State & Feedback Animation — Reference
Ripple
The Ripple is a pure-CSS loading animation that expanding concentric ripple circles that fade as they grow outward. Use it for calming radar-like loading effects, location pings, or attention-drawing pulse indicators. It requires no JavaScript, runs entirely on the GPU via CSS transforms, and communicates application state clearly without blocking the browser's main thread.
When to use the Ripple
- Location pins, radar UI, and active network status indicators
- Communicating async operations like API fetches or file uploads
- Replacing blank screens during server-side rendering hydration
- Inline loading states within tables, feeds, or infinite-scroll lists
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+)
- Typically under 2 KB of CSS — negligible impact on Largest Contentful Paint (LCP)
How it compares
Unlike JavaScript spinners rendered with requestAnimationFrame loops, the Ripple runs on the GPU compositor thread, meaning a blocked main thread — caused by heavy data processing or framework hydration — will not freeze or jank the animation.
Compared to GIF loading indicators, this CSS approach uses roughly 95% less bandwidth and scales crisp at every pixel density, including HiDPI and Retina displays.
Source code
CSS
.ripple {
width: 48px; height: 48px;
position: relative;
display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content: center;
}
.ripple span {
position: absolute;
width: 100%; height: 100%;
border: 2px solid #ec4899;
border-radius: 50%;
animation: ripple 1.2s ease-out infinite;
}
.ripple span:nth-child(2) { animation-delay: 0.4s; }
.ripple span:nth-child(3) { animation-delay: 0.8s; }
@keyframes ripple {
0% { transform: scale(0.5); opacity: 1; }
100% { transform: scale(2); opacity: 0; }
}
body { margin: 0; min-height: 100vh; display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content: center; background: #0f0f0f; }HTML
<div class="ripple"><span></span><span></span><span></span></div>Full source
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<style>
.ripple {
width: 48px; height: 48px;
position: relative;
display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content: center;
}
.ripple span {
position: absolute;
width: 100%; height: 100%;
border: 2px solid #ec4899;
border-radius: 50%;
animation: ripple 1.2s ease-out infinite;
}
.ripple span:nth-child(2) { animation-delay: 0.4s; }
.ripple span:nth-child(3) { animation-delay: 0.8s; }
@keyframes ripple {
0% { transform: scale(0.5); opacity: 1; }
100% { transform: scale(2); opacity: 0; }
}
body { margin: 0; min-height: 100vh; display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content: center; background: #0f0f0f; }
</style>
</head>
<body>
<div class="ripple"><span></span><span></span><span></span></div>
</body>
</html>Frequently asked questions
How do I add the Ripple 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/state-feedback/ripple.
Is the Ripple 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 Ripple work on mobile browsers?
Yes. The Ripple 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 Ripple's colors, speed, or size?
Yes. Open the live customization workspace at grepped.dev/animations/state-feedback/ripple 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