Popular Animation — Reference

Kinetic Dots

The Kinetic Dots is a CSS animation component that playful bouncing dots with squash-and-stretch deformation and expanding ripple effects. Use for engaging loading states, chat typing indicators, or anywhere a lively, energetic loader fits. It ships as self-contained HTML and CSS with no external dependencies, making it drop-in ready for any modern web project regardless of framework or build system.

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When to use the Kinetic Dots

Chat typing indicators, inline loading, and message delivery states
Content loading placeholders in data-heavy dashboards
Location pins, radar UI, and active network status indicators
Component libraries and design systems that need consistent motion patterns
Progressive enhancement — works in all modern browsers, degrades gracefully

Performance characteristics

GPU-accelerated — uses CSS transform and opacity so compositing happens off the main thread
Zero JavaScript dependency in most configurations — no framework, no bundler required
Approximately 60 fps on any device that supports CSS animations (Chrome 43+, Firefox 16+, Safari 9+)
Self-contained in a single HTML file — no npm install, no build step, paste and ship

How it compares

Unlike equivalent JavaScript implementations, the Kinetic Dots does not require any runtime library — there is nothing to install, bundle, or load asynchronously.

Compared to animated GIFs or video embeds, this CSS component is resolution-independent, theme-able via CSS custom properties, and weighs a fraction of the equivalent media file.

Source code

CSS

css

body { margin: 0; min-height: 100vh; display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content: center; background: #0f0f0f; }
    .wrap { display: flex; gap: 1.25rem; }
    .col { position: relative; display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: flex-end; height: 5rem; width: 1.5rem; }
    .ball { position: relative; width: 1.25rem; height: 1.25rem; z-index: 10; }
    .ball-inner {
      width: 100%; height: 100%; border-radius: 9999px;
      background: linear-gradient(to bottom, #67e8f9, #2563eb);
      box-shadow: 0 0 15px rgba(6,182,212,0.6);
    }
    .ball-hl { position: absolute; top: 0.25rem; left: 0.25rem; width: 0.375rem; height: 0.375rem; background: rgba(255,255,255,0.6); border-radius: 9999px; filter: blur(0.5px); }
    .ripple { position: absolute; bottom: 0; width: 2.5rem; height: 0.75rem; border: 1px solid rgba(6,182,212,0.3); border-radius: 100%; opacity: 0; }
    .shadow { position: absolute; bottom: -0.25rem; width: 1.25rem; height: 0.375rem; border-radius: 100%; background: rgba(6,182,212,0.4); filter: blur(4px); }
    @keyframes gravity-bounce {
      0% { transform: translateY(0); animation-timing-function: cubic-bezier(0.33, 1, 0.68, 1); }
      50% { transform: translateY(-40px); animation-timing-function: cubic-bezier(0.32, 0, 0.67, 0); }
      100% { transform: translateY(0); }
    }
    @keyframes rubber-morph {
      0% { transform: scale(1.4, 0.6); }
      5% { transform: scale(0.9, 1.1); }
      15% { transform: scale(1, 1); }
      50% { transform: scale(1, 1); }
      85% { transform: scale(0.9, 1.1); }
      100% { transform: scale(1.4, 0.6); }
    }
    @keyframes shadow-breathe {
      0% { transform: scale(1.4); opacity: 0.6; }
      50% { transform: scale(0.5); opacity: 0.1; }
      100% { transform: scale(1.4); opacity: 0.6; }
    }
    @keyframes ripple-expand {
      0% { transform: scale(0.5); opacity: 0; border-width: 4px; }
      5% { opacity: 0.8; }
      30% { transform: scale(1.5); opacity: 0; border-width: 0; }
      100% { transform: scale(1.5); opacity: 0; }
    }

HTML

html

<div class="wrap">
    <div class="col"><div class="ball" style="animation: gravity-bounce 1.4s cubic-bezier(0.45,0.05,0.55,0.95) infinite; animation-delay: 0s;"><div class="ball-inner" style="animation: rubber-morph 1.4s linear infinite; animation-delay: 0s;"></div><div class="ball-hl"></div></div><div class="ripple" style="animation: ripple-expand 1.4s linear infinite; animation-delay: 0s;"></div><div class="shadow" style="animation: shadow-breathe 1.4s cubic-bezier(0.45,0.05,0.55,0.95) infinite; animation-delay: 0s;"></div></div>
    <div class="col"><div class="ball" style="animation: gravity-bounce 1.4s cubic-bezier(0.45,0.05,0.55,0.95) infinite; animation-delay: 0.15s;"><div class="ball-inner" style="animation: rubber-morph 1.4s linear infinite; animation-delay: 0.15s;"></div><div class="ball-hl"></div></div><div class="ripple" style="animation: ripple-expand 1.4s linear infinite; animation-delay: 0.15s;"></div><div class="shadow" style="animation: shadow-breathe 1.4s cubic-bezier(0.45,0.05,0.55,0.95) infinite; animation-delay: 0.15s;"></div></div>
    <div class="col"><div class="ball" style="animation: gravity-bounce 1.4s cubic-bezier(0.45,0.05,0.55,0.95) infinite; animation-delay: 0.3s;"><div class="ball-inner" style="animation: rubber-morph 1.4s linear infinite; animation-delay: 0.3s;"></div><div class="ball-hl"></div></div><div class="ripple" style="animation: ripple-expand 1.4s linear infinite; animation-delay: 0.3s;"></div><div class="shadow" style="animation: shadow-breathe 1.4s cubic-bezier(0.45,0.05,0.55,0.95) infinite; animation-delay: 0.3s;"></div></div>
    <div class="col"><div class="ball" style="animation: gravity-bounce 1.4s cubic-bezier(0.45,0.05,0.55,0.95) infinite; animation-delay: 0.44999999999999996s;"><div class="ball-inner" style="animation: rubber-morph 1.4s linear infinite; animation-delay: 0.44999999999999996s;"></div><div class="ball-hl"></div></div><div class="ripple" style="animation: ripple-expand 1.4s linear infinite; animation-delay: 0.44999999999999996s;"></div><div class="shadow" style="animation: shadow-breathe 1.4s cubic-bezier(0.45,0.05,0.55,0.95) infinite; animation-delay: 0.44999999999999996s;"></div></div>
  </div>

Full source

html

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
  <style>
    body { margin: 0; min-height: 100vh; display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content: center; background: #0f0f0f; }
    .wrap { display: flex; gap: 1.25rem; }
    .col { position: relative; display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: flex-end; height: 5rem; width: 1.5rem; }
    .ball { position: relative; width: 1.25rem; height: 1.25rem; z-index: 10; }
    .ball-inner {
      width: 100%; height: 100%; border-radius: 9999px;
      background: linear-gradient(to bottom, #67e8f9, #2563eb);
      box-shadow: 0 0 15px rgba(6,182,212,0.6);
    }
    .ball-hl { position: absolute; top: 0.25rem; left: 0.25rem; width: 0.375rem; height: 0.375rem; background: rgba(255,255,255,0.6); border-radius: 9999px; filter: blur(0.5px); }
    .ripple { position: absolute; bottom: 0; width: 2.5rem; height: 0.75rem; border: 1px solid rgba(6,182,212,0.3); border-radius: 100%; opacity: 0; }
    .shadow { position: absolute; bottom: -0.25rem; width: 1.25rem; height: 0.375rem; border-radius: 100%; background: rgba(6,182,212,0.4); filter: blur(4px); }
    @keyframes gravity-bounce {
      0% { transform: translateY(0); animation-timing-function: cubic-bezier(0.33, 1, 0.68, 1); }
      50% { transform: translateY(-40px); animation-timing-function: cubic-bezier(0.32, 0, 0.67, 0); }
      100% { transform: translateY(0); }
    }
    @keyframes rubber-morph {
      0% { transform: scale(1.4, 0.6); }
      5% { transform: scale(0.9, 1.1); }
      15% { transform: scale(1, 1); }
      50% { transform: scale(1, 1); }
      85% { transform: scale(0.9, 1.1); }
      100% { transform: scale(1.4, 0.6); }
    }
    @keyframes shadow-breathe {
      0% { transform: scale(1.4); opacity: 0.6; }
      50% { transform: scale(0.5); opacity: 0.1; }
      100% { transform: scale(1.4); opacity: 0.6; }
    }
    @keyframes ripple-expand {
      0% { transform: scale(0.5); opacity: 0; border-width: 4px; }
      5% { opacity: 0.8; }
      30% { transform: scale(1.5); opacity: 0; border-width: 0; }
      100% { transform: scale(1.5); opacity: 0; }
    }
  </style>
</head>
<body>
  <div class="wrap">
    <div class="col"><div class="ball" style="animation: gravity-bounce 1.4s cubic-bezier(0.45,0.05,0.55,0.95) infinite; animation-delay: 0s;"><div class="ball-inner" style="animation: rubber-morph 1.4s linear infinite; animation-delay: 0s;"></div><div class="ball-hl"></div></div><div class="ripple" style="animation: ripple-expand 1.4s linear infinite; animation-delay: 0s;"></div><div class="shadow" style="animation: shadow-breathe 1.4s cubic-bezier(0.45,0.05,0.55,0.95) infinite; animation-delay: 0s;"></div></div>
    <div class="col"><div class="ball" style="animation: gravity-bounce 1.4s cubic-bezier(0.45,0.05,0.55,0.95) infinite; animation-delay: 0.15s;"><div class="ball-inner" style="animation: rubber-morph 1.4s linear infinite; animation-delay: 0.15s;"></div><div class="ball-hl"></div></div><div class="ripple" style="animation: ripple-expand 1.4s linear infinite; animation-delay: 0.15s;"></div><div class="shadow" style="animation: shadow-breathe 1.4s cubic-bezier(0.45,0.05,0.55,0.95) infinite; animation-delay: 0.15s;"></div></div>
    <div class="col"><div class="ball" style="animation: gravity-bounce 1.4s cubic-bezier(0.45,0.05,0.55,0.95) infinite; animation-delay: 0.3s;"><div class="ball-inner" style="animation: rubber-morph 1.4s linear infinite; animation-delay: 0.3s;"></div><div class="ball-hl"></div></div><div class="ripple" style="animation: ripple-expand 1.4s linear infinite; animation-delay: 0.3s;"></div><div class="shadow" style="animation: shadow-breathe 1.4s cubic-bezier(0.45,0.05,0.55,0.95) infinite; animation-delay: 0.3s;"></div></div>
    <div class="col"><div class="ball" style="animation: gravity-bounce 1.4s cubic-bezier(0.45,0.05,0.55,0.95) infinite; animation-delay: 0.44999999999999996s;"><div class="ball-inner" style="animation: rubber-morph 1.4s linear infinite; animation-delay: 0.44999999999999996s;"></div><div class="ball-hl"></div></div><div class="ripple" style="animation: ripple-expand 1.4s linear infinite; animation-delay: 0.44999999999999996s;"></div><div class="shadow" style="animation: shadow-breathe 1.4s cubic-bezier(0.45,0.05,0.55,0.95) infinite; animation-delay: 0.44999999999999996s;"></div></div>
  </div>
</body>
</html>

Frequently asked questions

How do I add the Kinetic Dots to my project?

Copy the full source code from the code block on this page. Paste the <style> block into your stylesheet (or a <style> tag in your HTML head) and the HTML markup into your template. No npm install or build step is required — the animation is self-contained. To customize colors, speed, or size, use Grepped's workspace at grepped.dev/animations/popular/kinetic-dots.

Is the Kinetic Dots free to use?

Yes. All Grepped preset animations are free to use in personal and commercial projects. You may copy, modify, and redistribute the code without attribution. The only limitation is that you may not resell the presets themselves as part of a competing animation library.

Does the Kinetic Dots work on mobile browsers?

Yes. The Kinetic Dots uses standard CSS animations and transforms that are supported in all modern mobile browsers — Chrome for Android, Safari on iOS 9+, Samsung Internet, and Firefox for Android. Where JavaScript is used for interactivity (e.g. cursor effects), it falls back gracefully on touch devices.

Can I customize the Kinetic Dots's colors, speed, or size?

Yes. Open the live customization workspace at grepped.dev/animations/popular/kinetic-dots to adjust the animation with real-time sliders, color pickers, and toggles — no code required. For deeper changes, the source code uses CSS custom properties (variables) so you can edit them directly in your stylesheet.

Want to customize this animation or generate a new one from a text prompt?

Open in Workspace — it's free