When it comes to animating elements in CSS, the two most commonly used tools are CSS transitions and keyframes. While both can create impressive animations, they serve different purposes and are best used in different scenarios. Let’s explore the differences and when to choose one over the other.

1. Transitions: The Basics

CSS transitions allow you to smoothly transition between two states when a user interacts with an element. For example:

.button:hover { background-color: #4CAF50; transition: background-color 0.3s ease; }

This makes the background color change smoothly when the user hovers over the button.

2. Keyframes: More Complex Animations

CSS keyframes, on the other hand, are designed for more complex animations that require multiple steps. They allow you to define animations over time with more precision:

@keyframes fadeIn { from { opacity: 0; } to { opacity: 1; } }

Keyframes are ideal for animations that require more than one state change or involve complex timing.

3. Performance Considerations

Transitions tend to perform better than keyframes in simpler scenarios. However, for animations involving multiple stages or complex transformations, keyframes provide more flexibility without compromising performance.