wallacedobbs428/flutter-animations

Flutter Animations

Comprehensive guide for Flutter animation implementation across five main categories.

Animation Decision Tree

Select the appropriate animation approach:

• Implicit Animations: Automatically handle property changes without controllers (AnimatedContainer, AnimatedOpacity, TweenAnimationBuilder). Best for simple state-driven effects.
• Explicit Animations: Provide full lifecycle control via AnimationController for complex scenarios.
• Hero Animations: Enable shared element transitions between screens.
• Staggered Animations: Coordinate multiple animations with sequential or overlapping timing.
• Physics-Based Animations: Use simulations for natural, lifelike motion.

Key Implementation Patterns

Implicit animations automatically handle the animation when properties change. No controller needed, making them ideal for simple state-driven effects.

For advanced scenarios, the AnimatedBuilder pattern is best for complex widgets with animations, offering performance benefits over setState-based approaches.

Best Practices

• Always dispose AnimationController to prevent memory leaks
• Prefer AnimatedBuilder over setState in animation listeners
• Use appropriate curves from the Curves class for natural motion
• Leverage timeDilation for debugging animation timing
• Respect user accessibility preferences regarding motion

References

• references/implicit.md — Implicit animation patterns
• references/explicit.md — Explicit animation with controllers
• references/hero.md — Hero transition patterns
• references/staggered.md — Staggered animation coordination
• references/physics.md — Physics-based animations
• references/curves.md — Animation curves reference