Fixing the Framer Motion Exit Function Conundrum: A Step-by-Step Guide
Image by Cirillo - hkhazo.biz.id

Fixing the Framer Motion Exit Function Conundrum: A Step-by-Step Guide

Posted on

Are you frustrated with your Framer Motion animations displaying all data at once when using the exit function, instead of one at a time? You’re not alone! In this article, we’ll dive into the world of Framer Motion and explore the reasons behind this issue, providing you with clear and actionable solutions to get your animations working as intended.

The Problem: Understanding the Framer Motion Exit Function

Framer Motion’s exit function is a powerful tool for animating elements out of view. However, when working with dynamically displayed data, it can sometimes malfunction, revealing all the data at once instead of one at a time. This phenomenon can be baffling, especially when you’ve carefully crafted your animations and expected a seamless experience.


// Example code that might cause the issue
import { motion } from 'framer-motion';

const MyComponent = () => {
  const [data, setData] = useState([]);
  const [currentIndex, setCurrentIndex] = useState(0);

  useEffect(() => {
    // Load data from API or database
    const newData = [...]; // assume this is an array of data
    setData(newData);
  }, []);

  const handleExit = () => {
    // Animation exit function
  };

  return (
    
{data.map((item, index) => ( {item.title} ))}
); };

Why Does This Happen?

The root cause of this issue lies in how Framer Motion handles the exit function. When you use the exit function, Framer Motion applies the animation to all elements that match the specified selector. In the case of dynamically displayed data, this means that all elements will be animated out of view simultaneously, rather than one at a time.

Solution 1: Using a Unique Key for Each Element

To fix this issue, you can assign a unique key to each element in the mapped array. This will allow Framer Motion to correctly identify and animate each element individually.


// Updated code with unique keys
import { motion } from 'framer-motion';

const MyComponent = () => {
  const [data, setData] = useState([]);
  const [currentIndex, setCurrentIndex] = useState(0);

  useEffect(() => {
    // Load data from API or database
    const newData = [...]; // assume this is an array of data
    setData(newData);
  }, []);

  const handleExit = () => {
    // Animation exit function
  };

  return (
    
{data.map((item, index) => ( {item.title} ))}
); };

How This Solution Works

By assigning a unique key to each element, we’re telling React to treat each element as a separate entity. This allows Framer Motion to correctly identify and animate each element individually, rather than grouping them together.

Solution 2: Using a Separate Animation for Each Element

Another approach to solving this issue is to create a separate animation for each element. This can be achieved by using a nested motion component for each element.


// Updated code with separate animations
import { motion } from 'framer-motion';

const MyComponent = () => {
  const [data, setData] = useState([]);
  const [currentIndex, setCurrentIndex] = useState(0);

  useEffect(() => {
    // Load data from API or database
    const newData = [...]; // assume this is an array of data
    setData(newData);
  }, []);

  const handleExit = () => {
    // Animation exit function
  };

  return (
    
{data.map((item, index) => ( {item.title} ))}
); };

How This Solution Works

By creating a nested motion component for each element, we’re effectively creating a separate animation for each element. This allows Framer Motion to animate each element individually, rather than grouping them together.

Solution 3: Using the `layoutId` Prop

Framer Motion provides a `layoutId` prop that can be used to identify specific elements in an animation. By assigning a unique `layoutId` to each element, we can ensure that Framer Motion correctly identifies and animates each element individually.


// Updated code with layoutId
import { motion } from 'framer-motion';

const MyComponent = () => {
  const [data, setData] = useState([]);
  const [currentIndex, setCurrentIndex] = useState(0);

  useEffect(() => {
    // Load data from API or database
    const newData = [...]; // assume this is an array of data
    setData(newData);
  }, []);

  const handleExit = () => {
    // Animation exit function
  };

  return (
    
{data.map((item, index) => ( {item.title} ))}
); };

How This Solution Works

By assigning a unique `layoutId` to each element, we’re providing Framer Motion with a unique identifier for each element. This allows Framer Motion to correctly identify and animate each element individually, rather than grouping them together.

Conclusion

Framer Motion’s exit function can be a powerful tool for animating elements out of view, but it can sometimes malfunction when working with dynamically displayed data. By understanding the root cause of the issue and applying one of the solutions outlined in this article, you can ensure that your animations work as intended, displaying one piece of data at a time.

Remember to assign unique keys or `layoutId`s to each element, create separate animations for each element, or use a combination of these approaches to achieve the desired result.

Solution Description
Unique Key Assign a unique key to each element in the mapped array.
Separate Animation Create a separate animation for each element using a nested motion component.
layoutId Assign a unique layoutId to each element to provide a unique identifier for Framer Motion.
  1. Understand the problem: Framer Motion’s exit function can malfunction when working with dynamically displayed data, revealing all data at once instead of one at a time.
  2. Use unique keys: Assign a unique key to each element in the mapped array to ensure Framer Motion correctly identifies and animates each element individually.
  3. Create separate animations: Create a separate animation for each element using a nested motion component to ensure individual animation control.
  4. Use the layoutId prop: Assign a unique layoutId to each element to provide a unique identifier for Framer Motion.
  5. Combine solutions: Use a combination of the above solutions to achieve the desired result, depending on your specific use case.

By following these steps and solutions, you’ll be well on your way to creating stunning animations that showcase your data one piece at a time, exactly as intended.

Here are the 5 questions and answers about “I have a div which dynamically displays data one at a time. When I use exit function of Framer Motion it shows all the data instead of one at a time”:

Frequently Asked Question

Stuck on how to make Framer Motion play nice with dynamic data? We’ve got you covered!

Why does Framer Motion’s exit function reveal all my dynamic data at once?

This happens because the exit function is triggered on the entire container, not individual elements. When you Exit the container, Framer Motion removes the animation and styling, causing all the data to appear at once. To fix this, you need to animate and exit each dynamic item individually.

How do I animate and exit each dynamic item separately?

Wrap each dynamic item in a separate Motion component and animate them individually. This way, when you exit each item, Framer Motion will only remove the animation and styling for that specific item, keeping the others hidden.

Will this approach affect performance if I have a large dataset?

Yes, animating and exiting each dynamic item separately can impact performance with large datasets. To mitigate this, consider using Framer Motion’s `willChange` option to optimize animation performance, or use a virtualized list to only render visible items.

Can I use a single Motion component and still achieve the desired behavior?

Yes, you can use a single Motion component and leverage Framer Motion’s `variants` feature to define different animation states for each dynamic item. This way, you can animate and exit each item individually without wrapping each item in a separate Motion component.

Are there any other Framer Motion options I can use to control the exit animation?

Yes, you can use Framer Motion’s `exitBeforeEnter` option to ensure that the exit animation completes before the next item is entered. Additionally, you can use the `onExitComplete` callback to perform actions after the exit animation has finished.