Framer Motion
I reach for Framer Motion because animation in React becomes declarative, gestures, transitions, and layout shifts in a few props instead of CSS keyframe gymnastics. The library that makes web animations fluid out of the box.
Strengths
- Declarative API, `motion.div` replaces CSS keyframes, typed animatable props
- Native gestures (drag, hover, tap) without an extra library
- Automatic layout animations, elements reflow smoothly
Limitations
- Non-trivial bundle size for micro-animations, overkill on static landings
- Performance degrades with dozens of parallel animated components without tuning
Best for
- React websites that need motion without ad-hoc CSS keyframe coding
- Apps with micro-interactions, page transitions, and smooth drag-and-drop
- Vibecoders who want a striking site without hiring a design freelancer