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---
title: "Timing & Animation"
description: "Set clip timing, elastic holds, GSAP tweens, and keyframed animations on composition elements."
---
Every clip in a HyperFrames composition has a position on the timeline (`data-start`, `data-duration`) and an optional animation attached to it. The SDK exposes typed helpers for both: the timing API controls *when* an element appears and how long it stays on screen; the animation API controls *how* it moves through that window.
## Clip Timing
### Reading timings
`getElementTimings()` returns a `Record<HfId, ElementTimingSnapshot>` — one entry per element that carries timing data. Values are derived from the live DOM on every call (never cached in the snapshot). Keys are `scopedId`: for top-level elements this equals the bare `id`, but for elements inside a sub-composition it is the scoped form `"hf-HOST/hf-LEAF"`.
```typescript
import { openComposition } from "@hyperframes/sdk";
const comp = await openComposition(html);
const timings = comp.getElementTimings();
for (const [id, t] of Object.entries(timings)) {
console.log(id, t.enterAt, "→", t.exitAt, "labels:", t.labels);
}
```
Each `ElementTimingSnapshot` contains:
<ResponseField name="enterAt" type="number">
Absolute timeline position (seconds) at which the element enters.
</ResponseField>
<ResponseField name="exitAt" type="number">
Absolute timeline position (seconds) at which the element exits.
</ResponseField>
<ResponseField name="labels" type="string[]">
GSAP timeline label names whose numeric position falls within `[enterAt, exitAt]`. Parsed fresh from the GSAP script on every `getElementTimings()` call — never stale.
</ResponseField>
<Note>
`getElementTimings()` only includes elements that have `data-start` and either `data-duration` or `data-end` attributes. Untimed elements are omitted. The method prefers `data-duration` over `data-end data-start` when both exist, matching the behavior of `setTiming`.
</Note>
### Setting timing on one element
```typescript
// Move hf-title to start at 1.0 s, last 2.5 s, on track 0
comp.setTiming("hf-title", { start: 1.0, duration: 2.5, trackIndex: 0 });
```
All three fields are optional — pass only what you want to change:
<ParamField path="start" type="number">
Clip start time in seconds.
</ParamField>
<ParamField path="duration" type="number">
Clip duration in seconds.
</ParamField>
<ParamField path="trackIndex" type="number">
Zero-based track index.
</ParamField>
### Updating multiple elements in one batch
`setElementTiming(map)` dispatches one `setTiming` op per entry inside a single batch, so the history records one undo step and patch listeners see one event:
```typescript
comp.setElementTiming({
"hf-title": { start: 0.5, duration: 2.0 },
"hf-logo": { start: 0.0, duration: 5.0, trackIndex: 1 },
"hf-cta": { start: 3.0, duration: 2.5 },
});
```
Unknown ids are silently skipped.
### Elastic holds
An elastic hold freezes or loops a portion of an element's timeline window. Use it to hold a static frame between two animated segments without changing clip duration.
```typescript
comp.setHold("hf-card", {
start: 1.5, // hold begins at this time within the composition
end: 4.0, // hold ends at this time
fill: "freeze", // "freeze" | "loop"
});
```
`ElasticHold` fields:
<ParamField path="start" type="number">
Absolute composition time at which the hold begins.
</ParamField>
<ParamField path="end" type="number">
Absolute composition time at which the hold ends.
</ParamField>
<ParamField path="fill" type='"freeze" | "loop"'>
`"freeze"` holds the last frame until `end`; `"loop"` repeats the segment from `start` back to `start`.
</ParamField>
---
## GSAP Tweens
GSAP tweens are the primary animation primitive. The SDK reads tween IDs from `element.animationIds` (returned by the query API) and writes through `addGsapTween`, `setGsapTween`, and `removeGsapTween`.
### Adding a tween
```typescript
const animId = comp.addGsapTween("hf-title", {
method: "from",
position: 0.5,
duration: 0.6,
ease: "power3.out",
fromProperties: { opacity: 0, y: 40 },
});
// animId is the newly-assigned animation ID — store it for subsequent edits
```
`addGsapTween` returns the newly-assigned animation ID as a `string`.
### GsapTweenSpec fields
<ParamField path="method" type='"from" | "to" | "fromTo" | "set"'>
The GSAP timeline method to call.
</ParamField>
<ParamField path="position" type="number | string">
Timeline position: a number (seconds) or a label-relative string (e.g. `"intro+=0.3"`). Number-only is required for `addWithKeyframes` / `replaceWithKeyframes` — see [Keyframes](#keyframes) below.
</ParamField>
<ParamField path="duration" type="number">
Tween duration in seconds.
</ParamField>
<ParamField path="ease" type="string">
GSAP ease string, e.g. `"power2.inOut"`.
</ParamField>
<ParamField path="fromProperties" type="Record<string, unknown>">
Starting properties — used with `"from"` and `"fromTo"`.
</ParamField>
<ParamField path="toProperties" type="Record<string, unknown>">
Ending properties — used with `"fromTo"`.
</ParamField>
<ParamField path="properties" type="Record<string, unknown>">
Animation target properties — used with `"to"` tweens.
</ParamField>
<ParamField path="repeat" type="number">
Number of repeats (`-1` = infinite). Maps to GSAP's `repeat` option.
</ParamField>
<ParamField path="yoyo" type="boolean">
When `true`, alternates direction on each repeat.
</ParamField>
<ParamField path="stagger" type="number | Record<string, unknown>">
GSAP stagger amount (seconds) or a full stagger config object.
</ParamField>
### Modifying a tween
```typescript
// Change ease and duration — all other fields stay as-is
comp.setGsapTween(animId, { ease: "elastic.out(1, 0.5)", duration: 0.9 });
```
`setGsapTween` takes the animation ID and a `Partial<GsapTweenSpec>` — only the keys you pass are updated.
### Removing a tween
```typescript
comp.removeGsapTween(animId);
```
### Looking up animation IDs
Query the element snapshot to find animation IDs attached to a given element:
```typescript
const el = comp.getElement("hf-title");
const [firstAnimId] = el?.animationIds ?? [];
if (firstAnimId) {
comp.setGsapTween(firstAnimId, { ease: "none" });
}
```
### Feature-detecting advanced ops
Some GSAP operations (such as `setGsapKeyframe`, arc paths, and label ops) require the parser engine, which ships in a later phase. Use `can()` to gate them before dispatching:
```typescript
const check = comp.can({
type: "setGsapTween",
animationId: firstAnimId,
properties: { ease: "power3.inOut" },
});
if (!check.ok) {
if (check.code === "E_NO_GSAP_TIMELINE") {
// Parser engine not yet available — show a disabled state or skip
console.warn("GSAP timeline not available:", check.message);
}
return;
}
comp.dispatch({ type: "setGsapTween", animationId: firstAnimId, properties: { ease: "power3.inOut" } });
```
Stable error codes returned by `can()`:
| Code | Meaning |
|------|---------|
| `E_TARGET_NOT_FOUND` | The target `HfId` does not exist in the document. |
| `E_NO_ROOT` | The document has no root element. |
| `E_NO_GSAP_TIMELINE` | Op requires the GSAP parser engine, which is not yet available. |
| `E_NO_GSAP_SCRIPT` | The composition has no embedded GSAP script. |
---
## Keyframes
For keyframe-based animations, use `addWithKeyframes` and `replaceWithKeyframes`. Both operate on the GSAP CSS-keyframes layer and return the minted animation ID.
### Adding a keyframed tween
```typescript
const animId = comp.addWithKeyframes(
"#hf-badge", // CSS selector targeting the element
1.0, // timeline position in seconds (number only)
0.8, // duration in seconds
[
{ percentage: 0, properties: { opacity: 0, scale: 0.8 } },
{ percentage: 60, properties: { opacity: 1, scale: 1.05 }, ease: "power2.out" },
{ percentage: 100, properties: { scale: 1 } },
],
"power2.inOut", // optional overall ease
);
```
Returns the new animation ID string, or `""` if the op was rejected.
### Replacing an existing keyframed tween
```typescript
const newAnimId = comp.replaceWithKeyframes(
oldAnimId,
"#hf-badge",
1.0,
1.2,
[
{ percentage: 0, properties: { x: -60, opacity: 0 } },
{ percentage: 100, properties: { x: 0, opacity: 1 }, ease: "back.out(1.7)" },
],
);
// newAnimId !== oldAnimId — position-derived IDs renumber after the remove
```
<Warning>
`replaceWithKeyframes` is equivalent to `removeGsapTween` + `addWithKeyframes` in one atomic op. Because position-derived tween IDs renumber after the removal step, the returned ID is always a **new** ID and must not be assumed equal to the input `animationId`. Re-query `element.animationIds` after a replace to get the current set.
</Warning>
### KeyframeSpec fields
<ParamField path="percentage" type="number">
Position within the tween as a percentage (0100).
</ParamField>
<ParamField path="properties" type="Record<string, number | string>">
CSS / GSAP properties at this keyframe.
</ParamField>
<ParamField path="ease" type="string">
Per-keyframe ease applied *from* this keyframe to the next.
</ParamField>
<ParamField path="auto" type="boolean">
GSAP endpoint flag — when `true`, this keyframe picks up the element's current value automatically.
</ParamField>
### Lower-level keyframe and label ops
For lower-level operations — individual keyframe mutations (`addGsapKeyframe`, `setGsapKeyframe`, `removeGsapKeyframe`), property removal, arc paths, label insertion, and animation splitting — use `dispatch()` directly with the corresponding `EditOp` types. See the [Edit Operations reference](/sdk/reference/edit-operations) for the full op union.
---
<CardGroup cols={2}>
<Card title="Edit Operations" icon="code" href="/sdk/reference/edit-operations">
Full reference for every op type in the `EditOp` union, including lower-level keyframe and arc ops.
</Card>
<Card title="Types" icon="brackets-curly" href="/sdk/reference/types">
`GsapTweenSpec`, `KeyframeSpec`, `ElasticHold`, `ElementTimingSnapshot`, and all related types.
</Card>
<Card title="GSAP Animation Guide" icon="wand-magic-sparkles" href="/guides/gsap-animation">
Authoring GSAP timelines in composition HTML.
</Card>
<Card title="Keyframes Guide" icon="film" href="/guides/keyframes">
Keyframe authoring patterns and best practices.
</Card>
</CardGroup>