Sticky Title Scroll Effect
Documentation
Webflow
Code
Setup: External Scripts
HTML
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<script src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/gsap@3.15/dist/gsap.min.js"></script>
<script src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/gsap@3.15/dist/ScrollTrigger.min.js"></script>
<script src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/gsap@3.15/dist/SplitText.min.js"></script>Step 1: Add HTML
HTML
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<section data-sticky-title="wrap" class="sticky-title-wrapper">
<div class="sticky-title-container">
<div class="sticky-title-inner">
<h2 data-sticky-title="heading" class="sticky-title-el">Use this effect to really emphasize your message</h2>
<h2 data-sticky-title="heading" class="sticky-title-el is--stacked">You can layer multiple headings on each other</h2>
<h2 data-sticky-title="heading" class="sticky-title-el is--stacked">Add as many as you want, but I like the balance of 3</h2>
</div>
</div>
</section>Step 2: Add CSS
CSS
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.sticky-title-wrapper {
background-image: linear-gradient(#000, #777);
width: 100%;
height: 350vh;
position: relative;
}
.sticky-title-container {
justify-content: center;
align-items: center;
width: 100%;
height: 100vh;
padding-left: 1.5em;
padding-right: 1.5em;
display: flex;
position: sticky;
top: 0;
}
.sticky-title-inner {
text-align: center;
flex-flow: column;
justify-content: center;
align-items: center;
width: 100%;
max-width: 60em;
margin-left: auto;
margin-right: auto;
display: flex;
position: relative;
}
.sticky-title-el {
margin-top: 0;
margin-bottom: 0;
font-size: 5em;
font-weight: 500;
line-height: 1;
}
.sticky-title-el.is--stacked {
visibility: hidden;
position: absolute;
}
@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {
.sticky-title-el {
font-size: 3.5em;
}
}Step 2: Add Javascript
Step 3: Add Javascript
Javascript
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gsap.registerPlugin(ScrollTrigger, SplitText)
function initStickyTitleScroll() {
const wraps = document.querySelectorAll('[data-sticky-title="wrap"]');
wraps.forEach(wrap => {
const headings = Array.from(wrap.querySelectorAll('[data-sticky-title="heading"]'));
const masterTl = gsap.timeline({
scrollTrigger: {
trigger: wrap,
start: "top 40%",
end: "bottom bottom",
scrub: true,
}
});
const revealDuration = 0.7,
fadeOutDuration = 0.7,
overlapOffset = 0.15;
headings.forEach((heading, index) => {
// Save original heading content for screen readers
heading.setAttribute("aria-label", heading.textContent);
const split = new SplitText(heading, { type: "words,chars" });
// Hide all the separate words from screenreader
split.words.forEach(word => word.setAttribute("aria-hidden", "true"));
// Reset visibility on the 'stacked' headings
gsap.set(heading, { visibility: "visible" });
const headingTl = gsap.timeline();
headingTl.from(split.chars, {
autoAlpha: 0,
stagger: { amount: revealDuration, from: "start" },
duration: revealDuration
});
// Animate fade-out for every heading except the last one.
if (index < headings.length - 1) {
headingTl.to(split.chars, {
autoAlpha: 0,
stagger: { amount: fadeOutDuration, from: "end" },
duration: fadeOutDuration
});
}
// Overlap the start of fade-in of the new heading a little bit
if (index === 0) {
masterTl.add(headingTl);
} else {
masterTl.add(headingTl, `-=${overlapOffset}`);
}
});
});
}
// Initialize Sticky Title Scroll Effect
document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", () => {
initStickyTitleScroll();
});Documentation
This creates a smooth, scroll-based text animation where multiple stacked headings are revealed sequentially. The headings animate in and out using GSAP’s ScrollTrigger and SplitText, emphasizing your content as users scroll.
HTML Structure & Requirements
- Wrapper Element:
- Use an element with the attribute
data-sticky-title="wrap". - Set its height to define the scrolling area (for example,
height: 300vh; or any value you decide based on the number of headings).
- Use an element with the attribute
- Sticky Container:
- Inside the wrapper, include a sticky container (e.g., <div class="sticky-title-container">).
- Important: Ensure that no parent element has overflow: hidden, as this is crucial for the sticky behavior to work properly.
- Headings:
- Add your headings with the attribute
data-sticky-title="heading". - In CSS, the headings meant to stack are hidden (for example, using classes like
.is--stackedwhich setvisibility: hiddenandposition: absolute). - This structure allows you to have as many headings as you want; just make sure you update the height of the wrapper accordingly.
- Add your headings with the attribute
How It Works
- Dynamic Setup:
- The resource scans for all wrappers and their respective headings on the page.
- SplitText & ARIA:
- Each heading is split into words and characters using GSAP’s SplitText, while the full text is preserved in an
aria-labelfor accessibility. - The individual words are hidden from screen readers via
aria-hidden="true".
- Each heading is split into words and characters using GSAP’s SplitText, while the full text is preserved in an
- Animation Timeline:
- A master timeline (per wrapper) handles the sequential animation.
- Each heading fades in first (revealing the characters in sequence) and, if it’s not the final heading, fades out (with characters disappearing in reverse order) before the next heading starts its reveal.
- A slight overlap can be implemented between fade-out and the next fade-in for a more dynamic transition.
Useful Tip
For an extra smooth scroll effect, consider integrating Lenis for smooth scrolling.
Resource details
Published
April 16, 2025
Category
Text Animations
Popularity
3.2K visitors
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