motion-principles
Skill7 starsChanged 10 months agoMITView on GitHub
Motion design philosophy and principles from major design systems. Use when understanding why animations should behave certain ways, learning motion fundamentals, or aligning with design system philosophy. References M3, Carbon, Fluent, and Apple HIG principles.
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- BlackAngel242/skill-markettheir own version, first seen Nov 1, 2026
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- jwuthri-cloud/Tracely-aitheir own version, first seen Oct 20, 2026
- AThevon/genjutsutheir own version, first seen Sep 28, 2026
- Jwuthri/Tracely-aitheir own version, first seen Jul 28, 2026
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- Jwuthri/Tracely-ai★ 1.3ksame name
- jwuthri-cloud/Tracely-ai★ 979same name
- AThevon/genjutsu★ 758same name
- BlackAngel242/skill-market★ 0same name
- davidanthonyn/claude-skills★ 0same name
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Motion Principles
Foundational motion philosophy from industry design systems.
Standards Reference
| System | Documentation |
| Material Design 3 | m3.material.io/styles/motion/overview |
| Fluent 2 | fluent2.microsoft.design/motion |
| Carbon | carbondesignsystem.com/guidelines/motion/overview |
| Apple HIG | developer.apple.com/design/human-interface-guidelines/motion |
M3 Motion Principles
Informative
Motion shows spatial relationships between elements and available actions.
Focused
Motion focuses attention on what's important without distraction.
Expressive
Motion celebrates moments and adds personality while remaining functional.
Fluent 2 Principles
Functional
Motion serves a purpose — guiding users, providing feedback.
Natural
Motion feels physically plausible and intuitive.
Consistent
Similar actions use similar motion patterns.
Appealing
Motion adds polish without being gratuitous.
Carbon Principles
Productive Mode
- Efficient, quick feedback
- Minimal distraction
- Task-focused
Expressive Mode
- More personality
- Longer durations
- Marketing, onboarding contexts
Apple HIG Principles
Purpose
Motion should have meaning, not decoration.
Continuity
Preserve context during transitions.
Fluidity
Motion should feel smooth and natural.
Universal Truths
Across all systems:
- Motion has purpose — Never animate for decoration alone
- Physical plausibility — Respect real-world physics
- User control — Respect reduced motion preferences
- Consistency — Similar actions = similar animations
- Performance — 60fps minimum, optimize for jank-free
Animation Categories
| Category | Purpose | Example |
| Feedback | Confirm action | Button press ripple |
| Guidance | Direct attention | Error shake |
| State | Show change | Toggle switch |
| Continuity | Preserve context | Page transition |
| Expression | Add personality | Success celebration |
Anti-Patterns
Avoid:
- Animation without purpose
- Overly long durations (>600ms for UI)
- Excessive bouncing/overshooting
- Blocking interactions during animation
- Ignoring reduced motion preference
See references/design-system-principles.md for detailed comparisons.
See references/12-principles-animation.md for Disney's 12 principles.
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