
  useEffect(() => {
    if (
      tabElements
        .length === 0
    ) {
      let tabs =
        tabListRef
          .current
          .querySelectorAll(
            '[role=tab]'
          );
      setTabElements(
        tabs
      );
    }
  }, [tabElements]);

  // This function determines which tab should be selected
  // based on the scroll position.
  let getIndex =
    useCallback(
      (x) =>
        Math.max(
          0,
          Math.floor(
            (tabElements
              .length -
              1) * x
          )
        ),
      [tabElements]
    );

  // This function transforms the scroll position into the X position
  // or width of the selected tab indicator.
  let transform = (
    x,
    property
  ) => {
    if (
      !tabElements.length
    ) return 0;

    // Find the tab index for the scroll X position.
    let index = getIndex(
      x
    );

    // Get the difference between this tab and the next one.
    let difference =
      index <
          tabElements
              .length - 1
        ? tabElements[
          index + 1
        ][property] -
          tabElements[
            index
          ][property]
        : tabElements[
          index
        ].offsetWidth;

    // Get the percentage between tabs.
    // This is the difference between the integer index and fractional one.
    let percent =
      (tabElements
          .length - 1) *
        x - index;

    // Linearly interpolate to calculate the position of the selection indicator.
    let value =
      tabElements[index][
        property
      ] +
      difference *
        percent;

    // iOS scrolls weird when translateX is 0 for some reason. 🤷‍♂️
    return value || 0.1;
  };

  let x = useTransform(
    scrollXProgress,
    (x) =>
      transform(
        x,
        'offsetLeft'
      )
  );
  let width =
    useTransform(
      scrollXProgress,
      (x) =>
        transform(
          x,
          'offsetWidth'
        )
    );

  // When the user scrolls, update the selected key
  // so that the correct tab panel becomes interactive.
  useMotionValueEvent(
    scrollXProgress,
    'change',
    (x) => {
      if (
        animationRef
          .current ||
        !tabElements
          .length
      ) return;
      setSelectedKey(
        tabs[getIndex(x)]
          .id
      );
    }
  );

  // When the user clicks on a tab perform an animation of
  // the scroll position to the newly selected tab panel.
  let animationRef =
    useRef(null);
  let onSelectionChange =
    (selectedKey) => {
      setSelectedKey(
        selectedKey
      );

      // If the scroll position is already moving but we aren't animating
      // then the key changed as a result of a user scrolling. Ignore.
      if (
        scrollXProgress
          .getVelocity() &&
        !animationRef
          .current
      ) {
        return;
      }

      let tabPanel =
        tabPanelsRef
          .current;
      let index = tabs
        .findIndex((
          tab
        ) =>
          tab.id ===
            selectedKey
        );
      animationRef
        .current?.stop();
      animationRef
        .current =
          animate(
            tabPanel
              .scrollLeft,
            tabPanel
              .scrollWidth *
              (index /
                tabs
                  .length),
            {
              type:
                'spring',
              bounce:
                0.2,
              duration:
                0.6,
              onUpdate: (
                v
              ) => {
                tabPanel
                  .scrollLeft =
                    v;
              },
              onPlay:
                () => {
                  // Disable scroll snap while the animation is going or weird things happen.
                  tabPanel
                    .style
                    .scrollSnapType =
                      'none';
                },
              onComplete:
                () => {
                  tabPanel
                    .style
                    .scrollSnapType =
                      '';
                  animationRef
                    .current =
                      null;
                }
            }
          );
    };

  return (
    <Tabs
      className="w-fit max-w-[min(100%,350px)]"
      selectedKey={selectedKey}
      onSelectionChange={onSelectionChange}
    >
      <div className="relative">
        <TabList
          ref={tabListRef}
          className="flex -mx-1"
          items={tabs}
        >
          {(tab) => (
            <Tab className="cursor-default px-3 py-1.5 text-md transition outline-none touch-none">
              {(
                {
                  isSelected,
                  isFocusVisible
                }
              ) => (
                <>
                  {tab
                    .label}
                  {isFocusVisible &&
                    isSelected &&
                    (
                      // Focus ring.
                      <motion.span
                        className="absolute inset-0 z-10 rounded-full ring-2 ring-black ring-offset-2"
                        style={{
                          x,
                          width
                        }}
                      />
                    )}
                </>
              )}
            </Tab>
          )}
        </TabList>
        {/* Selection indicator. */}
        <motion.span
          className="absolute inset-0 z-10 bg-white rounded-full mix-blend-difference"
          style={{
            x,
            width
          }}
        />
      </div>
      <div
        ref={tabPanelsRef}
        className="my-4 overflow-auto snap-x snap-mandatory no-scrollbar flex"
      >
        <Collection
          items={tabs}
        >
          {(tab) => (
            <TabPanel
              shouldForceMount
              className="flex-shrink-0 w-full px-2 box-border snap-start outline-none -outline-offset-2 rounded focus-visible:outline-black"
            >
              <h2>
                {tab
                  .label}
                {' '}
                contents...
              </h2>
              <p>
                Lorem
                ipsum
                dolor sit
                amet,
                consectetur
                adipiscing
                elit.
                Aenean
                sit amet
                nisl
                blandit,
                pellentesque
                eros eu,
                scelerisque
                eros. Sed
                cursus
                urna at
                nunc
                lacinia
                dapibus.
              </p>
            </TabPanel>
          )}
        </Collection>
      </div>
    </Tabs>
  );
}

Tailwind config#

This example uses the tailwindcss-react-aria-components plugin. Add it to your tailwind.config.js:

module.exports = {
  // ...
  plugins: [
    require('tailwindcss-react-aria-components')
  ]
};

module.exports = {
  // ...
  plugins: [
    require('tailwindcss-react-aria-components')
  ]
};

module.exports = {
  // ...
  plugins: [
    require(
      'tailwindcss-react-aria-components'
    )
  ]
};

Components#

Learn more#

This example was inspired by Sam Selikoff's video "Animated tabs with inverted text". Check it out to learn more about how the inverted text effect works!