Making Your Collapsible Content Marvelously Smooth: A Step-by-Step Guide

You ever have one of those moments where something seemingly simple becomes laughably complicated? Let me tell you about the time I tackled the mysterious world of CSS animations on my e-commerce site—which, let's just say, involved far too many cups of coffee and a few muttered curses at my laptop. Our story begins with a task that sounds easy enough: making the first click on the collapsible content section of a Shopify store as smooth as butter. But, as these things tend to go, it wasn't as easy as it seemed.

So, let’s dive into the weeds and tackle this problem together, shall we?

The Curious Case of the Jumpy Expansion

Picture this: you have a beautifully designed store, and right at the bottom, there's this nifty little collapsible section. It should open with the grace of a dancer at a recital—only on the first click, it's more like a toddler stumbling onto a stage. Subsequent openings are smooth, but what gives on that first one?

Here's the issue laid bare: CSS transitions can sometimes act up on the first run because the browser hasn't painted the page element yet. That's a fancy way of saying it's a little shy and needs a nudge to be its best self.

Step 1: Tinker with the CSS Code

To get that consistent smoothness, we need to coax our animation to warm up just like those pre-performance stretches. Here's a plan that worked for us:

Let's refine the CSS you've been using. Look closely here:

.accordion details::details-content {
  display: block;
  margin-inline: 2rem;
  block-size: 0;
  overflow: hidden;
  transition-property: max-height, opacity;
  transition-duration: 0.3s;
  transition-timing-function: ease-out;
  opacity: 0;
  max-height: 0;
}
.accordion details[open]::details-content {
  block-size: auto;
  opacity: 1;
  max-height: 200px; /* Set this to a value that suits your content size. */
}

Step 2: Nudge the Transition with a Sly Trick

Ah, but here comes the magical touch—using max-height and opacity. Why? Because they play well together and—let's be honest—they're a dream team for animations.

The max-height and opacity animation kicks in immediately on the first click, ensuring your audience sees that splendid expansion without the hitch. No more stutter!

Step 3: Verify Across Devices

Now, Tim from the Shopify forums asked, "Can this be applied to mobile?" Spoiler: yes, it can, and here's how. Modern CSS is surprisingly considerate about translating desktop-style majestic swooshes to the realm of smaller screens.

Make sure your CSS code isn't hard-coded to a specific screen size. Often, what you apply with the code above will work on mobile by default, but check, double-check, and maybe even triple-check with different devices:

@media (max-width: 767px) {
  .accordion details::details-content {
    margin-inline: 1rem; /* Perhaps tighten this for smaller screens. */
  }
}

Breathing Life into Static Code

Let's reflect a bit. Like that time I finally got my website animation running without a hitch, this mission requires a touch of patience and experimentation. At its core, this isn't just about solving a technical glitch—it's about making technology work for us, enabling our visions to breathe life into what was once static and unremarkable.

Final Thoughts

We've journeyed together from that pesky first-click hurdle to a smooth animation that plays nice no matter the device. Also, a quick note for our friends who might be feeling slightly lost: tweaking animations isn't just about code, it's about crafting an experience. There's beauty and elegance in those tiny details.

And there you have it, our humble effort to demystify the world of CSS animations on Shopify. Remember, it's not just a store—it's your art! Happy animating, and may your collisions with technology always lead to elegant outcomes.

Until next time—stay curious, and keep crafting.