# What is a Lottie animation and how does it work?

> A Lottie animation is a vector animation saved as a JSON file (or a zipped .lottie file) that a small player draws in real time on the web, iOS, Android and other platforms. Designers usually make it in After Effects and export it with a plugin. Because it stores shapes and keyframes rather than pixels, it stays sharp at any size and is often much smaller than a GIF or video of the same animation.

Updated November 2026. Source: https://www.exodeui.com/questions/what-is-a-lottie-animation/

## Key takeaways

- Lottie is a file format: JSON that describes layers, shapes and keyframes
- A player library renders it live, so it scales without blurring
- Most Lottie files start in After Effects and are exported with Bodymovin or the LottieFiles plugin
- dotLottie (.lottie) is a zipped version that can bundle several animations, images and state machines
- Lottie plays a timeline; interactivity needs extra logic or a dotLottie state machine

## Frequently asked questions

### Is Lottie a video?

No. A video stores pixels. Lottie stores vector shapes and keyframes that a player draws live, which is why it scales cleanly and can be controlled from code.

### What is the difference between .json and .lottie?

A .json file is a single Lottie animation. A .lottie (dotLottie) file is a zip that can hold several animations, images, themes and state machines, and is usually smaller to download.

### Do I need After Effects to make a Lottie?

Not any more. After Effects is still the most common source, but Figma plugins, LottieFiles Lottie Creator and other editors can create Lottie files in the browser.

### Is Lottie free to use?

The format and the main player libraries are open source and free. Some editors and team features from LottieFiles are paid.

## Related

- [How to convert After Effects to Lottie](https://www.exodeui.com/questions/how-to-convert-after-effects-to-lottie)
- [Rive vs Lottie](https://www.exodeui.com/compare/rive-vs-lottie)
- [How to fix Lottie performance on mobile](https://www.exodeui.com/questions/how-to-fix-lottie-performance-issues-mobile)
- [Best Lottie player libraries](https://www.exodeui.com/best-lottie-player-libraries)