What is browser compositing and how to use hardware acceleration for smooth CSS animations?

Compositing is the final stage of the browser's graphics pipeline, where separate layers of a web page are combined into a single image displayed on the monitor screen. Modern browsers can distribute elements into different layers and process them using the graphics processor of the video card, which unloads the central processor and ensures smooth visual effects. When elements are animated via properties that do not require recalculating the page geometry, the browser only performs the compositing process, guaranteeing a stable sixty frames per second.

To efficiently trigger hardware acceleration, developers use special CSS properties that force the browser to create a separate composite layer for a specific element. Such properties include transforms and opacity changes. If properties like element size, offsets, or coordinates are used for animation, the browser is forced to recalculate the page geometry and redraw pixels on every frame, causing visible stuttering and high system load.

You can achieve maximum interface smoothness by following simple rules:

Proper understanding and use of compositing layers allow you to create visually rich and incredibly smooth user interfaces without excessive hardware load.