---
title: "Fade Through"
description: "A calm transition primitive that fades one layer out, passes through a wash, and reveals the next layer"
---

import { InstallCommand } from "/snippets/install-command.jsx";
import { VariablesExplorer } from "/snippets/variables-explorer.jsx";

<VariablesExplorer
  previewSrc="/public/catalog/components/fade-through.json"
  compositionId="fade-through"
  compositionSrc="compositions/components/fade-through.html"
  variables={[{"id":"wash","type":"enum","role":"style","label":"Wash","description":"Colour of the mid-transition frame. Paper resolves through --hf-fade-through-wash, accent rides --accent.","default":"paper","options":[{"value":"paper","label":"Paper"},{"value":"white","label":"White"},{"value":"ink","label":"Ink"},{"value":"accent","label":"Accent"}]},{"id":"strength","type":"number","role":"style","label":"Strength","description":"How far the wash covers at its peak. 1 is a full flash, 0.3 a light veil.","default":1,"min":0.1,"max":1,"step":0.05},{"id":"shape","type":"enum","role":"style","label":"Shape","description":"Flat fills the frame evenly, bloom concentrates the wash in the centre.","default":"flat","options":[{"value":"flat","label":"Flat"},{"value":"bloom","label":"Bloom"}]}]}
>

```html fade-through.html
<!--
  Fade Through - scene transition primitive.

  Put class="hf-fade-through-out" on the outgoing layer and
  class="hf-fade-through-in" on the incoming layer. Add the optional wash
  overlay below when you want a brighter mid-transition frame.

  Variables. The wash is the only surface this primitive paints, so all three
  describe it. The script reads each one, falls back to the declared default on
  anything missing or unrecognised, and writes the result as a custom property
  the CSS above consumes. The timeline recipe below is untouched by them.

    - wash (paper | white | ink | accent, default paper): the colour of the
      mid-transition frame. paper still resolves through
      --hf-fade-through-wash, so an existing override keeps working; accent
      rides --accent.
    - strength (number 0.1 to 1, default 1): how far the wash is allowed to
      cover at its peak. 1 is a full flash, 0.3 a light veil over the cut.
    - shape (flat | bloom, default flat): flat fills the frame evenly, bloom
      concentrates the wash in the centre and falls off to the edges.

  On every default the result is identical to the original: a flat, fully
  opaque #f8f5ec wash.
-->

<div
  class="hf-fade-through-wash"
  aria-hidden="true"
  data-composition-variables='[
    { "id": "wash", "type": "enum", "role": "style", "label": "Wash", "description": "Colour of the mid-transition frame. Paper resolves through --hf-fade-through-wash, accent rides --accent.", "default": "paper", "options": [{ "value": "paper", "label": "Paper" }, { "value": "white", "label": "White" }, { "value": "ink", "label": "Ink" }, { "value": "accent", "label": "Accent" }] },
    { "id": "strength", "type": "number", "role": "style", "label": "Strength", "description": "How far the wash covers at its peak. 1 is a full flash, 0.3 a light veil.", "default": 1, "min": 0.1, "max": 1, "step": 0.05 },
    { "id": "shape", "type": "enum", "role": "style", "label": "Shape", "description": "Flat fills the frame evenly, bloom concentrates the wash in the centre.", "default": "flat", "options": [{ "value": "flat", "label": "Flat" }, { "value": "bloom", "label": "Bloom" }] }
  ]'
></div>

<style>
  .hf-fade-through-in {
    opacity: 0;
  }
  .hf-fade-through-wash {
    position: absolute;
    inset: 0;
    opacity: 0;
    pointer-events: none;
    background: var(--hf-fade-through-paint, var(--hf-fade-through-wash, #f8f5ec));
    filter: opacity(var(--hf-fade-through-strength, 1));
    z-index: 900;
  }
</style>

<script>
  (function () {
    "use strict";

    var vars =
      window.__hyperframes && window.__hyperframes.getVariables
        ? window.__hyperframes.getVariables()
        : {};

    // Unrecognised overrides return to their declared defaults.
    var washes = {
      paper: "var(--hf-fade-through-wash, #f8f5ec)",
      white: "#ffffff",
      ink: "#0b0b0f",
      accent: "var(--accent, #38bdf8)",
    };

    var wash = Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty.call(washes, vars.wash) ? vars.wash : "paper";
    var shape = vars.shape === "bloom" ? "bloom" : "flat";

    var strength = parseFloat(vars.strength);
    if (!isFinite(strength)) strength = 1;
    strength = Math.min(1, Math.max(0.1, strength));

    var colour = washes[wash];
    var paint =
      shape === "bloom"
        ? "radial-gradient(circle at 50% 50%, " + colour + " 0%, transparent 72%)"
        : colour;

    var overlays = document.querySelectorAll(".hf-fade-through-wash");
    for (var i = 0; i < overlays.length; i += 1) {
      overlays[i].style.setProperty("--hf-fade-through-paint", paint);
      overlays[i].style.setProperty("--hf-fade-through-strength", String(strength));
    }
  })();
</script>

<!--
  Timeline integration:

  tl.to(".hf-fade-through-out", { opacity: 0, duration: 0.45, ease: "power2.inOut" }, startTime);
  tl.to(".hf-fade-through-wash", { opacity: 1, duration: 0.35, ease: "power2.inOut" }, startTime);
  tl.to(".hf-fade-through-wash", { opacity: 0, duration: 0.45, ease: "power2.inOut" }, startTime + 0.35);
  tl.to(".hf-fade-through-in", { opacity: 1, duration: 0.55, ease: "power2.out" }, startTime + 0.35);
-->
```

</VariablesExplorer>

## Install

<InstallCommand command="npx hyperframes add fade-through" item="fade-through" />

That writes one file: `compositions/components/fade-through.html`.

## Variables

Every one of these has a default, so the piece works untouched. Set the ones you
want to change on the element:

| Variable | Default | Accepts | What it does |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `wash` | `paper` | `paper`, `white`, `ink`, `accent` | Colour of the mid-transition frame. Paper resolves through --hf-fade-through-wash, accent rides --accent. |
| `strength` | `1` | 0.1 to 1, step 0.05 | How far the wash covers at its peak. 1 is a full flash, 0.3 a light veil. |
| `shape` | `flat` | `flat`, `bloom` | Flat fills the frame evenly, bloom concentrates the wash in the centre. |

Set them with `data-variable-values` on the element that mounts it. These are the
defaults, so this behaves exactly like the preview above until you change one:

```html wrap
<div
  data-composition-id="fade-through"
  data-composition-src="compositions/components/fade-through.html"
  data-variable-values='{"wash":"paper","strength":1,"shape":"flat"}'
></div>
```

## Source

<Accordion title={`fade-through.html`}>

```html
<!--
  Fade Through - scene transition primitive.

  Put class="hf-fade-through-out" on the outgoing layer and
  class="hf-fade-through-in" on the incoming layer. Add the optional wash
  overlay below when you want a brighter mid-transition frame.

  Variables. The wash is the only surface this primitive paints, so all three
  describe it. The script reads each one, falls back to the declared default on
  anything missing or unrecognised, and writes the result as a custom property
  the CSS above consumes. The timeline recipe below is untouched by them.

    - wash (paper | white | ink | accent, default paper): the colour of the
      mid-transition frame. paper still resolves through
      --hf-fade-through-wash, so an existing override keeps working; accent
      rides --accent.
    - strength (number 0.1 to 1, default 1): how far the wash is allowed to
      cover at its peak. 1 is a full flash, 0.3 a light veil over the cut.
    - shape (flat | bloom, default flat): flat fills the frame evenly, bloom
      concentrates the wash in the centre and falls off to the edges.

  On every default the result is identical to the original: a flat, fully
  opaque #f8f5ec wash.
-->

<div
  class="hf-fade-through-wash"
  aria-hidden="true"
  data-composition-variables='[
    { "id": "wash", "type": "enum", "role": "style", "label": "Wash", "description": "Colour of the mid-transition frame. Paper resolves through --hf-fade-through-wash, accent rides --accent.", "default": "paper", "options": [{ "value": "paper", "label": "Paper" }, { "value": "white", "label": "White" }, { "value": "ink", "label": "Ink" }, { "value": "accent", "label": "Accent" }] },
    { "id": "strength", "type": "number", "role": "style", "label": "Strength", "description": "How far the wash covers at its peak. 1 is a full flash, 0.3 a light veil.", "default": 1, "min": 0.1, "max": 1, "step": 0.05 },
    { "id": "shape", "type": "enum", "role": "style", "label": "Shape", "description": "Flat fills the frame evenly, bloom concentrates the wash in the centre.", "default": "flat", "options": [{ "value": "flat", "label": "Flat" }, { "value": "bloom", "label": "Bloom" }] }
  ]'
></div>

<style>
  .hf-fade-through-in {
    opacity: 0;
  }
  .hf-fade-through-wash {
    position: absolute;
    inset: 0;
    opacity: 0;
    pointer-events: none;
    background: var(--hf-fade-through-paint, var(--hf-fade-through-wash, #f8f5ec));
    filter: opacity(var(--hf-fade-through-strength, 1));
    z-index: 900;
  }
</style>

<script>
  (function () {
    "use strict";

    var vars =
      window.__hyperframes && window.__hyperframes.getVariables
        ? window.__hyperframes.getVariables()
        : {};

    // Unrecognised overrides return to their declared defaults.
    var washes = {
      paper: "var(--hf-fade-through-wash, #f8f5ec)",
      white: "#ffffff",
      ink: "#0b0b0f",
      accent: "var(--accent, #38bdf8)",
    };

    var wash = Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty.call(washes, vars.wash) ? vars.wash : "paper";
    var shape = vars.shape === "bloom" ? "bloom" : "flat";

    var strength = parseFloat(vars.strength);
    if (!isFinite(strength)) strength = 1;
    strength = Math.min(1, Math.max(0.1, strength));

    var colour = washes[wash];
    var paint =
      shape === "bloom"
        ? "radial-gradient(circle at 50% 50%, " + colour + " 0%, transparent 72%)"
        : colour;

    var overlays = document.querySelectorAll(".hf-fade-through-wash");
    for (var i = 0; i < overlays.length; i += 1) {
      overlays[i].style.setProperty("--hf-fade-through-paint", paint);
      overlays[i].style.setProperty("--hf-fade-through-strength", String(strength));
    }
  })();
</script>

<!--
  Timeline integration:

  tl.to(".hf-fade-through-out", { opacity: 0, duration: 0.45, ease: "power2.inOut" }, startTime);
  tl.to(".hf-fade-through-wash", { opacity: 1, duration: 0.35, ease: "power2.inOut" }, startTime);
  tl.to(".hf-fade-through-wash", { opacity: 0, duration: 0.45, ease: "power2.inOut" }, startTime + 0.35);
  tl.to(".hf-fade-through-in", { opacity: 1, duration: 0.55, ease: "power2.out" }, startTime + 0.35);
-->
```

</Accordion>

## Usage

Open `compositions/components/fade-through.html` and paste its contents into your composition. See the comment header in the file for detailed instructions.

{/* hf:generated-footer */}

Tagged `motion-primitive` `transition` `fade` `scene`.

## Related topics

- [Browse the complete Catalog](/catalog)
- [Add assets and Catalog items in Studio](/studio/assets-and-blocks)
- [Build a richer composition](/go-further)
