AutoAnimate - Error Prevention Guide
Package: @formkit/auto-animate@0.9.0 (current) Frameworks: React, Vue, Solid, Svelte, Preact Last Updated: 2026-01-21
SSR-Safe Pattern (Critical for Cloudflare Workers/Next.js)
// Use client-only import to prevent SSR errors
import { useState, useEffect } from "react";
export function useAutoAnimateSafe<T extends HTMLElement>() {
const [parent, setParent] = useState<T | null>(null);
useEffect(() => {
if (typeof window !== "undefined" && parent) {
import("@formkit/auto-animate").then(({ default: autoAnimate }) => {
autoAnimate(parent);
});
}
}, [parent]);
return [parent, setParent] as const;
}Why this matters: Prevents Issue #1 (SSR/Next.js import errors). AutoAnimate uses DOM APIs not available on server.
Known Issues Prevention (15 Documented Errors)
This skill prevents 15 documented issues:
Issue #1: SSR/Next.js Import Errors
Error: "Can't import the named export 'useEffect' from non EcmaScript module" Source: https://github.com/formkit/auto-animate/issues/55 Why It Happens: AutoAnimate uses DOM APIs not available on server Prevention: Use dynamic imports (see templates/vite-ssr-safe.tsx)
Issue #2: Conditional Parent Rendering
Error: Animations don't work when parent is conditional Source: https://github.com/formkit/auto-animate/issues/8 Why It Happens: Ref can't attach to non-existent element Prevention:
React Pattern:
// ❌ Wrong
{showList && <ul ref={parent}>...</ul>}
// ✅ Correct
<ul ref={parent}>{showList && items.map(...)}</ul>Vue.js Pattern:
<!-- ❌ Wrong - parent conditional -->
<ul v-if="showList" ref="parent">
<li v-for="item in items" :key="item.id">{{ item.text }}</li>
</ul>
<!-- ✅ Correct - children conditional -->
<ul ref="parent">
<li v-if="showList" v-for="item in items" :key="item.id">
{{ item.text }}
</li>
</ul>Source: React Issue #8, Vue Issue #193
Issue #3: Missing Unique Keys
Error: Items don't animate correctly or flash Source: Official docs Why It Happens: React can't track which items changed Prevention: Always use unique, stable keys (key={item.id})
Issue #4: Flexbox Width and Shaking Issues
Error: Elements snap to width instead of animating smoothly, or container shakes on remove Source: Official docs, Issue #212 Why It Happens: flex-grow: 1 waits for surrounding content, causing timing issues Prevention: Use explicit width instead of flex-grow for animated elements
// ❌ Wrong - causes shaking
<ul ref={parent} style={{ display: 'flex' }}>
{items.map(item => (
<li key={item.id} style={{ flex: '1 1 auto' }}>{item.text}</li>
))}
</ul>
// ✅ Correct - fixed sizes
<ul ref={parent} style={{ display: 'flex', gap: '1rem' }}>
{items.map(item => (
<li
key={item.id}
style={{ minWidth: '200px', maxWidth: '200px' }}
>
{item.text}
</li>
))}
</ul>Maintainer Note: justin-schroeder confirmed fixed sizes are required for flex containers
Issue #5: Table Row Display Issues
Error: Table structure breaks when removing rows Source: https://github.com/formkit/auto-animate/issues/7 Why It Happens: Display: table-row conflicts with animations Prevention: Apply to <tbody> instead of individual rows, or use div-based layouts
Issue #6: Jest Testing Errors
Error: "Cannot find module '@formkit/auto-animate/react'" Source: https://github.com/formkit/auto-animate/issues/29 Why It Happens: Jest doesn't resolve ESM exports correctly Prevention: Configure moduleNameMapper in jest.config.js
Issue #7: esbuild Compatibility
Error: "Path '.' not exported by package" Source: https://github.com/formkit/auto-animate/issues/36 Why It Happens: ESM/CommonJS condition mismatch Prevention: Configure esbuild to handle ESM modules properly
Issue #8: CSS Position Side Effects
Error: Layout breaks after adding AutoAnimate Source: Official docs Why It Happens: Parent automatically gets position: relative Prevention: Account for position change in CSS or set explicitly
Issue #9: Vue/Nuxt Registration Errors
Error: "Failed to resolve directive: auto-animate" Source: https://github.com/formkit/auto-animate/issues/43 Why It Happens: Plugin not registered correctly Prevention: Proper plugin setup in Vue/Nuxt config (see references/)
Nuxt 3 Note: Requires v0.8.2+ (April 2024). Earlier versions have ESM import issues fixed by Daniel Roe. See Issue #199
Issue #10: Angular ESM Issues
Error: Build fails with "ESM-only package" Source: https://github.com/formkit/auto-animate/issues/72 Why It Happens: CommonJS build environment Prevention: Configure ng-packagr for Angular Package Format
Issue #11: React 19 StrictMode Double-Call Bug
Error: Child animations don't work in React 19 StrictMode Source: https://github.com/formkit/auto-animate/issues/232 Why It Happens: StrictMode calls useEffect twice, triggering autoAnimate initialization twice Prevention: Use ref to track initialization
// ❌ Wrong - breaks in StrictMode
const [parent] = useAutoAnimate();
// ✅ Correct - prevents double initialization
const [parent] = useAutoAnimate();
const initialized = useRef(false);
useEffect(() => {
if (initialized.current) return;
initialized.current = true;
}, []);Note: React 19 enables StrictMode by default in development. This affects all React 19+ projects.
Issue #12: Broken Animation Outside Viewport
Error: Animations broken when list is outside viewport Source: https://github.com/formkit/auto-animate/issues/222 Why It Happens: Chrome may not run Animation API for off-screen elements Prevention: Ensure parent is visible before applying autoAnimate
const isInViewport = (element) => {
const rect = element.getBoundingClientRect();
return rect.top >= 0 && rect.bottom <= window.innerHeight;
};
useEffect(() => {
if (parent.current && isInViewport(parent.current)) {
autoAnimate(parent.current);
}
}, [parent]);Issue #13: Deleted Elements Overlay Existing Content
Error: Removed items overlay other items during fade out Source: https://github.com/formkit/auto-animate/issues/231 Why It Happens: Exit animation maintains z-index, covering active content Prevention: Add explicit z-index handling
// CSS workaround
<style>{`
[data-auto-animate-target] {
z-index: -1 !important;
}
`}</style>Issue #14: Cannot Disable During Drag & Drop
Error: Calling enable(false) doesn't prevent animations during drag Source: https://github.com/formkit/auto-animate/issues/215 Why It Happens: Disable doesn't work reliably mid-drag Prevention: Conditionally remove ref during drag
const [isDragging, setIsDragging] = useState(false);
const [parent] = useAutoAnimate();
return (
<ul ref={isDragging ? null : parent}>
{/* items */}
</ul>
);Issue #15: CSS Transform Parent Position Bug
Error: Items animate from wrong position after parent transform Source: https://github.com/formkit/auto-animate/issues/227 Why It Happens: Items remember original position before transform Prevention: Delay autoAnimate until transform completes
useEffect(() => {
if (showList && parent.current) {
setTimeout(() => {
autoAnimate(parent.current);
}, 300); // Match CSS transition duration
}
}, [showList]);Critical Rules (Error Prevention)
Always Do
✅ Use unique, stable keys - key={item.id} not key={index} ✅ Keep parent in DOM - Parent ref element always rendered ✅ Client-only for SSR - Dynamic import for server environments ✅ Respect accessibility - Keep disrespectUserMotionPreference: false ✅ Test with motion disabled - Verify UI works without animations ✅ Use explicit width - Avoid flex-grow on animated elements ✅ Apply to tbody for tables - Not individual rows
Never Do
❌ Conditional parent - {show && <ul ref={parent}>} ❌ Index as key - key={index} breaks animations ❌ Ignore SSR - Will break in Cloudflare Workers/Next.js ❌ Force animations - disrespectUserMotionPreference: true breaks accessibility ❌ Animate tables directly - Use tbody or div-based layout ❌ Skip unique keys - Required for proper animation ❌ Complex animations - Use Motion instead
Note: AutoAnimate respects prefers-reduced-motion automatically (never disable this).
Community Tips (Community-Sourced)
Note: These tips come from community discussions. Verify against your version.
Tip: Prevent Test Freezing with Mocked Package
Source: Issue #230 | Confidence: MEDIUM Applies to: v0.8.2+
Tests may freeze for ~10 seconds when package is mocked. Add ResizeObserver mock:
// jest.setup.js
global.ResizeObserver = jest.fn().mockImplementation(() => ({
observe: jest.fn(),
unobserve: jest.fn(),
disconnect: jest.fn(),
}));
// __mocks__/@formkit/auto-animate.js
const autoAnimate = jest.fn(() => () => {});
const useAutoAnimate = jest.fn(() => [null, jest.fn(), jest.fn()]);
module.exports = { default: autoAnimate, useAutoAnimate };Tip: Memory Leak Prevention
Source: Issue #180 | Confidence: LOW Applies to: All versions
For long-lived SPAs, ensure proper cleanup:
useEffect(() => {
const cleanup = autoAnimate(parent.current);
return () => cleanup && cleanup();
}, []);
// useAutoAnimate hook handles cleanup automatically
const [parent] = useAutoAnimate(); // PreferredPackage Versions
Latest: @formkit/auto-animate@0.9.0 (Sept 5, 2025)
Recent Releases:
- v0.9.0 (Sept 5, 2025) - Current stable
- v0.8.2 (April 10, 2024) - Fixed Nuxt 3 ESM imports, ResizeObserver guard
{
"dependencies": {
"@formkit/auto-animate": "^0.9.0"
}
}Framework Compatibility: React 18+, Vue 3+, Solid, Svelte, Preact
Important: For Nuxt 3 users, v0.8.2+ is required. Earlier versions have ESM import issues
Official Documentation
- Official Site: https://auto-animate.formkit.com
- GitHub: https://github.com/formkit/auto-animate
- npm: https://www.npmjs.com/package/@formkit/auto-animate
- React Docs: https://auto-animate.formkit.com/react
Templates & References
See bundled resources:
templates/- Copy-paste examples (SSR-safe, accordion, toast, forms)references/- CSS conflicts, SSR patterns, library comparisons