# The Best SolidJS Animation Libraries in 2026 > For list and mount transitions, use Solid's built-in Transition and TransitionGroup with CSS. For springs and gestures, solid-motionone is the closest thing to a native animation library. For timelines, scroll effects and SVG, use GSAP. For a designer-authored animation that must also run on mobile, use an ExodeUI or Rive file. Do not expect a large Solid-specific library market; most tools here are framework-agnostic on purpose. *We make ExodeUI, which ships a runtime that works with Solid. It is one option among several here, and for most page effects a small library or plain CSS is simpler.* Updated November 2026. Source: https://www.exodeui.com/best-solid-js-animation-libraries/ Solid has fine-grained reactivity and its own transition primitives, but it does not have the animation ecosystem React has. That is not a reason to avoid it. Most Solid apps need one of three things: a transition when a list changes, a timeline effect, or a designer-authored file. Each has a clear answer. ## Quick picks - Mount and list transitions: **Solid Transition and TransitionGroup** - Springs and gestures with a Solid API: **solid-motionone** - Timelines, scroll and SVG: **GSAP** - A designer-authored animation file: **ExodeUI** - Small one-off effects: **Anime.js** ## The 5 best SolidJS animation options ### Solid Transition and TransitionGroup Best for: Entering, leaving and reordering lists Platforms: Solid apps Price: Free, part of Solid Output: CSS-driven transitions in your components Solid ships primitives for keeping an element in the DOM while it animates out, and for animating list changes. They are small, work with CSS classes, and respect the framework's rendering model. Most Solid animation needs end here, before any library is added. Pros: No dependency; Works naturally with Solid's reactivity; Easy to pair with CSS transitions Cons: No spring physics out of the box; Not a timeline tool ### solid-motionone Best for: Springs, keyframes and gestures with a Solid API Platforms: Solid apps Price: Free and open source Output: Animation running in the app solid-motionone wraps Motion One for Solid, giving you animate, spring and press gestures as Solid primitives. It is the closest thing to a first-class animation library for the framework. The project is community-maintained, so check its activity before making it central to a large app. Pros: Feels native in a Solid component; Springs and gestures included; Small runtime Cons: Community-maintained, smaller team; Fewer features than Motion for React ### GSAP Best for: Scroll, SVG and long choreographed sequences Platforms: Any (JavaScript) Price: Free for everyone, including commercial use Output: JavaScript animation in the app GSAP does not care which framework you use: give it an element, get a timeline. In Solid, that means a ref and an effect for setup and cleanup. It is the safe answer for complex motion because the documentation and examples are everywhere. Pros: Free, including former paid plugins; Deep timeline and scroll support; Framework-agnostic with abundant examples Cons: Imperative, outside Solid's reactive model; Manual cleanup ### Anime.js Best for: Small, readable effects without a framework wrapper Platforms: Any (JavaScript) Price: Free and open source Output: Animation running in the app Anime.js is a compact option for transforms, SVG attributes and staggered effects. In Solid you call it from an effect and clean up on dispose. It is a good fit when the animation is a small detail rather than a system. Pros: Very small API; Good SVG support; Free and open source Cons: No Solid-specific helper; Limited for complex timelines ### ExodeUI Best for: Motion authored visually and shared with a mobile app Platforms: Browser and desktop editor; Solid runtime Price: Free Community plan; Professional $29/month Output: An open .exode file played by the Solid runtime ExodeUI is for the case where the animation is a deliverable: states, springs and inputs in a file a designer owns, played by a runtime in the app. For a Solid team shipping the same product on mobile, it removes the second implementation. For a marketing page, it is overkill. Pros: Designers edit the motion directly; Same file across web and mobile; MCP server for AI coding tools Cons: Adds a runtime dependency; Not aimed at page transitions or scroll effects ## A small ecosystem is normal, not a warning Solid's community is smaller than React's, so fewer animation libraries target it directly. The practical answer is to use framework-agnostic tools for anything complex and the built-in primitives for everything simple. That combination covers almost every Solid app without waiting for a dedicated library. ## Cleanup is the part people forget In a fine-grained reactive framework, an animation that keeps running after its element is disposed is a memory leak and a source of visual bugs. Always return a cleanup function from the effect that starts an imperative animation, and cancel timelines on dispose. This matters more than which library you choose. ## Frequently asked questions ### Does SolidJS have built-in animation? Solid includes Transition and TransitionGroup primitives for mount, unmount and list changes. They work with CSS and do not include spring physics or a timeline. ### What is the best animation library for SolidJS? solid-motionone is the closest to a native library for springs and gestures. For timelines and scroll work, GSAP is the more capable choice even though it is framework-agnostic. ### Can I use Framer Motion with Solid? No. Framer Motion, now called Motion, is built for React. Solid has its own wrappers, and the vanilla Motion One API can be used directly. ### How do I share animation between Solid and React Native? Keep the animation in a format both runtimes can play, such as an ExodeUI or Rive file, rather than reimplementing it in each codebase. ### Is CSS enough for most Solid animation? For hover, focus and simple enter transitions, yes. CSS is also the cheapest option for performance. Reach for a library when you need sequencing, springs or scroll-linked behaviour. ## Related - [Svelte animation libraries](https://www.exodeui.com/best-svelte-animation-libraries) - [Vue animation libraries](https://www.exodeui.com/best-vue-animation-libraries) - [Angular animation libraries](https://www.exodeui.com/best-angular-animation-libraries) - [Web animation tools](https://www.exodeui.com/best-web-animation-tools) - [Cross-platform animation tools](https://www.exodeui.com/best-cross-platform-animation-tools)