GSAPCursorEffects
Custom cursor animations that respond to mouse position, movement speed, and hover targets. Magnetic attraction, particle trails, and visual feedback patterns that make interfaces feel alive.
Creating Custom Cursor Effects with GSAP
Custom cursors replace the default pointer with animated elements that respond to user interaction. A magnetic button pulls toward the cursor as it approaches. A trail of particles follows mouse movement. A confetti burst celebrates a click. These micro-interactions create a sense of craftsmanship.
GSAP handles cursor effects efficiently through its ticker and interpolation methods. Instead of updating positions on every mousemove event (which fires at high frequency), GSAP smoothly interpolates between positions using gsap.quickTo() or manual lerping, resulting in fluid 60fps motion.
Cursor effects are desktop-focused by design. Touch devices have no persistent cursor, so these effects detect pointer type and gracefully degrade on mobile. The content and functionality remain identical; only the visual enhancement is removed.
Performance matters for cursor effects since they run continuously. These implementations use transform-only animations, avoid layout thrashing, and clean up properly when navigating away. They also respect reduced-motion preferences by disabling cursor animations entirely.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do custom cursor effects work on mobile?
Custom cursor effects are desktop-only since touch devices do not have a persistent cursor. These effects detect the pointer type and automatically disable on touch devices, keeping the page fully functional without the cursor enhancement.
Will cursor effects slow down my website?
Not if implemented correctly. These effects use GSAP's optimized ticker for rendering, animate only transform properties, and avoid layout recalculations. They run at 60fps on modern hardware without affecting page performance.
Can I combine a custom cursor with magnetic buttons?
Yes. The magnetic cursor effect includes both the custom cursor and magnetic hover behavior. You can also combine the cursor trail with magnetic buttons by layering the effects, since they operate on separate DOM elements.
How do I customize the cursor appearance?
Each cursor effect uses standard HTML and CSS for the cursor element. You can change size, color, shape, blend mode, and opacity through CSS custom properties documented in each effect. The GSAP animation handles the motion; the CSS handles the look.