20 CSS Rotate Animations
07 / 20

All 20 in 20 CSS Rotate Animations

  1. 01Infinite Rotate Animation with Keyframes
  2. 02Rotate Image and Card on Hover
  3. 03CSS Transform Rotate Property Basics
  4. 04Rotate 180 Degrees Toggle Icon
  5. 05Continuous Spin Loading Indicator
  6. 06Rotate 3D Cube with Perspective
  7. 07RotateY Coverflow Image Carousel
  8. 08Scroll Driven Rotate View Timeline
  9. 09Hue Rotate Color Cycling Filter
  10. 10Rotate Scale and Translate Combined
  11. 11Gear and Cog Machinery Rotation
  12. 12Vinyl Record Turntable Spin
  13. 13Compass Dial and Gauge Needle
  14. 14Windmill Fan Blade Rotation
  15. 15Orbit Path Circular Motion
  16. 16Rotate Text Around a Circle
  17. 17Card Deck Fan Out Rotation
  18. 18Rotate Transform Origin Pivot
  19. 19Pause and Resume Rotate Animation
  20. 20Reduced Motion Safe Rotation
Light JSMIT licensed

RotateY Coverflow Image Carousel

A cover-flow rail where the angle is the point: each item's rotateY, translateZ and scale are derived from how far it sits from the active index, so the falloff is one formula rather than a pile of per-slide rules. About twenty lines of JavaScript track the index and write a custom property — every transform is computed in CSS.

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The code

<section class="rot-07" aria-labelledby="rot-07-h">
  <fieldset class="rot-07__theme">
    <legend class="rot-07__themelegend">Theme</legend>
    <input class="rot-07__themeinput" type="radio" name="rot-07-theme" id="rot-07-theme-auto" checked>
    <label class="rot-07__themeopt" for="rot-07-theme-auto">Auto</label>
    <input class="rot-07__themeinput" type="radio" name="rot-07-theme" id="rot-07-theme-light">
    <label class="rot-07__themeopt" for="rot-07-theme-light">Light</label>
    <input class="rot-07__themeinput" type="radio" name="rot-07-theme" id="rot-07-theme-dark">
    <label class="rot-07__themeopt" for="rot-07-theme-dark">Dark</label>
  </fieldset>

  <div class="rot-07__stage">
    <header class="rot-07__head">
      <p class="rot-07__eyebrow">Basalt Recordings · Catalogue</p>
      <h2 class="rot-07__h" id="rot-07-h">The angle is the interface</h2>
      <p class="rot-07__sub">Every cover derives its rotation, depth and scale from one number: how far its index sits from the active one.</p>
    </header>

    <div class="rot-07__viewport">
      <div class="rot-07__rail" id="rot-07-rail" style="--rot-07-active: 2" role="listbox" aria-label="Catalogue covers" tabindex="0">
        <div class="rot-07__item" style="--i: 0" role="option" aria-selected="false">
          <div class="rot-07__cover rot-07__cover--a" aria-hidden="true"><span class="rot-07__grooves"></span></div>
          <p class="rot-07__title">Longwave</p>
          <p class="rot-07__by">Priya Sharma</p>
        </div>
        <div class="rot-07__item" style="--i: 1" role="option" aria-selected="false">
          <div class="rot-07__cover rot-07__cover--b" aria-hidden="true"><span class="rot-07__grooves"></span></div>
          <p class="rot-07__title">Dry Season</p>
          <p class="rot-07__by">Talon Quartet</p>
        </div>
        <div class="rot-07__item" style="--i: 2" role="option" aria-selected="true">
          <div class="rot-07__cover rot-07__cover--c" aria-hidden="true"><span class="rot-07__grooves"></span></div>
          <p class="rot-07__title">Meridian Line</p>
          <p class="rot-07__by">Jordan Lee</p>
        </div>
        <div class="rot-07__item" style="--i: 3" role="option" aria-selected="false">
          <div class="rot-07__cover rot-07__cover--d" aria-hidden="true"><span class="rot-07__grooves"></span></div>
          <p class="rot-07__title">Ferrous</p>
          <p class="rot-07__by">Sable Union</p>
        </div>
        <div class="rot-07__item" style="--i: 4" role="option" aria-selected="false">
          <div class="rot-07__cover rot-07__cover--e" aria-hidden="true"><span class="rot-07__grooves"></span></div>
          <p class="rot-07__title">Night Ferry</p>
          <p class="rot-07__by">Alex Chen</p>
        </div>
      </div>
    </div>

    <div class="rot-07__controls">
      <button class="rot-07__btn" type="button" data-rot07="prev" aria-label="Previous cover">
        <svg viewBox="0 0 24 24" width="18" height="18" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M14.5 5 8 12l6.5 7" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2.1" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"></path></svg>
      </button>
      <output class="rot-07__status" id="rot-07-status" aria-live="polite">Meridian Line · Jordan Lee</output>
      <button class="rot-07__btn" type="button" data-rot07="next" aria-label="Next cover">
        <svg viewBox="0 0 24 24" width="18" height="18" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M9.5 5 16 12l-6.5 7" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2.1" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"></path></svg>
      </button>
    </div>

    <p class="rot-07__fine">Arrow keys move the selection when the rail has focus; Home and End jump to the ends. The rotation is decoration — <span class="rot-07__code">aria-selected</span> and the live region carry the state.</p>
  </div>
</section>
.rot-07 {
  --page: #1a1712;
  --surface: #241f18;
  --ink: #f5ece0;
  --muted: #a5947e;
  --rule: #3a3226;
  --accent: #e0a33c;
  --card: clamp(7rem, 24vw, 10rem);
  --turn: 42deg;
  --depth: 120px;
  --gap-x: 0.8;
  --persp: 1100px;
  --font-display: Rockwell, "Bookman Old Style", "Roboto Slab", Georgia, serif;
  position: relative;
  width: 100%;
  min-height: 100vh;
  display: block;
  box-sizing: border-box;
  background: var(--page);
  color: var(--ink);
  font-family: system-ui, sans-serif;
  -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;
}

@supports (color: oklch(0 0 0)) {
  .rot-07 {
    --accent: oklch(0.78 0.14 78);
  }
}

.rot-07 *,
.rot-07 *::before,
.rot-07 *::after {
  box-sizing: border-box;
}

.rot-07__stage {
  display: grid;
  place-items: center;
  gap: clamp(1.25rem, 3.5vw, 2rem);
  padding: clamp(1.25rem, 4vw, 3rem);
  padding-block-start: 5.25rem;
}

.rot-07__head {
  max-inline-size: 36rem;
  min-inline-size: 0;
  text-align: center;
}

.rot-07__eyebrow {
  margin: 0 0 0.6rem;
  font-size: 0.6875rem;
  font-weight: 600;
  letter-spacing: 0.2em;
  text-transform: uppercase;
  color: var(--accent);
}

.rot-07__h {
  margin: 0 0 0.6rem;
  font-family: var(--font-display);
  font-size: clamp(1.5rem, 5vw, 2.375rem);
  font-weight: 400;
  line-height: 1.12;
}

.rot-07__sub {
  margin: 0;
  font-size: 0.9375rem;
  line-height: 1.6;
  color: var(--muted);
  text-wrap: pretty;
}

.rot-07__code {
  font-family: ui-monospace, Menlo, Consolas, monospace;
  font-size: 0.85em;
  color: var(--accent);
}

.rot-07__viewport {
  inline-size: 100%;
  display: grid;
  place-items: center;
  padding-block: 0.5rem;
  perspective: var(--persp);
  perspective-origin: 50% 45%;
}

.rot-07__rail {
  position: relative;
  inline-size: min(100%, 44rem);
  block-size: calc(var(--card) * 1.85);
  transform-style: preserve-3d;
  outline: none;
}

.rot-07__rail:focus-visible {
  outline: 2px solid var(--accent);
  outline-offset: 6px;
  border-radius: 0.5rem;
}

.rot-07__item {
  --off: calc(var(--i) - var(--rot-07-active));
  position: absolute;
  inset-block-start: 0;
  inset-inline-start: 50%;
  inline-size: var(--card);
  display: grid;
  gap: 0.4rem;
  justify-items: center;
  margin-inline-start: calc(var(--card) / -2);
  transform: translateX(calc(var(--off) * var(--gap-x) * var(--card))) translateZ(calc(max(var(--off), var(--off) * -1) * var(--depth) * -1)) rotateY(calc(clamp(-1, var(--off), 1) * var(--turn) * -1)) scale(calc(1 - max(var(--off), var(--off) * -1) * 0.06));
  transition: transform 420ms cubic-bezier(0.25, 0.8, 0.3, 1), opacity 420ms linear;
  opacity: calc(1 - max(var(--off), var(--off) * -1) * 0.18);
  z-index: calc(10 - max(var(--off), var(--off) * -1));
}

.rot-07__cover {
  position: relative;
  inline-size: 100%;
  aspect-ratio: 1;
  border: 1px solid var(--rule);
  border-radius: 0.25rem;
  box-shadow: 0 22px 40px -26px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.9);
  overflow: hidden;
}

.rot-07__cover--a {
  background: linear-gradient(145deg, #2f5d63, #16333a);
}

.rot-07__cover--b {
  background: linear-gradient(145deg, #a3562c, #5c2b16);
}

.rot-07__cover--c {
  background: linear-gradient(145deg, #e0a33c, #8a5c12);
}

.rot-07__cover--d {
  background: linear-gradient(145deg, #55585f, #24262b);
}

.rot-07__cover--e {
  background: linear-gradient(145deg, #3d4a86, #1a1f45);
}

.rot-07__grooves {
  position: absolute;
  inset: 0;
  background: repeating-linear-gradient(90deg, rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.09) 0 1px, transparent 1px 9px);
}

.rot-07__title {
  margin: 0.15rem 0 0;
  font-family: var(--font-display);
  font-size: 0.9375rem;
  text-align: center;
  min-inline-size: 0;
}

.rot-07__by {
  margin: 0;
  font-size: 0.75rem;
  color: var(--muted);
  text-align: center;
  min-inline-size: 0;
}

.rot-07__item[aria-selected="true"] .rot-07__title {
  color: var(--accent);
}

.rot-07__controls {
  display: flex;
  align-items: center;
  gap: 0.75rem;
  flex-wrap: wrap;
  justify-content: center;
}

.rot-07__btn {
  display: inline-flex;
  align-items: center;
  justify-content: center;
  inline-size: 2.75rem;
  block-size: 2.75rem;
  border: 1px solid var(--rule);
  border-radius: 50%;
  background: var(--surface);
  color: var(--ink);
  cursor: pointer;
}

.rot-07__btn:hover {
  border-color: var(--accent);
  color: var(--accent);
}

.rot-07__btn:focus-visible {
  outline: 2px solid var(--accent);
  outline-offset: 2px;
}

.rot-07__status {
  min-inline-size: 12rem;
  text-align: center;
  font-family: var(--font-display);
  font-size: 0.875rem;
  color: var(--muted);
}

.rot-07__fine {
  inline-size: min(100%, 38rem);
  margin: 0;
  font-size: 0.8125rem;
  line-height: 1.65;
  text-align: center;
  color: var(--muted);
  text-wrap: pretty;
}

@media (max-width: 30rem) {
  .rot-07 {
    --card: clamp(3.75rem, 17vw, 7rem);
    --gap-x: 0.5;
    --depth: 80px;
    --turn: 34deg;
  }
}

@media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
  .rot-07__item {
    transition: none;
  }
}

.rot-07__theme {
  position: absolute;
  inset-block-start: 0.875rem;
  inset-inline-end: 0.875rem;
  z-index: 20;
  display: flex;
  align-items: center;
  gap: 0.125rem;
  margin: 0;
  padding: 0.1875rem;
  border: 1px solid color-mix(in srgb, currentColor 18%, transparent);
  border-radius: 999px;
  background: color-mix(in srgb, currentColor 8%, transparent);
  -webkit-backdrop-filter: blur(6px);
  backdrop-filter: blur(6px);
  font-family: system-ui, sans-serif;
}

.rot-07__themelegend {
  position: absolute;
  inline-size: 1px;
  block-size: 1px;
  padding: 0;
  overflow: hidden;
  clip-path: inset(50%);
}

.rot-07__themeinput {
  position: absolute;
  inline-size: 1px;
  block-size: 1px;
  margin: 0;
  overflow: hidden;
  clip-path: inset(50%);
}

.rot-07__themeopt {
  display: inline-flex;
  align-items: center;
  justify-content: center;
  min-block-size: 2.25rem;
  min-inline-size: 2.75rem;
  padding: 0 0.6875rem;
  border-radius: 999px;
  font-size: 0.6875rem;
  font-weight: 600;
  letter-spacing: 0.06em;
  text-transform: uppercase;
  color: inherit;
  opacity: 0.55;
  cursor: pointer;
  user-select: none;
  white-space: nowrap;
}

.rot-07__themeopt:hover {
  opacity: 0.85;
}

.rot-07__themeinput:checked + .rot-07__themeopt {
  opacity: 1;
  background: color-mix(in srgb, currentColor 15%, transparent);
}

.rot-07__themeinput:focus-visible + .rot-07__themeopt {
  outline: 2px solid currentColor;
  outline-offset: 2px;
}

@media (forced-colors: active) {
  .rot-07__theme {
    border-color: CanvasText;
    background: Canvas;
  }

  .rot-07__themeinput:checked + .rot-07__themeopt {
    background: Highlight;
    color: HighlightText;
  }
}

@media (prefers-color-scheme: light) {
  .rot-07:not(:has(#rot-07-theme-dark:checked)) {
    --page: #f7f3ec;
    --surface: #ffffff;
    --ink: #241d14;
    --muted: #776853;
    --rule: #e0d6c6;
    --accent: #a86a10;
  }

  .rot-07:not(:has(#rot-07-theme-dark:checked)) .rot-07__cover {
    box-shadow: 0 22px 40px -28px rgba(60, 45, 25, 0.55);
  }
}

@media (prefers-color-scheme: dark) {
  .rot-07:has(#rot-07-theme-light:checked) {
    --page: #f7f3ec;
    --surface: #ffffff;
    --ink: #241d14;
    --muted: #776853;
    --rule: #e0d6c6;
    --accent: #a86a10;
  }
}

[data-theme="light"] .rot-07:not(:has(#rot-07-theme-dark:checked)) {
  --page: #f7f3ec;
  --surface: #ffffff;
  --ink: #241d14;
  --muted: #776853;
  --rule: #e0d6c6;
  --accent: #a86a10;
}

.rot-07:has(#rot-07-theme-light:checked) {
  --page: #f7f3ec;
  --surface: #ffffff;
  --ink: #241d14;
  --muted: #776853;
  --rule: #e0d6c6;
  --accent: #a86a10;
}

.rot-07:has(#rot-07-theme-light:checked) .rot-07__cover {
  box-shadow: 0 22px 40px -28px rgba(60, 45, 25, 0.55);
}

.rot-07:has(#rot-07-theme-dark:checked) {
  --page: #1a1712;
  --surface: #241f18;
  --ink: #f5ece0;
  --muted: #a5947e;
  --rule: #3a3226;
  --accent: #e0a33c;
}

.rot-07:has(#rot-07-theme-dark:checked) .rot-07__cover {
  box-shadow: 0 22px 40px -26px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.9);
}
/* Site-theme bridge: the per-demo page stamps [data-theme] on the iframe
   root. Without these rules a dark-by-default demo followed the OS instead
   of the site when the visitor was on OS-light + site-dark. Guarded by the
   light toggle so the in-demo switch still wins. */

[data-theme="dark"] .rot-07:not(:has(#rot-07-theme-light:checked)) {
  --page: #1a1712;
  --surface: #241f18;
  --ink: #f5ece0;
  --muted: #a5947e;
  --rule: #3a3226;
  --accent: #e0a33c;
}

[data-theme="dark"] .rot-07:not(:has(#rot-07-theme-light:checked)) .rot-07__cover {
  box-shadow: 0 22px 40px -26px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.9);
}
(() => {
  const rail = document.querySelector('.rot-07__rail');
  if (!rail || rail.dataset.rot07) return;
  rail.dataset.rot07 = '1';
  const items = [...rail.querySelectorAll('.rot-07__item')];
  const status = document.querySelector('.rot-07__status');
  let active = Number(rail.style.getPropertyValue('--rot-07-active')) || 0;
  const show = (next) => {
    active = Math.min(items.length - 1, Math.max(0, next));
    rail.style.setProperty('--rot-07-active', String(active));
    items.forEach((el, i) => el.setAttribute('aria-selected', i === active ? 'true' : 'false'));
    const pick = items[active];
    status.textContent = pick.querySelector('.rot-07__title').textContent + ' · ' + pick.querySelector('.rot-07__by').textContent;
  };
  document.querySelectorAll('[data-rot07]').forEach((btn) => {
    btn.addEventListener('click', () => show(active + (btn.dataset.rot07 === 'next' ? 1 : -1)));
  });
  items.forEach((el, i) => el.addEventListener('click', () => show(i)));
  rail.addEventListener('keydown', (e) => {
    const map = { ArrowRight: active + 1, ArrowLeft: active - 1, Home: 0, End: items.length - 1 };
    if (!(e.key in map)) return;
    e.preventDefault();
    show(map[e.key]);
  });
  show(active);
})();
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 Rotate Animation 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: RotateY Coverflow Image Carousel
Source: https://codefronts.com/motion/css-rotate-animation/rotatey-coverflow-image-carousel/

A cover-flow rail where the angle is the point: each item's rotateY, translateZ and scale are derived from how far it sits from the active index, so the falloff is one formula rather than a pile of per-slide rules. About twenty lines of JavaScript track the index and write a custom property — every transform is computed in CSS.
## HTML
```html
<section class="rot-07" aria-labelledby="rot-07-h">
  <fieldset class="rot-07__theme">
    <legend class="rot-07__themelegend">Theme</legend>
    <input class="rot-07__themeinput" type="radio" name="rot-07-theme" id="rot-07-theme-auto" checked>
    <label class="rot-07__themeopt" for="rot-07-theme-auto">Auto</label>
    <input class="rot-07__themeinput" type="radio" name="rot-07-theme" id="rot-07-theme-light">
    <label class="rot-07__themeopt" for="rot-07-theme-light">Light</label>
    <input class="rot-07__themeinput" type="radio" name="rot-07-theme" id="rot-07-theme-dark">
    <label class="rot-07__themeopt" for="rot-07-theme-dark">Dark</label>
  </fieldset>

  <div class="rot-07__stage">
    <header class="rot-07__head">
      <p class="rot-07__eyebrow">Basalt Recordings · Catalogue</p>
      <h2 class="rot-07__h" id="rot-07-h">The angle is the interface</h2>
      <p class="rot-07__sub">Every cover derives its rotation, depth and scale from one number: how far its index sits from the active one.</p>
    </header>

    <div class="rot-07__viewport">
      <div class="rot-07__rail" id="rot-07-rail" style="--rot-07-active: 2" role="listbox" aria-label="Catalogue covers" tabindex="0">
        <div class="rot-07__item" style="--i: 0" role="option" aria-selected="false">
          <div class="rot-07__cover rot-07__cover--a" aria-hidden="true"><span class="rot-07__grooves"></span></div>
          <p class="rot-07__title">Longwave</p>
          <p class="rot-07__by">Priya Sharma</p>
        </div>
        <div class="rot-07__item" style="--i: 1" role="option" aria-selected="false">
          <div class="rot-07__cover rot-07__cover--b" aria-hidden="true"><span class="rot-07__grooves"></span></div>
          <p class="rot-07__title">Dry Season</p>
          <p class="rot-07__by">Talon Quartet</p>
        </div>
        <div class="rot-07__item" style="--i: 2" role="option" aria-selected="true">
          <div class="rot-07__cover rot-07__cover--c" aria-hidden="true"><span class="rot-07__grooves"></span></div>
          <p class="rot-07__title">Meridian Line</p>
          <p class="rot-07__by">Jordan Lee</p>
        </div>
        <div class="rot-07__item" style="--i: 3" role="option" aria-selected="false">
          <div class="rot-07__cover rot-07__cover--d" aria-hidden="true"><span class="rot-07__grooves"></span></div>
          <p class="rot-07__title">Ferrous</p>
          <p class="rot-07__by">Sable Union</p>
        </div>
        <div class="rot-07__item" style="--i: 4" role="option" aria-selected="false">
          <div class="rot-07__cover rot-07__cover--e" aria-hidden="true"><span class="rot-07__grooves"></span></div>
          <p class="rot-07__title">Night Ferry</p>
          <p class="rot-07__by">Alex Chen</p>
        </div>
      </div>
    </div>

    <div class="rot-07__controls">
      <button class="rot-07__btn" type="button" data-rot07="prev" aria-label="Previous cover">
        <svg viewBox="0 0 24 24" width="18" height="18" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M14.5 5 8 12l6.5 7" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2.1" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"></path></svg>
      </button>
      <output class="rot-07__status" id="rot-07-status" aria-live="polite">Meridian Line · Jordan Lee</output>
      <button class="rot-07__btn" type="button" data-rot07="next" aria-label="Next cover">
        <svg viewBox="0 0 24 24" width="18" height="18" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M9.5 5 16 12l-6.5 7" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2.1" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"></path></svg>
      </button>
    </div>

    <p class="rot-07__fine">Arrow keys move the selection when the rail has focus; Home and End jump to the ends. The rotation is decoration — <span class="rot-07__code">aria-selected</span> and the live region carry the state.</p>
  </div>
</section>
```
## CSS
```css
.rot-07 {
  --page: #1a1712;
  --surface: #241f18;
  --ink: #f5ece0;
  --muted: #a5947e;
  --rule: #3a3226;
  --accent: #e0a33c;
  --card: clamp(7rem, 24vw, 10rem);
  --turn: 42deg;
  --depth: 120px;
  --gap-x: 0.8;
  --persp: 1100px;
  --font-display: Rockwell, "Bookman Old Style", "Roboto Slab", Georgia, serif;
  position: relative;
  width: 100%;
  min-height: 100vh;
  display: block;
  box-sizing: border-box;
  background: var(--page);
  color: var(--ink);
  font-family: system-ui, sans-serif;
  -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;
}

@supports (color: oklch(0 0 0)) {
  .rot-07 {
    --accent: oklch(0.78 0.14 78);
  }
}

.rot-07 *,
.rot-07 *::before,
.rot-07 *::after {
  box-sizing: border-box;
}

.rot-07__stage {
  display: grid;
  place-items: center;
  gap: clamp(1.25rem, 3.5vw, 2rem);
  padding: clamp(1.25rem, 4vw, 3rem);
  padding-block-start: 5.25rem;
}

.rot-07__head {
  max-inline-size: 36rem;
  min-inline-size: 0;
  text-align: center;
}

.rot-07__eyebrow {
  margin: 0 0 0.6rem;
  font-size: 0.6875rem;
  font-weight: 600;
  letter-spacing: 0.2em;
  text-transform: uppercase;
  color: var(--accent);
}

.rot-07__h {
  margin: 0 0 0.6rem;
  font-family: var(--font-display);
  font-size: clamp(1.5rem, 5vw, 2.375rem);
  font-weight: 400;
  line-height: 1.12;
}

.rot-07__sub {
  margin: 0;
  font-size: 0.9375rem;
  line-height: 1.6;
  color: var(--muted);
  text-wrap: pretty;
}

.rot-07__code {
  font-family: ui-monospace, Menlo, Consolas, monospace;
  font-size: 0.85em;
  color: var(--accent);
}

.rot-07__viewport {
  inline-size: 100%;
  display: grid;
  place-items: center;
  padding-block: 0.5rem;
  perspective: var(--persp);
  perspective-origin: 50% 45%;
}

.rot-07__rail {
  position: relative;
  inline-size: min(100%, 44rem);
  block-size: calc(var(--card) * 1.85);
  transform-style: preserve-3d;
  outline: none;
}

.rot-07__rail:focus-visible {
  outline: 2px solid var(--accent);
  outline-offset: 6px;
  border-radius: 0.5rem;
}

.rot-07__item {
  --off: calc(var(--i) - var(--rot-07-active));
  position: absolute;
  inset-block-start: 0;
  inset-inline-start: 50%;
  inline-size: var(--card);
  display: grid;
  gap: 0.4rem;
  justify-items: center;
  margin-inline-start: calc(var(--card) / -2);
  transform: translateX(calc(var(--off) * var(--gap-x) * var(--card))) translateZ(calc(max(var(--off), var(--off) * -1) * var(--depth) * -1)) rotateY(calc(clamp(-1, var(--off), 1) * var(--turn) * -1)) scale(calc(1 - max(var(--off), var(--off) * -1) * 0.06));
  transition: transform 420ms cubic-bezier(0.25, 0.8, 0.3, 1), opacity 420ms linear;
  opacity: calc(1 - max(var(--off), var(--off) * -1) * 0.18);
  z-index: calc(10 - max(var(--off), var(--off) * -1));
}

.rot-07__cover {
  position: relative;
  inline-size: 100%;
  aspect-ratio: 1;
  border: 1px solid var(--rule);
  border-radius: 0.25rem;
  box-shadow: 0 22px 40px -26px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.9);
  overflow: hidden;
}

.rot-07__cover--a {
  background: linear-gradient(145deg, #2f5d63, #16333a);
}

.rot-07__cover--b {
  background: linear-gradient(145deg, #a3562c, #5c2b16);
}

.rot-07__cover--c {
  background: linear-gradient(145deg, #e0a33c, #8a5c12);
}

.rot-07__cover--d {
  background: linear-gradient(145deg, #55585f, #24262b);
}

.rot-07__cover--e {
  background: linear-gradient(145deg, #3d4a86, #1a1f45);
}

.rot-07__grooves {
  position: absolute;
  inset: 0;
  background: repeating-linear-gradient(90deg, rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.09) 0 1px, transparent 1px 9px);
}

.rot-07__title {
  margin: 0.15rem 0 0;
  font-family: var(--font-display);
  font-size: 0.9375rem;
  text-align: center;
  min-inline-size: 0;
}

.rot-07__by {
  margin: 0;
  font-size: 0.75rem;
  color: var(--muted);
  text-align: center;
  min-inline-size: 0;
}

.rot-07__item[aria-selected="true"] .rot-07__title {
  color: var(--accent);
}

.rot-07__controls {
  display: flex;
  align-items: center;
  gap: 0.75rem;
  flex-wrap: wrap;
  justify-content: center;
}

.rot-07__btn {
  display: inline-flex;
  align-items: center;
  justify-content: center;
  inline-size: 2.75rem;
  block-size: 2.75rem;
  border: 1px solid var(--rule);
  border-radius: 50%;
  background: var(--surface);
  color: var(--ink);
  cursor: pointer;
}

.rot-07__btn:hover {
  border-color: var(--accent);
  color: var(--accent);
}

.rot-07__btn:focus-visible {
  outline: 2px solid var(--accent);
  outline-offset: 2px;
}

.rot-07__status {
  min-inline-size: 12rem;
  text-align: center;
  font-family: var(--font-display);
  font-size: 0.875rem;
  color: var(--muted);
}

.rot-07__fine {
  inline-size: min(100%, 38rem);
  margin: 0;
  font-size: 0.8125rem;
  line-height: 1.65;
  text-align: center;
  color: var(--muted);
  text-wrap: pretty;
}

@media (max-width: 30rem) {
  .rot-07 {
    --card: clamp(3.75rem, 17vw, 7rem);
    --gap-x: 0.5;
    --depth: 80px;
    --turn: 34deg;
  }
}

@media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
  .rot-07__item {
    transition: none;
  }
}

.rot-07__theme {
  position: absolute;
  inset-block-start: 0.875rem;
  inset-inline-end: 0.875rem;
  z-index: 20;
  display: flex;
  align-items: center;
  gap: 0.125rem;
  margin: 0;
  padding: 0.1875rem;
  border: 1px solid color-mix(in srgb, currentColor 18%, transparent);
  border-radius: 999px;
  background: color-mix(in srgb, currentColor 8%, transparent);
  -webkit-backdrop-filter: blur(6px);
  backdrop-filter: blur(6px);
  font-family: system-ui, sans-serif;
}

.rot-07__themelegend {
  position: absolute;
  inline-size: 1px;
  block-size: 1px;
  padding: 0;
  overflow: hidden;
  clip-path: inset(50%);
}

.rot-07__themeinput {
  position: absolute;
  inline-size: 1px;
  block-size: 1px;
  margin: 0;
  overflow: hidden;
  clip-path: inset(50%);
}

.rot-07__themeopt {
  display: inline-flex;
  align-items: center;
  justify-content: center;
  min-block-size: 2.25rem;
  min-inline-size: 2.75rem;
  padding: 0 0.6875rem;
  border-radius: 999px;
  font-size: 0.6875rem;
  font-weight: 600;
  letter-spacing: 0.06em;
  text-transform: uppercase;
  color: inherit;
  opacity: 0.55;
  cursor: pointer;
  user-select: none;
  white-space: nowrap;
}

.rot-07__themeopt:hover {
  opacity: 0.85;
}

.rot-07__themeinput:checked + .rot-07__themeopt {
  opacity: 1;
  background: color-mix(in srgb, currentColor 15%, transparent);
}

.rot-07__themeinput:focus-visible + .rot-07__themeopt {
  outline: 2px solid currentColor;
  outline-offset: 2px;
}

@media (forced-colors: active) {
  .rot-07__theme {
    border-color: CanvasText;
    background: Canvas;
  }

  .rot-07__themeinput:checked + .rot-07__themeopt {
    background: Highlight;
    color: HighlightText;
  }
}

@media (prefers-color-scheme: light) {
  .rot-07:not(:has(#rot-07-theme-dark:checked)) {
    --page: #f7f3ec;
    --surface: #ffffff;
    --ink: #241d14;
    --muted: #776853;
    --rule: #e0d6c6;
    --accent: #a86a10;
  }

  .rot-07:not(:has(#rot-07-theme-dark:checked)) .rot-07__cover {
    box-shadow: 0 22px 40px -28px rgba(60, 45, 25, 0.55);
  }
}

@media (prefers-color-scheme: dark) {
  .rot-07:has(#rot-07-theme-light:checked) {
    --page: #f7f3ec;
    --surface: #ffffff;
    --ink: #241d14;
    --muted: #776853;
    --rule: #e0d6c6;
    --accent: #a86a10;
  }
}

[data-theme="light"] .rot-07:not(:has(#rot-07-theme-dark:checked)) {
  --page: #f7f3ec;
  --surface: #ffffff;
  --ink: #241d14;
  --muted: #776853;
  --rule: #e0d6c6;
  --accent: #a86a10;
}

.rot-07:has(#rot-07-theme-light:checked) {
  --page: #f7f3ec;
  --surface: #ffffff;
  --ink: #241d14;
  --muted: #776853;
  --rule: #e0d6c6;
  --accent: #a86a10;
}

.rot-07:has(#rot-07-theme-light:checked) .rot-07__cover {
  box-shadow: 0 22px 40px -28px rgba(60, 45, 25, 0.55);
}

.rot-07:has(#rot-07-theme-dark:checked) {
  --page: #1a1712;
  --surface: #241f18;
  --ink: #f5ece0;
  --muted: #a5947e;
  --rule: #3a3226;
  --accent: #e0a33c;
}

.rot-07:has(#rot-07-theme-dark:checked) .rot-07__cover {
  box-shadow: 0 22px 40px -26px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.9);
}
/* Site-theme bridge: the per-demo page stamps [data-theme] on the iframe
   root. Without these rules a dark-by-default demo followed the OS instead
   of the site when the visitor was on OS-light + site-dark. Guarded by the
   light toggle so the in-demo switch still wins. */

[data-theme="dark"] .rot-07:not(:has(#rot-07-theme-light:checked)) {
  --page: #1a1712;
  --surface: #241f18;
  --ink: #f5ece0;
  --muted: #a5947e;
  --rule: #3a3226;
  --accent: #e0a33c;
}

[data-theme="dark"] .rot-07:not(:has(#rot-07-theme-light:checked)) .rot-07__cover {
  box-shadow: 0 22px 40px -26px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.9);
}
```

## JavaScript
```js
(() => {
  const rail = document.querySelector('.rot-07__rail');
  if (!rail || rail.dataset.rot07) return;
  rail.dataset.rot07 = '1';
  const items = [...rail.querySelectorAll('.rot-07__item')];
  const status = document.querySelector('.rot-07__status');
  let active = Number(rail.style.getPropertyValue('--rot-07-active')) || 0;
  const show = (next) => {
    active = Math.min(items.length - 1, Math.max(0, next));
    rail.style.setProperty('--rot-07-active', String(active));
    items.forEach((el, i) => el.setAttribute('aria-selected', i === active ? 'true' : 'false'));
    const pick = items[active];
    status.textContent = pick.querySelector('.rot-07__title').textContent + ' · ' + pick.querySelector('.rot-07__by').textContent;
  };
  document.querySelectorAll('[data-rot07]').forEach((btn) => {
    btn.addEventListener('click', () => show(active + (btn.dataset.rot07 === 'next' ? 1 : -1)));
  });
  items.forEach((el, i) => el.addEventListener('click', () => show(i)));
  rail.addEventListener('keydown', (e) => {
    const map = { ArrowRight: active + 1, ArrowLeft: active - 1, Home: 0, End: items.length - 1 };
    if (!(e.key in map)) return;
    e.preventDefault();
    show(map[e.key]);
  });
  show(active);
})();
```

How this works

One number drives the whole rail. JavaScript sets --rot-07-active on the rail and nothing else. Each item carries its own static --i, so its CSS can compute --off: calc(var(--i) - var(--rot-07-active)) and build its transform from that — a rotation whose sign follows the offset, a translateZ that pushes distant items away, and a scale that shrinks them. Adding an item means adding markup, not another rule.

The falloff is what makes it read as cover flow. Items adjacent to the centre take a large rotation, around 42 degrees, but items further out barely rotate more — what changes with distance is depth and horizontal spacing. That is why the classic effect looks like a fanned stack of records rather than a row of tilted rectangles: the angle saturates, the depth does not.

Transitions interpolate custom-property-driven transforms without registration here, because the property being transitioned is transform itself. When --rot-07-active changes, every item's computed transform changes, and transition: transform animates between the old and new matrices. Registration with @property is only needed when the animated thing is the custom property — an angle interpolating on its own.

The trap is building it as a slider and forgetting it is a list. Rotation is decoration; the accessible layer is the buttons, the aria-current on the selected item and a polite live region that names it. Keyboard users get left and right arrows plus Home and End on the rail, and because the demo runs in a sandboxed frame with no form submission, every control is a real <button type="button"> with a click listener.

Make it yours

  • Change --turn to set how hard off-centre items rotate; 30 to 45 degrees is the cover-flow range.
  • Change --depth to push distant items further back, which is what actually communicates distance.
  • Change --gap-x — a unitless multiplier of the card width — to spread the rail horizontally without touching the angles.
  • Set --persp lower for a more dramatic vanishing point, higher for a flatter, more editorial rail.
  • Swap the artwork gradients for real images — the transform maths is unchanged.
  • Increase the transition duration for a slower settle, or set it to 0 for an instant jump between selections.

Gotchas — read before shipping

  • Computing a transform string in JavaScript on every frame throws away the compositor; write one custom property and let the stylesheet build the transform.
  • An overflow: hidden on the rail's ancestor flattens the 3D context and the rotation collapses into a flat scale — clip with a mask or padding instead.
  • Without a z-index derived from the same offset, an item rotated behind its neighbour can still paint on top of it.
  • Rotated items are wider than their resting box, so a rail sized to the unrotated card widths will clip the outer covers at some indices.

Browser support

ChromeSafariFirefoxEdge
114+17.5+121+114+

Floor set by :has(), oklch(), color-mix(), backdrop-filter, text-wrap as this demo is written. The core technique itself goes back further — Chrome 111+.

rotateY, translateZ, perspective and preserve-3d are Baseline since 2015, and reading a custom property inside calc() has been safe since 2017 — the rail's maths needs nothing recent. oklch() sets Chrome 111, color-mix() in the chrome sets Safari 16.2, and the :has() theme switch sets Firefox 121. Older engines show the sRGB fallbacks and lose the theme control while the carousel, its keyboard handling and its rotation all work.

Techniques used in this demo

3D transforms (perspective + preserve-3d)MDN ↗tabindexMDN ↗aspect-ratioMDN ↗backdrop-filterMDN ↗clip-pathMDN ↗text-wrap: prettyMDN ↗

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