React Three Fiber Animation Quick Start import { Canvas, useFrame } from '@react-three/fiber' import { useRef } from 'react'
function RotatingBox() { const meshRef = useRef()
useFrame((state, delta) => { meshRef.current.rotation.x += delta meshRef.current.rotation.y += delta * 0.5 })
return (
export default function App() { return ( ) }
useFrame Hook
The core animation hook in R3F. Runs every frame.
Basic Usage import { useFrame } from '@react-three/fiber' import { useRef } from 'react'
function AnimatedMesh() { const meshRef = useRef()
useFrame((state, delta) => { // state contains: clock, camera, scene, gl, mouse, etc. // delta is time since last frame in seconds
meshRef.current.rotation.y += delta
})
return (
State Object useFrame((state, delta, xrFrame) => { const { clock, // THREE.Clock camera, // Current camera scene, // Scene gl, // WebGLRenderer mouse, // Normalized mouse position (-1 to 1) pointer, // Same as mouse viewport, // Viewport dimensions size, // Canvas size raycaster, // Raycaster get, // Get current state set, // Set state invalidate, // Request re-render (when frameloop="demand") } = state
// Time-based animation const t = clock.getElapsedTime() meshRef.current.position.y = Math.sin(t) * 2 })
Render Priority // Lower numbers run first. Default is 0. // Use negative for pre-render, positive for post-render
function PreRender() { useFrame(() => { // Runs before main render }, -1) }
function PostRender() { useFrame(() => { // Runs after main render }, 1) }
function DefaultRender() { useFrame(() => { // Runs at default priority (0) }) }
Conditional Animation function ConditionalAnimation({ isAnimating }) { const meshRef = useRef()
useFrame((state, delta) => { if (!isAnimating) return meshRef.current.rotation.y += delta })
return
GLTF Animations with useAnimations
The recommended way to play animations from GLTF/GLB files.
Basic Usage import { useGLTF, useAnimations } from '@react-three/drei' import { useEffect, useRef } from 'react'
function AnimatedModel() { const group = useRef() const { scene, animations } = useGLTF('/models/character.glb') const { actions, names } = useAnimations(animations, group)
useEffect(() => { // Play first animation actions[names[0]]?.play() }, [actions, names])
return
Animation Control function Character() { const group = useRef() const { scene, animations } = useGLTF('/models/character.glb') const { actions, mixer } = useAnimations(animations, group)
useEffect(() => { const action = actions['Walk'] if (action) { // Playback control action.play() action.stop() action.reset() action.paused = true
// Speed
action.timeScale = 1.5 // 1.5x speed
action.timeScale = -1 // Reverse
// Loop modes
action.loop = THREE.LoopOnce
action.loop = THREE.LoopRepeat
action.loop = THREE.LoopPingPong
action.repetitions = 3
action.clampWhenFinished = true
// Weight (for blending)
action.weight = 1
}
}, [actions])
return
Crossfade Between Animations import { useGLTF, useAnimations } from '@react-three/drei' import { useState, useEffect, useRef } from 'react'
function Character() { const group = useRef() const { scene, animations } = useGLTF('/models/character.glb') const { actions } = useAnimations(animations, group) const [currentAnim, setCurrentAnim] = useState('Idle')
useEffect(() => { // Fade out all animations Object.values(actions).forEach(action => { action?.fadeOut(0.5) })
// Fade in current animation
actions[currentAnim]?.reset().fadeIn(0.5).play()
}, [currentAnim, actions])
return (
Animation Events function AnimatedModel() { const group = useRef() const { scene, animations } = useGLTF('/models/character.glb') const { actions, mixer } = useAnimations(animations, group)
useEffect(() => { // Listen for animation events const onFinished = (e) => { console.log('Animation finished:', e.action.getClip().name) }
const onLoop = (e) => {
console.log('Animation looped:', e.action.getClip().name)
}
mixer.addEventListener('finished', onFinished)
mixer.addEventListener('loop', onLoop)
return () => {
mixer.removeEventListener('finished', onFinished)
mixer.removeEventListener('loop', onLoop)
}
}, [mixer])
return
Animation Blending function CharacterController({ speed = 0 }) { const group = useRef() const { scene, animations } = useGLTF('/models/character.glb') const { actions } = useAnimations(animations, group)
useEffect(() => { // Start all animations actions['Idle']?.play() actions['Walk']?.play() actions['Run']?.play() }, [actions])
// Blend based on speed useFrame(() => { if (speed < 0.1) { actions['Idle']?.setEffectiveWeight(1) actions['Walk']?.setEffectiveWeight(0) actions['Run']?.setEffectiveWeight(0) } else if (speed < 5) { const t = speed / 5 actions['Idle']?.setEffectiveWeight(1 - t) actions['Walk']?.setEffectiveWeight(t) actions['Run']?.setEffectiveWeight(0) } else { const t = Math.min((speed - 5) / 5, 1) actions['Idle']?.setEffectiveWeight(0) actions['Walk']?.setEffectiveWeight(1 - t) actions['Run']?.setEffectiveWeight(t) } })
return
Spring Animation (@react-spring/three)
Physics-based spring animations that integrate with R3F.
Installation npm install @react-spring/three
Basic Spring import { useSpring, animated } from '@react-spring/three'
function AnimatedBox() { const [active, setActive] = useState(false)
const { scale, color } = useSpring({ scale: active ? 1.5 : 1, color: active ? '#ff6b6b' : '#4ecdc4', config: { mass: 1, tension: 280, friction: 60 } })
return (
Spring Config Presets import { useSpring, animated, config } from '@react-spring/three'
function SpringPresets() { const { position } = useSpring({ position: [0, 2, 0], config: config.wobbly // Presets: default, gentle, wobbly, stiff, slow, molasses })
// Or custom config const { rotation } = useSpring({ rotation: [0, Math.PI, 0], config: { mass: 1, tension: 170, friction: 26, clamp: false, precision: 0.01, velocity: 0, } })
return (
Multiple Springs import { useSprings, animated } from '@react-spring/three'
function AnimatedBoxes({ count = 5 }) { const [springs, api] = useSprings(count, (i) => ({ position: [i * 2 - count, 0, 0], scale: 1, config: { mass: 1, tension: 280, friction: 60 } }))
const handleClick = (index) => { api.start((i) => { if (i === index) return { scale: 1.5 } return { scale: 1 } }) }
return springs.map((spring, i) => (
Gesture Integration import { useSpring, animated } from '@react-spring/three' import { useDrag } from '@use-gesture/react'
function DraggableBox() { const [spring, api] = useSpring(() => ({ position: [0, 0, 0], config: { mass: 1, tension: 280, friction: 60 } }))
const bind = useDrag(({ movement: [mx, my], down }) => { api.start({ position: down ? [mx / 100, -my / 100, 0] : [0, 0, 0] }) })
return (
Chain Animations import { useSpring, animated, useChain, useSpringRef } from '@react-spring/three'
function ChainedAnimation() { const scaleRef = useSpringRef() const rotationRef = useSpringRef()
const { scale } = useSpring({ ref: scaleRef, from: { scale: 0 }, to: { scale: 1 }, config: { tension: 200, friction: 20 } })
const { rotation } = useSpring({ ref: rotationRef, from: { rotation: [0, 0, 0] }, to: { rotation: [0, Math.PI * 2, 0] }, config: { tension: 100, friction: 30 } })
// Scale first (0-0.5), then rotation (0.5-1) useChain([scaleRef, rotationRef], [0, 0.5])
return (
Morph Targets
Blend between different mesh shapes.
import { useGLTF } from '@react-three/drei' import { useFrame } from '@react-three/fiber' import { useRef } from 'react'
function MorphingFace() { const { scene, nodes } = useGLTF('/models/face.glb') const meshRef = useRef()
useFrame(({ clock }) => { const t = clock.getElapsedTime()
// Access morph target influences
if (meshRef.current?.morphTargetInfluences) {
// Animate smile
const smileIndex = meshRef.current.morphTargetDictionary['smile']
meshRef.current.morphTargetInfluences[smileIndex] = (Math.sin(t) + 1) / 2
}
})
return (
Controlled Morph Targets function MorphControls({ morphInfluences }) { const { nodes } = useGLTF('/models/face.glb') const meshRef = useRef()
useFrame(() => { if (meshRef.current?.morphTargetInfluences) { Object.entries(morphInfluences).forEach(([name, value]) => { const index = meshRef.current.morphTargetDictionary[name] if (index !== undefined) { meshRef.current.morphTargetInfluences[index] = value } }) } })
return
// Usage
Skeletal Animation Accessing Bones import { useGLTF } from '@react-three/drei' import { useFrame } from '@react-three/fiber' import { useEffect, useRef } from 'react'
function SkeletalCharacter() { const { scene } = useGLTF('/models/character.glb') const headBoneRef = useRef()
useEffect(() => { // Find skeleton scene.traverse((child) => { if (child.isSkinnedMesh) { const skeleton = child.skeleton const headBone = skeleton.bones.find(b => b.name === 'Head') headBoneRef.current = headBone } }) }, [scene])
// Animate bone useFrame(({ clock }) => { if (headBoneRef.current) { headBoneRef.current.rotation.y = Math.sin(clock.elapsedTime) * 0.3 } })
return
Bone Attachments function CharacterWithWeapon() { const { scene } = useGLTF('/models/character.glb') const weaponRef = useRef() const handBoneRef = useRef()
useEffect(() => { scene.traverse((child) => { if (child.isSkinnedMesh) { const handBone = child.skeleton.bones.find(b => b.name === 'RightHand') if (handBone && weaponRef.current) { handBone.add(weaponRef.current) handBoneRef.current = handBone } } })
return () => {
// Cleanup
if (handBoneRef.current && weaponRef.current) {
handBoneRef.current.remove(weaponRef.current)
}
}
}, [scene])
return (
<>
Procedural Animation Patterns Smooth Damping import { useFrame } from '@react-three/fiber' import { useRef } from 'react' import * as THREE from 'three'
function SmoothFollow({ target }) { const meshRef = useRef() const currentPos = useRef(new THREE.Vector3())
useFrame((state, delta) => { // Lerp towards target currentPos.current.lerp(target, delta * 5) meshRef.current.position.copy(currentPos.current) })
return (
Spring Physics (Manual) function SpringMesh({ target = 0 }) { const meshRef = useRef() const spring = useRef({ position: 0, velocity: 0, stiffness: 100, damping: 10 })
useFrame((state, delta) => { const s = spring.current const force = -s.stiffness * (s.position - target) const dampingForce = -s.damping * s.velocity
s.velocity += (force + dampingForce) * delta
s.position += s.velocity * delta
meshRef.current.position.y = s.position
})
return (
Oscillation Patterns function OscillatingMesh() { const meshRef = useRef()
useFrame(({ clock }) => { const t = clock.elapsedTime
// Sine wave
meshRef.current.position.y = Math.sin(t * 2) * 0.5
// Circular motion
meshRef.current.position.x = Math.cos(t) * 2
meshRef.current.position.z = Math.sin(t) * 2
// Bouncing
meshRef.current.position.y = Math.abs(Math.sin(t * 3)) * 2
// Figure 8
meshRef.current.position.x = Math.sin(t) * 2
meshRef.current.position.z = Math.sin(t * 2) * 1
})
return (
Drei Animation Helpers Float import { Float } from '@react-three/drei'
function FloatingObject() {
return (
MeshWobbleMaterial / MeshDistortMaterial import { MeshWobbleMaterial, MeshDistortMaterial } from '@react-three/drei'
function WobblyMesh() {
return (
function DistortedMesh() {
return (
Trail import { Trail } from '@react-three/drei' import { useFrame } from '@react-three/fiber' import { useRef } from 'react'
function TrailingMesh() { const meshRef = useRef()
useFrame(({ clock }) => { const t = clock.elapsedTime meshRef.current.position.x = Math.sin(t) * 3 meshRef.current.position.y = Math.cos(t * 2) * 2 })
return (
Animation with Zustand State import { create } from 'zustand' import { useFrame } from '@react-three/fiber'
const useStore = create((set) => ({ isAnimating: false, speed: 1, toggleAnimation: () => set((state) => ({ isAnimating: !state.isAnimating })), setSpeed: (speed) => set({ speed }) }))
function AnimatedMesh() { const meshRef = useRef() const { isAnimating, speed } = useStore()
useFrame((state, delta) => { if (isAnimating) { meshRef.current.rotation.y += delta * speed } })
return (
// UI Component function Controls() { const { toggleAnimation, setSpeed } = useStore()
return (
State Management Performance
Critical patterns for high-performance state management in animations.
getState() in useFrame
Use getState() instead of hooks inside useFrame for zero subscription overhead:
import { create } from 'zustand'
const useGameStore = create((set) => ({ playerPosition: [0, 0, 0], targetPosition: [0, 0, 0], setPlayerPosition: (pos) => set({ playerPosition: pos }), }))
function Player() { const meshRef = useRef()
useFrame((state, delta) => { // ✅ GOOD: getState() has no subscription overhead const { targetPosition } = useGameStore.getState()
// Lerp towards target
meshRef.current.position.lerp(
new THREE.Vector3(...targetPosition),
delta * 5
)
})
return (
Transient Subscriptions
Subscribe to state changes without triggering React re-renders:
import { useEffect, useRef } from 'react'
function Enemy() { const meshRef = useRef()
useEffect(() => { // Subscribe directly - updates mesh without re-rendering component const unsub = useGameStore.subscribe( (state) => state.playerPosition, (playerPos) => { // Look at player (runs on every state change, no re-render) meshRef.current.lookAt(...playerPos) } ) return unsub }, [])
return (
Selective Subscriptions with Shallow
Subscribe to multiple values efficiently:
import { shallow } from 'zustand/shallow'
function HUD() { // Only re-renders when health OR score actually changes const { health, score } = useGameStore( (state) => ({ health: state.health, score: state.score }), shallow )
return (
// For single values, no shallow needed const health = useGameStore((state) => state.health)
Isolate Animated Components
Separate state-dependent UI from animated 3D objects:
// ❌ BAD: Parent re-renders cause animation jank function BadPattern() { const [score, setScore] = useState(0) const meshRef = useRef()
useFrame((_, delta) => { meshRef.current.rotation.y += delta // Affected by score re-renders })
return (
<>
// ✅ GOOD: Isolated animation component
function GoodPattern() {
return (
<>
function AnimatedMesh() { const meshRef = useRef()
useFrame((_, delta) => { meshRef.current.rotation.y += delta // Smooth, uninterrupted })
return
function ScoreDisplay() { const score = useGameStore((state) => state.score) return
Performance Tips
Isolate animated components: Only the animated mesh re-renders
Use refs over state: Avoid React re-renders for animations
Throttle expensive calculations: Use delta accumulation
Pause offscreen animations: Check visibility
Share animation clips: Same clip for multiple instances
// Isolate animation to prevent parent re-renders
function Scene() {
return (
<>
// Throttle expensive operations function ThrottledAnimation() { const meshRef = useRef() const accumulated = useRef(0)
useFrame((state, delta) => { accumulated.current += delta
// Only update every 100ms
if (accumulated.current > 0.1) {
// Expensive calculation here
accumulated.current = 0
}
// Cheap operations every frame
meshRef.current.rotation.y += delta
}) }
See Also r3f-loaders - Loading animated GLTF models r3f-fundamentals - useFrame and animation loop r3f-shaders - Vertex animation in shaders