22 CSS Glassmorphism05 / 22

Pure CSSMIT licensed

SVG Displacement Liquid Glass

Real refraction, not a blur: an inline <filter> chains feTurbulence into feDisplacementMap and the panel passes its backdrop through it, so the background warps at the glass edges the way it does through a physical lens. This is the WWDC 2025 liquid-glass look done with web primitives — and it degrades to a plain frosted panel wherever the filter reference is not honoured.

Published

Live Demo
Try it

The code

<div class="gm-05">
  <svg class="gm-05__defs" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false">
    <filter id="gm-05-refract" x="-20%" y="-20%" width="140%" height="140%" color-interpolation-filters="sRGB">
      <feTurbulence type="fractalNoise" baseFrequency="0.015" numOctaves="2" seed="7" result="noise"/>
      <feGaussianBlur in="noise" stdDeviation="1.4" result="soft"/>
      <feDisplacementMap in="SourceGraphic" in2="soft" scale="30" xChannelSelector="R" yChannelSelector="G"/>
    </filter>
    <filter id="gm-05-refract-strong" x="-25%" y="-25%" width="150%" height="150%" color-interpolation-filters="sRGB">
      <feTurbulence type="fractalNoise" baseFrequency="0.022" numOctaves="2" seed="3" result="n"/>
      <feDisplacementMap in="SourceGraphic" in2="n" scale="52" xChannelSelector="R" yChannelSelector="B"/>
    </filter>
  </svg>

  <input class="gm-05__sr" type="checkbox" id="gm-05-theme">
  <label class="gm-05__theme" for="gm-05-theme" title="Switch theme">
    <svg class="gm-05__sun" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><circle cx="12" cy="12" r="4.4" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="1.7"/><path d="M12 2.6v2.3M12 19.1v2.3M2.6 12h2.3M19.1 12h2.3M5.3 5.3l1.7 1.7M17 17l1.7 1.7M18.7 5.3L17 7M7 17l-1.7 1.7" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="1.7" stroke-linecap="round"/></svg>
    <svg class="gm-05__moon" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M20.5 14.4A8.4 8.4 0 0 1 9.6 3.5 8.6 8.6 0 1 0 20.5 14.4Z" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="1.7" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg>
    <span class="gm-05__vh">Switch light or dark theme</span>
  </label>

  <div class="gm-05__stage">
    <div class="gm-05__grid-lines" aria-hidden="true"></div>
    <section class="gm-05__wrap" aria-labelledby="gm-05-h">
      <header class="gm-05__head">
        <p class="gm-05__eyebrow">feTurbulence → feDisplacementMap</p>
        <h2 class="gm-05__h" id="gm-05-h">Glass that bends light, not just blurs it</h2>
        <p class="gm-05__sub">The grid behind the panel is straight. Look at it through the rim.</p>
      </header>

      <div class="gm-05__panels">
        <article class="gm-05__panel">
          <div class="gm-05__lens" aria-hidden="true"></div>
          <div class="gm-05__body">
            <p class="gm-05__pill">scale 30 · baseFrequency 0.015</p>
            <h3 class="gm-05__title">Liquid rim</h3>
            <p class="gm-05__copy">Displacement is masked to the edges, so the centre stays crisp enough for real copy while the border refracts the grid behind it.</p>
            <p class="gm-05__meta">blur(3px) saturate(160%) url(#gm-05-refract)</p>
          </div>
        </article>
        <article class="gm-05__panel gm-05__panel--strong">
          <div class="gm-05__lens gm-05__lens--strong" aria-hidden="true"></div>
          <div class="gm-05__body">
            <p class="gm-05__pill">scale 52 · baseFrequency 0.022</p>
            <h3 class="gm-05__title">Heavy lens</h3>
            <p class="gm-05__copy">Push the scale and the panel behaves like thick cast glass — beautiful for hero chrome, unusable behind body text.</p>
            <p class="gm-05__meta">xChannel R · yChannel B</p>
          </div>
        </article>
      </div>

      <aside class="gm-05__note">
        <p class="gm-05__nhead">WWDC 2025 recipe</p>
        <p class="gm-05__ncopy">Turbulence makes the noise field, a small Gaussian blur softens it, displacement reads R and G as x/y offsets. Chromium applies it through <span class="gm-05__code">backdrop-filter</span>; other engines fall back to blur and the layout never breaks.</p>
      </aside>
    </section>
  </div>
</div>
@import url('https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Geist:wght@400;500;600;700&family=Geist+Mono:wght@400;500&display=swap');

.gm-05 {
  --a1: rgba(139,92,246,.6);
  --a2: rgba(45,212,191,.5);
  --a3: rgba(244,63,94,.45);
  --a4: rgba(59,130,246,.5);
  --base: #05060f;
  --base2: #12112e;
  --ink: #f8f9ff;
  --muted: rgba(248,249,255,.7);
  --tint: #ffffff;
  --rim: rgba(255,255,255,.55);
  --rim2: rgba(255,255,255,.14);
  --edge: rgba(255,255,255,.2);
  --line: rgba(255,255,255,.11);
  --mono: 'Geist Mono',ui-monospace,'SFMono-Regular',Menlo,monospace;
  width: 100%;
  min-height: 100vh;
  min-height: 100svh;
  display: block;
  position: relative;
  overflow: hidden;
  box-sizing: border-box;
  color: var(--ink);
  isolation: isolate;
  font-family: 'Geist',ui-sans-serif,system-ui,-apple-system,'Segoe UI',sans-serif;
  background: radial-gradient(54% 44% at 16% 14%, var(--a1) 0%, transparent 62%), radial-gradient(46% 40% at 86% 18%, var(--a2) 0%, transparent 58%), radial-gradient(50% 44% at 80% 86%, var(--a3) 0%, transparent 60%), radial-gradient(48% 42% at 14% 88%, var(--a4) 0%, transparent 60%), linear-gradient(165deg, var(--base) 0%, var(--base2) 54%, var(--base) 100%);
}

.gm-05 *,
.gm-05 *::before,
.gm-05 *::after {
  box-sizing: border-box;
}

@supports (color: oklch(0.7 0.1 300)) {
  .gm-05 {
    --a1: oklch(0.62 0.24 295 / .62);
    --a2: oklch(0.82 0.15 180 / .52);
    --a3: oklch(0.66 0.22 12 / .46);
    --a4: oklch(0.66 0.19 255 / .52);
    --base: oklch(0.13 0.028 275);
    --base2: oklch(0.22 0.09 292);
  }
}

.gm-05__defs {
  position: absolute;
  inline-size: 0;
  block-size: 0;
  overflow: hidden;
}

.gm-05__vh {
  position: absolute;
  width: 1px;
  height: 1px;
  margin: -1px;
  overflow: hidden;
  clip-path: inset(50%);
  white-space: nowrap;
  border: 0;
}

.gm-05__sr {
  position: absolute;
  width: 1px;
  height: 1px;
  opacity: 0;
  pointer-events: none;
}

.gm-05__theme {
  position: absolute;
  inset-block-start: 1.15rem;
  inset-inline-end: 1.15rem;
  z-index: 8;
  inline-size: 2.5rem;
  block-size: 2.5rem;
  display: grid;
  place-items: center;
  cursor: pointer;
  border-radius: 999px;
  color: var(--ink);
  background: rgba(255,255,255,.14);
  border: 1px solid var(--edge);
  -webkit-backdrop-filter: blur(10px) saturate(160%);
  backdrop-filter: blur(10px) saturate(160%);
  box-shadow: inset 0 1px 0 var(--rim), 0 10px 24px -14px rgba(0,0,0,.7);
  transition: scale .18s ease;
}

.gm-05__theme::after {
  content: '';
  position: absolute;
  inset: -2px;
  border-radius: inherit;
}

.gm-05__theme svg {
  inline-size: 1.15rem;
  block-size: 1.15rem;
}

.gm-05__theme:hover {
  scale: 1.06;
}

.gm-05__sr:focus-visible + .gm-05__theme {
  outline: 2px solid var(--ink);
  outline-offset: 3px;
}

.gm-05__moon {
  display: none;
}

.gm-05__stage {
  position: relative;
  min-height: 100vh;
  min-height: 100svh;
  display: grid;
  place-items: center;
  padding: clamp(1.25rem,4vw,3.5rem);
}
/* straight rulings so the refraction is measurable, not vibes */

.gm-05__grid-lines {
  position: absolute;
  inset: 0;
  z-index: 0;
  pointer-events: none;
  background-image: repeating-linear-gradient(90deg, var(--line) 0 1px, transparent 1px 2.75rem), repeating-linear-gradient(0deg, var(--line) 0 1px, transparent 1px 2.75rem);
  mask-image: radial-gradient(120% 100% at 50% 45%, #000 25%, transparent 82%);
}

.gm-05__wrap {
  position: relative;
  z-index: 1;
  inline-size: min(72rem,100%);
}

.gm-05__head {
  display: grid;
  gap: .6rem;
  max-inline-size: 42rem;
  margin-block-end: clamp(1.5rem,3.5vw,2.5rem);
}

.gm-05__eyebrow {
  margin: 0;
  font-family: var(--mono);
  font-size: .72rem;
  letter-spacing: .14em;
  text-transform: uppercase;
  color: var(--muted);
}

.gm-05__h {
  margin: 0;
  font-size: clamp(1.85rem,4.4vw,2.9rem);
  font-weight: 600;
  letter-spacing: -.03em;
  line-height: 1.05;
  text-wrap: balance;
}

.gm-05__sub {
  margin: 0;
  font-size: clamp(.95rem,1.4vw,1.05rem);
  line-height: 1.55;
  color: var(--muted);
}

.gm-05__panels {
  display: grid;
  gap: clamp(1rem,2vw,1.6rem);
  grid-template-columns: repeat(auto-fit,minmax(17rem,1fr));
}

.gm-05__panel {
  position: relative;
  isolation: isolate;
  border-radius: 1.6rem;
  overflow: hidden;
  border: 1px solid var(--edge);
  box-shadow: inset 0 1px 0 var(--rim), inset 0 -1px 0 var(--rim2), 0 30px 66px -28px rgba(0,0,0,.7);
}
/* lens layer: warps the backdrop only — never the text */

.gm-05__lens {
  position: absolute;
  inset: 0;
  z-index: 0;
  border-radius: inherit;
  background: rgba(255,255,255,.09);
  -webkit-backdrop-filter: blur(3px) saturate(160%);
  backdrop-filter: blur(3px) saturate(160%);
}

@supports (backdrop-filter: url(#gm-05-refract)) {
  .gm-05__lens {
    backdrop-filter: blur(3px) saturate(160%) url(#gm-05-refract);
  }

  .gm-05__lens--strong {
    backdrop-filter: blur(2px) saturate(170%) url(#gm-05-refract-strong);
  }
}

.gm-05__lens {
  mask-image: radial-gradient(120% 120% at 50% 50%, transparent 52%, #000 88%);
  -webkit-mask-image: radial-gradient(120% 120% at 50% 50%, transparent 52%, #000 88%);
}

.gm-05__lens--strong {
  mask-image: radial-gradient(120% 120% at 50% 50%, transparent 40%, #000 82%);
  -webkit-mask-image: radial-gradient(120% 120% at 50% 50%, transparent 40%, #000 82%);
}

.gm-05__body {
  position: relative;
  z-index: 1;
  display: flex;
  flex-direction: column;
  gap: .6rem;
  padding: clamp(1.2rem,2.2vw,1.75rem);
  background: rgba(255,255,255,.08);
  -webkit-backdrop-filter: blur(14px) saturate(150%);
  backdrop-filter: blur(14px) saturate(150%);
}

@supports (background: color-mix(in oklab, white 10%, transparent)) {
  .gm-05__body {
    background: color-mix(in oklab, var(--tint) 12%, transparent);
  }
}

@supports not ((backdrop-filter: blur(1px)) or (-webkit-backdrop-filter: blur(1px))) {
  .gm-05__body {
    background: rgba(16,14,42,.86);
  }
}

.gm-05__pill {
  margin: 0;
  align-self: flex-start;
  padding: .3rem .58rem;
  border-radius: .5rem;
  font-family: var(--mono);
  font-size: .7rem;
  font-variant-numeric: tabular-nums;
  background: rgba(255,255,255,.16);
  border: 1px solid var(--edge);
}

.gm-05__title {
  margin: .2rem 0 0;
  font-size: clamp(1.25rem,2.2vw,1.55rem);
  font-weight: 600;
  letter-spacing: -.02em;
}

.gm-05__copy {
  margin: 0;
  font-size: .94rem;
  line-height: 1.55;
  color: var(--muted);
  text-wrap: pretty;
}

.gm-05__meta {
  margin: .35rem 0 0;
  padding-block-start: .7rem;
  border-block-start: 1px solid var(--rim2);
  font-family: var(--mono);
  font-size: .66rem;
  letter-spacing: .03em;
  color: var(--muted);
  overflow-wrap: anywhere;
}

.gm-05__note {
  margin-block-start: clamp(1rem,2vw,1.5rem);
  padding: clamp(1rem,1.8vw,1.35rem);
  border-radius: 1.15rem;
  border: 1px solid var(--edge);
  background: rgba(255,255,255,.08);
  -webkit-backdrop-filter: blur(20px) saturate(150%);
  backdrop-filter: blur(20px) saturate(150%);
  box-shadow: inset 0 1px 0 var(--rim2);
  display: grid;
  gap: .4rem;
  max-inline-size: 44rem;
}

.gm-05__nhead {
  margin: 0;
  font-family: var(--mono);
  font-size: .7rem;
  letter-spacing: .14em;
  text-transform: uppercase;
  color: var(--ink);
}

.gm-05__ncopy {
  margin: 0;
  font-size: .9rem;
  line-height: 1.55;
  color: var(--muted);
  text-wrap: pretty;
}

.gm-05__code {
  font-family: var(--mono);
  font-size: .8rem;
  padding: .12rem .38rem;
  border-radius: .35rem;
  background: rgba(255,255,255,.12);
  border: 1px solid var(--edge);
  color: var(--ink);
}

.gm-05[data-theme="light"],
.gm-05:has(#gm-05-theme:checked) {
  --a1: rgba(196,181,253,.55);
  --a2: rgba(153,246,228,.55);
  --a3: rgba(254,205,211,.5);
  --a4: rgba(147,197,253,.5);
  --base: #eff2fa;
  --base2: #e0e7fb;
  --ink: #0f1120;
  --muted: rgba(15,17,32,.66);
  --rim: rgba(255,255,255,.95);
  --rim2: rgba(255,255,255,.5);
  --edge: rgba(15,17,32,.1);
  --line: rgba(15,17,32,.1);
}

.gm-05:has(#gm-05-theme:checked) .gm-05__sun {
  display: none;
}

.gm-05:has(#gm-05-theme:checked) .gm-05__moon {
  display: block;
}

@media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
  .gm-05 *,
    .gm-05 *::before,
    .gm-05 *::after {
    transition: none !important;
    animation: none !important;
  }
}

@media (forced-colors: active) {
  .gm-05__panel,
    .gm-05__note,
    .gm-05__theme,
    .gm-05__pill {
    border-color: CanvasText;
    box-shadow: none;
    background: Canvas;
  }

  .gm-05__lens {
    display: none;
  }

  .gm-05__body {
    -webkit-backdrop-filter: none;
    backdrop-filter: none;
    background: Canvas;
  }
}
Paste this into ChatGPT, Claude, Cursor, or any coding assistant. The block below is pre-framed with everything the AI needs to integrate this demo into your project — markup, styles, scoping notes, and the source URL. Hit Copy and paste straight into your chat.
Here's a working CSS Glassmorphism from CodeFronts. Use it as-is or adapt to your framework. All classes are scoped under a unique prefix so the code won't collide with your existing styles. MIT licensed.
Demo: SVG Displacement Liquid Glass
Source: https://codefronts.com/design-styles/css-glassmorphism/svg-displacement-liquid-glass/

Real refraction, not a blur: an inline <filter> chains feTurbulence into feDisplacementMap and the panel passes its backdrop through it, so the background warps at the glass edges the way it does through a physical lens. This is the WWDC 2025 liquid-glass look done with web primitives — and it degrades to a plain frosted panel wherever the filter reference is not honoured.
## HTML
```html
<div class="gm-05">
  <svg class="gm-05__defs" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false">
    <filter id="gm-05-refract" x="-20%" y="-20%" width="140%" height="140%" color-interpolation-filters="sRGB">
      <feTurbulence type="fractalNoise" baseFrequency="0.015" numOctaves="2" seed="7" result="noise"/>
      <feGaussianBlur in="noise" stdDeviation="1.4" result="soft"/>
      <feDisplacementMap in="SourceGraphic" in2="soft" scale="30" xChannelSelector="R" yChannelSelector="G"/>
    </filter>
    <filter id="gm-05-refract-strong" x="-25%" y="-25%" width="150%" height="150%" color-interpolation-filters="sRGB">
      <feTurbulence type="fractalNoise" baseFrequency="0.022" numOctaves="2" seed="3" result="n"/>
      <feDisplacementMap in="SourceGraphic" in2="n" scale="52" xChannelSelector="R" yChannelSelector="B"/>
    </filter>
  </svg>

  <input class="gm-05__sr" type="checkbox" id="gm-05-theme">
  <label class="gm-05__theme" for="gm-05-theme" title="Switch theme">
    <svg class="gm-05__sun" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><circle cx="12" cy="12" r="4.4" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="1.7"/><path d="M12 2.6v2.3M12 19.1v2.3M2.6 12h2.3M19.1 12h2.3M5.3 5.3l1.7 1.7M17 17l1.7 1.7M18.7 5.3L17 7M7 17l-1.7 1.7" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="1.7" stroke-linecap="round"/></svg>
    <svg class="gm-05__moon" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M20.5 14.4A8.4 8.4 0 0 1 9.6 3.5 8.6 8.6 0 1 0 20.5 14.4Z" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="1.7" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg>
    <span class="gm-05__vh">Switch light or dark theme</span>
  </label>

  <div class="gm-05__stage">
    <div class="gm-05__grid-lines" aria-hidden="true"></div>
    <section class="gm-05__wrap" aria-labelledby="gm-05-h">
      <header class="gm-05__head">
        <p class="gm-05__eyebrow">feTurbulence → feDisplacementMap</p>
        <h2 class="gm-05__h" id="gm-05-h">Glass that bends light, not just blurs it</h2>
        <p class="gm-05__sub">The grid behind the panel is straight. Look at it through the rim.</p>
      </header>

      <div class="gm-05__panels">
        <article class="gm-05__panel">
          <div class="gm-05__lens" aria-hidden="true"></div>
          <div class="gm-05__body">
            <p class="gm-05__pill">scale 30 · baseFrequency 0.015</p>
            <h3 class="gm-05__title">Liquid rim</h3>
            <p class="gm-05__copy">Displacement is masked to the edges, so the centre stays crisp enough for real copy while the border refracts the grid behind it.</p>
            <p class="gm-05__meta">blur(3px) saturate(160%) url(#gm-05-refract)</p>
          </div>
        </article>
        <article class="gm-05__panel gm-05__panel--strong">
          <div class="gm-05__lens gm-05__lens--strong" aria-hidden="true"></div>
          <div class="gm-05__body">
            <p class="gm-05__pill">scale 52 · baseFrequency 0.022</p>
            <h3 class="gm-05__title">Heavy lens</h3>
            <p class="gm-05__copy">Push the scale and the panel behaves like thick cast glass — beautiful for hero chrome, unusable behind body text.</p>
            <p class="gm-05__meta">xChannel R · yChannel B</p>
          </div>
        </article>
      </div>

      <aside class="gm-05__note">
        <p class="gm-05__nhead">WWDC 2025 recipe</p>
        <p class="gm-05__ncopy">Turbulence makes the noise field, a small Gaussian blur softens it, displacement reads R and G as x/y offsets. Chromium applies it through <span class="gm-05__code">backdrop-filter</span>; other engines fall back to blur and the layout never breaks.</p>
      </aside>
    </section>
  </div>
</div>
```
## CSS
```css
@import url('https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Geist:wght@400;500;600;700&family=Geist+Mono:wght@400;500&display=swap');

.gm-05 {
  --a1: rgba(139,92,246,.6);
  --a2: rgba(45,212,191,.5);
  --a3: rgba(244,63,94,.45);
  --a4: rgba(59,130,246,.5);
  --base: #05060f;
  --base2: #12112e;
  --ink: #f8f9ff;
  --muted: rgba(248,249,255,.7);
  --tint: #ffffff;
  --rim: rgba(255,255,255,.55);
  --rim2: rgba(255,255,255,.14);
  --edge: rgba(255,255,255,.2);
  --line: rgba(255,255,255,.11);
  --mono: 'Geist Mono',ui-monospace,'SFMono-Regular',Menlo,monospace;
  width: 100%;
  min-height: 100vh;
  min-height: 100svh;
  display: block;
  position: relative;
  overflow: hidden;
  box-sizing: border-box;
  color: var(--ink);
  isolation: isolate;
  font-family: 'Geist',ui-sans-serif,system-ui,-apple-system,'Segoe UI',sans-serif;
  background: radial-gradient(54% 44% at 16% 14%, var(--a1) 0%, transparent 62%), radial-gradient(46% 40% at 86% 18%, var(--a2) 0%, transparent 58%), radial-gradient(50% 44% at 80% 86%, var(--a3) 0%, transparent 60%), radial-gradient(48% 42% at 14% 88%, var(--a4) 0%, transparent 60%), linear-gradient(165deg, var(--base) 0%, var(--base2) 54%, var(--base) 100%);
}

.gm-05 *,
.gm-05 *::before,
.gm-05 *::after {
  box-sizing: border-box;
}

@supports (color: oklch(0.7 0.1 300)) {
  .gm-05 {
    --a1: oklch(0.62 0.24 295 / .62);
    --a2: oklch(0.82 0.15 180 / .52);
    --a3: oklch(0.66 0.22 12 / .46);
    --a4: oklch(0.66 0.19 255 / .52);
    --base: oklch(0.13 0.028 275);
    --base2: oklch(0.22 0.09 292);
  }
}

.gm-05__defs {
  position: absolute;
  inline-size: 0;
  block-size: 0;
  overflow: hidden;
}

.gm-05__vh {
  position: absolute;
  width: 1px;
  height: 1px;
  margin: -1px;
  overflow: hidden;
  clip-path: inset(50%);
  white-space: nowrap;
  border: 0;
}

.gm-05__sr {
  position: absolute;
  width: 1px;
  height: 1px;
  opacity: 0;
  pointer-events: none;
}

.gm-05__theme {
  position: absolute;
  inset-block-start: 1.15rem;
  inset-inline-end: 1.15rem;
  z-index: 8;
  inline-size: 2.5rem;
  block-size: 2.5rem;
  display: grid;
  place-items: center;
  cursor: pointer;
  border-radius: 999px;
  color: var(--ink);
  background: rgba(255,255,255,.14);
  border: 1px solid var(--edge);
  -webkit-backdrop-filter: blur(10px) saturate(160%);
  backdrop-filter: blur(10px) saturate(160%);
  box-shadow: inset 0 1px 0 var(--rim), 0 10px 24px -14px rgba(0,0,0,.7);
  transition: scale .18s ease;
}

.gm-05__theme::after {
  content: '';
  position: absolute;
  inset: -2px;
  border-radius: inherit;
}

.gm-05__theme svg {
  inline-size: 1.15rem;
  block-size: 1.15rem;
}

.gm-05__theme:hover {
  scale: 1.06;
}

.gm-05__sr:focus-visible + .gm-05__theme {
  outline: 2px solid var(--ink);
  outline-offset: 3px;
}

.gm-05__moon {
  display: none;
}

.gm-05__stage {
  position: relative;
  min-height: 100vh;
  min-height: 100svh;
  display: grid;
  place-items: center;
  padding: clamp(1.25rem,4vw,3.5rem);
}
/* straight rulings so the refraction is measurable, not vibes */

.gm-05__grid-lines {
  position: absolute;
  inset: 0;
  z-index: 0;
  pointer-events: none;
  background-image: repeating-linear-gradient(90deg, var(--line) 0 1px, transparent 1px 2.75rem), repeating-linear-gradient(0deg, var(--line) 0 1px, transparent 1px 2.75rem);
  mask-image: radial-gradient(120% 100% at 50% 45%, #000 25%, transparent 82%);
}

.gm-05__wrap {
  position: relative;
  z-index: 1;
  inline-size: min(72rem,100%);
}

.gm-05__head {
  display: grid;
  gap: .6rem;
  max-inline-size: 42rem;
  margin-block-end: clamp(1.5rem,3.5vw,2.5rem);
}

.gm-05__eyebrow {
  margin: 0;
  font-family: var(--mono);
  font-size: .72rem;
  letter-spacing: .14em;
  text-transform: uppercase;
  color: var(--muted);
}

.gm-05__h {
  margin: 0;
  font-size: clamp(1.85rem,4.4vw,2.9rem);
  font-weight: 600;
  letter-spacing: -.03em;
  line-height: 1.05;
  text-wrap: balance;
}

.gm-05__sub {
  margin: 0;
  font-size: clamp(.95rem,1.4vw,1.05rem);
  line-height: 1.55;
  color: var(--muted);
}

.gm-05__panels {
  display: grid;
  gap: clamp(1rem,2vw,1.6rem);
  grid-template-columns: repeat(auto-fit,minmax(17rem,1fr));
}

.gm-05__panel {
  position: relative;
  isolation: isolate;
  border-radius: 1.6rem;
  overflow: hidden;
  border: 1px solid var(--edge);
  box-shadow: inset 0 1px 0 var(--rim), inset 0 -1px 0 var(--rim2), 0 30px 66px -28px rgba(0,0,0,.7);
}
/* lens layer: warps the backdrop only — never the text */

.gm-05__lens {
  position: absolute;
  inset: 0;
  z-index: 0;
  border-radius: inherit;
  background: rgba(255,255,255,.09);
  -webkit-backdrop-filter: blur(3px) saturate(160%);
  backdrop-filter: blur(3px) saturate(160%);
}

@supports (backdrop-filter: url(#gm-05-refract)) {
  .gm-05__lens {
    backdrop-filter: blur(3px) saturate(160%) url(#gm-05-refract);
  }

  .gm-05__lens--strong {
    backdrop-filter: blur(2px) saturate(170%) url(#gm-05-refract-strong);
  }
}

.gm-05__lens {
  mask-image: radial-gradient(120% 120% at 50% 50%, transparent 52%, #000 88%);
  -webkit-mask-image: radial-gradient(120% 120% at 50% 50%, transparent 52%, #000 88%);
}

.gm-05__lens--strong {
  mask-image: radial-gradient(120% 120% at 50% 50%, transparent 40%, #000 82%);
  -webkit-mask-image: radial-gradient(120% 120% at 50% 50%, transparent 40%, #000 82%);
}

.gm-05__body {
  position: relative;
  z-index: 1;
  display: flex;
  flex-direction: column;
  gap: .6rem;
  padding: clamp(1.2rem,2.2vw,1.75rem);
  background: rgba(255,255,255,.08);
  -webkit-backdrop-filter: blur(14px) saturate(150%);
  backdrop-filter: blur(14px) saturate(150%);
}

@supports (background: color-mix(in oklab, white 10%, transparent)) {
  .gm-05__body {
    background: color-mix(in oklab, var(--tint) 12%, transparent);
  }
}

@supports not ((backdrop-filter: blur(1px)) or (-webkit-backdrop-filter: blur(1px))) {
  .gm-05__body {
    background: rgba(16,14,42,.86);
  }
}

.gm-05__pill {
  margin: 0;
  align-self: flex-start;
  padding: .3rem .58rem;
  border-radius: .5rem;
  font-family: var(--mono);
  font-size: .7rem;
  font-variant-numeric: tabular-nums;
  background: rgba(255,255,255,.16);
  border: 1px solid var(--edge);
}

.gm-05__title {
  margin: .2rem 0 0;
  font-size: clamp(1.25rem,2.2vw,1.55rem);
  font-weight: 600;
  letter-spacing: -.02em;
}

.gm-05__copy {
  margin: 0;
  font-size: .94rem;
  line-height: 1.55;
  color: var(--muted);
  text-wrap: pretty;
}

.gm-05__meta {
  margin: .35rem 0 0;
  padding-block-start: .7rem;
  border-block-start: 1px solid var(--rim2);
  font-family: var(--mono);
  font-size: .66rem;
  letter-spacing: .03em;
  color: var(--muted);
  overflow-wrap: anywhere;
}

.gm-05__note {
  margin-block-start: clamp(1rem,2vw,1.5rem);
  padding: clamp(1rem,1.8vw,1.35rem);
  border-radius: 1.15rem;
  border: 1px solid var(--edge);
  background: rgba(255,255,255,.08);
  -webkit-backdrop-filter: blur(20px) saturate(150%);
  backdrop-filter: blur(20px) saturate(150%);
  box-shadow: inset 0 1px 0 var(--rim2);
  display: grid;
  gap: .4rem;
  max-inline-size: 44rem;
}

.gm-05__nhead {
  margin: 0;
  font-family: var(--mono);
  font-size: .7rem;
  letter-spacing: .14em;
  text-transform: uppercase;
  color: var(--ink);
}

.gm-05__ncopy {
  margin: 0;
  font-size: .9rem;
  line-height: 1.55;
  color: var(--muted);
  text-wrap: pretty;
}

.gm-05__code {
  font-family: var(--mono);
  font-size: .8rem;
  padding: .12rem .38rem;
  border-radius: .35rem;
  background: rgba(255,255,255,.12);
  border: 1px solid var(--edge);
  color: var(--ink);
}

.gm-05[data-theme="light"],
.gm-05:has(#gm-05-theme:checked) {
  --a1: rgba(196,181,253,.55);
  --a2: rgba(153,246,228,.55);
  --a3: rgba(254,205,211,.5);
  --a4: rgba(147,197,253,.5);
  --base: #eff2fa;
  --base2: #e0e7fb;
  --ink: #0f1120;
  --muted: rgba(15,17,32,.66);
  --rim: rgba(255,255,255,.95);
  --rim2: rgba(255,255,255,.5);
  --edge: rgba(15,17,32,.1);
  --line: rgba(15,17,32,.1);
}

.gm-05:has(#gm-05-theme:checked) .gm-05__sun {
  display: none;
}

.gm-05:has(#gm-05-theme:checked) .gm-05__moon {
  display: block;
}

@media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
  .gm-05 *,
    .gm-05 *::before,
    .gm-05 *::after {
    transition: none !important;
    animation: none !important;
  }
}

@media (forced-colors: active) {
  .gm-05__panel,
    .gm-05__note,
    .gm-05__theme,
    .gm-05__pill {
    border-color: CanvasText;
    box-shadow: none;
    background: Canvas;
  }

  .gm-05__lens {
    display: none;
  }

  .gm-05__body {
    -webkit-backdrop-filter: none;
    backdrop-filter: none;
    background: Canvas;
  }
}
```

How this works

Blur flattens; displacement bends. A blur averages the backdrop, but real glass moves the light — straight lines behind a lens curve. feDisplacementMap does exactly that: it uses the pixel values of one input as coordinates to offset another, and feTurbulence supplies smooth Perlin-style noise for the offsets.

<svg class="gm-05__defs" aria-hidden="true">
  <filter id="gm-05-refract" x="-20%" y="-20%" width="140%" height="140%">
    <feTurbulence type="fractalNoise" baseFrequency="0.015" numOctaves="2" seed="7" result="noise"/>
    <feGaussianBlur in="noise" stdDeviation="1.4" result="soft"/>
    <feDisplacementMap in="SourceGraphic" in2="soft" scale="30"
                       xChannelSelector="R" yChannelSelector="G"/>
  </filter>
</svg>

Wiring it into the panel. The distortion is applied to the backdrop, not the panel's own text — that is the difference between refraction and a broken layout:

.gm-05__lens{
  -webkit-backdrop-filter:blur(3px) saturate(160%);
          backdrop-filter:blur(3px) saturate(160%) url(#gm-05-refract);
  /* content sits in a SIBLING layer with no filter at all */
}

Edge-weighted warp. Physical lenses distort most at the rim, so the lens layer is masked with a radial gradient that is transparent in the middle and opaque at the edge — the centre stays crisp and readable while the border bends the mesh behind it.

.gm-05__lens{
  mask-image:radial-gradient(120% 120% at 50% 50%, transparent 52%, #000 88%);
}

Tiered fallback. Chromium honours url() inside backdrop-filter; other engines currently drop the whole declaration, so blur and saturate are declared in a separate earlier rule. Worst case, the demo is a good frosted panel — never an unstyled one.

Make it yours

  • scale on feDisplacementMap is the refraction dial: 10 is a subtle wobble, 30 is liquid glass, 60+ is a funhouse mirror.
  • baseFrequency controls the wavelength of the distortion — 0.008 gives long lazy bends, 0.04 gives a rippled shower-door texture.
  • Raise numOctaves to 3 for finer detail, but watch the cost: turbulence is the most expensive part of the chain.
  • Animate the effect by adding an SMIL <animate attributeName="baseFrequency"> on the turbulence for a slow liquid drift — gate it behind prefers-reduced-motion.
  • Change xChannelSelector/yChannelSelector to B/A for a different warp direction from the same noise field.
  • Tighten the mask stop from 52% to 70% to keep more of the panel undistorted for long-form copy.

Gotchas — read before shipping

  • url() inside backdrop-filter is Chromium-only today. Always declare the blur/saturate fallback in a separate rule first so other engines still get glass.
  • Never put the filter on the element that holds your text — feDisplacementMap would warp the copy. Use a separate lens layer behind the content.
  • The filter region must be enlarged (x="-20%" width="140%") or the displaced pixels get clipped at the element bounds.
  • Turbulence is generated per frame if anything animates. Keep it static, or animate a cheap property and leave the noise alone.
  • filter and backdrop-filter on the same element create a containing block — nested glass children stop sampling the page background.
  • Give the inline SVG position:absolute; width:0; height:0 — a stray inline SVG in flow adds a mystery gap at the top of the layout.

Browser support

ChromeSafariFirefoxEdge
76+ (url() in backdrop-filter: 76+)9+ (blur fallback; url() ignored)103+ (blur fallback; url() ignored)76+ (url() in backdrop-filter: 76+)

The SVG filter primitives themselves (feTurbulence, feDisplacementMap) are universally supported since IE10-era SVG; what varies is referencing them from backdrop-filter, which is Chromium-only. The demo tiers down to blur + saturate elsewhere and to a semi-opaque solid where backdrop-filter is missing.

Techniques used in this demo

:has()MDN ↗backdrop-filterMDN ↗clip-pathMDN ↗text-wrap: prettyMDN ↗color-mix()MDN ↗radial-gradient()MDN ↗

Search CodeFronts

Loading…

↑↓ navigate↵ selectesc closeOpen full search page →