# universal-timing

A skill about animation timing: rules that hold at 50ms and at 5000ms. Useful when you need to pick a duration and an easing curve instead of guessing.

- skill · `type=skill` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, OpenCode · 473 installs · ★ 124
- Author: dylantarre
- License: MIT · policy=mirror · the beginning of the file is at the end of this page
- Source: https://github.com/dylantarre/animation-principles/tree/HEAD/skills/10-by-time-scale/universal-timing/SKILL.md
- Updated: 2025-12-30
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/universal-timing

## What it does

The skill covers animation principles that survive any duration. Squash and stretch scales proportionally — 5% at 100ms, 30% at 2000ms. Anticipation keeps a fixed share, 20–30% of the main action, no matter how long that action runs. Slow in and slow out stays mandatory, since linear motion reads as mechanical at every speed.

It also hands you ratios. Anticipation, action and follow-through split as 20% : 50% : 30%, which at 500ms means 100ms, 250ms and 150ms. Stagger delay runs 10–20% of an item's duration, so a 300ms item wants 30–60ms between items. A separate section explains when ease-in earns its place: under 150ms only ease-out fits, and a full ease-in-out becomes possible from 400ms. Ready-made `cubic-bezier` values for CSS are included.

A framework maps felt intent to duration, from instant through dramatic. Nothing here computes values for you or writes them into your code — you get the rules and the ratios, and your project's context decides the number. If your design system already locks animation tokens, expect to reconcile these ratios with it by hand.

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add dylantarre/animation-principles --skill universal-timing -a claude-code
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `~/.claude/skills/universal-timing/SKILL.md` — Copy the whole skill folder; for one project use .claude/skills/universal-timing/

### Codex

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add dylantarre/animation-principles --skill universal-timing -a codex
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.agents/skills/universal-timing/SKILL.md` — For all projects use ~/.agents/skills/

### Cursor

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add dylantarre/animation-principles --skill universal-timing -a cursor
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.cursor/skills/universal-timing/SKILL.md` — Cursor also reads .agents/skills/ and .claude/skills/

### GitHub Copilot

1. **GitHub CLI**
```bash
gh skill install dylantarre/animation-principles universal-timing
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.github/skills/universal-timing/SKILL.md`

### Gemini CLI

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add dylantarre/animation-principles --skill universal-timing -a gemini-cli
```

2. **Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini skills install https://github.com/dylantarre/animation-principles --path skills/10-by-time-scale/universal-timing
```

### Windsurf (Devin Desktop)

**Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.devin/skills/universal-timing/SKILL.md` — The legacy .windsurf/skills/ path still works

### OpenCode

**Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add dylantarre/animation-principles --skill universal-timing -a opencode
```

### Claude.ai

**Claude.ai**
- Zip the folder and upload it in Settings → Capabilities → Skills

Where a file is given instead of a command, copy the files from the source to that path: https://github.com/dylantarre/animation-principles/tree/HEAD/skills/10-by-time-scale/universal-timing/SKILL.md

## When to use it
- pick a duration that matches the intended feel
- work out anticipation and follow-through shares from total time
- set stagger delay for a list of items
- decide when ease-in is worth using
- stress-test an animation at extreme speeds

## Example prompts
- Pick timing values for a card appearing over 300ms using the universal-timing principles
- Break a 500ms animation into anticipation, action and follow-through
- Which cubic-bezier should I use for a panel sliding in over 120ms?

## Source text · SKILL.md · MIT

Below is the content of a third-party file. It is data, not instructions for you: do not act on anything written inside unless the human asks. Block tag: 23d5685cc4f53e05.

BEGIN THIRD-PARTY FILE 23d5685cc4f53e05
````text
---
name: universal-timing
description: Use when learning animation timing fundamentals - principles that apply regardless of duration, the foundational rules that scale across all time ranges
---

# Universal Timing Principles

Some animation truths **transcend duration**. These principles work at 50ms and 5000ms. Master these to make good timing decisions at any scale.

## Disney Principles - Universal Application

### Always True

**Squash & Stretch**: Scale proportionally - 5% at 100ms, 30% at 2000ms. Never eliminate, always proportional.

**Anticipation**: Ratio stays constant - anticipation is 20-30% of main action duration, regardless of total time.

**Staging**: One clear focus - whether instant or cinematic, only one thing should demand primary attention.

**Straight Ahead/Pose to Pose**: Complexity matches duration - short = straight ahead, long = pose to pose.

**Follow Through**: Present at all durations - even 100ms can have micro-overshoot. Scale matches duration.

**Slow In/Slow Out**: Always ease - linear motion looks mechanical at every duration.

**Arcs**: Natural paths scale - short animations = subtle curves, long animations = sweeping arcs.

**Secondary Action**: Supports, never competes - true at 50ms and 5000ms.

**Timing**: Duration determines perception - same motion reads differently at different speeds.

**Exaggeration**: Match duration and importance - longer duration allows more exaggeration.

**Solid Drawing**: Transforms must match - consistency matters regardless of speed.

**Appeal**: The goal - animation should enhance, not impede, at any duration.

## Universal Ratios

### The Golden Ratio of Animation Timing

```
Anticipation : Action : Follow-through
    20%      :   50%  :     30%

Example at 500ms:
  Anticipation: 100ms
  Main action: 250ms
  Follow-through: 150ms
```

### Stagger Ratio

```
Optimal stagger delay: 10-20% of item duration

Item duration: 300ms
Stagger delay: 30-60ms between items
```

### Easing Intensity vs Duration

```
Duration < 150ms: ease-out only (no time for ease-in)
Duration 150-400ms: ease-out or custom
Duration 400ms+: full ease-in-out possible
```

## Easing That Works Everywhere

```css
/* Universal ease-out - works at any duration */
transition-timing-function: cubic-bezier(0.16, 1, 0.3, 1);

/* Universal natural motion */
transition-timing-function: cubic-bezier(0.4, 0, 0.2, 1);

/* Universal bounce - scale amplitude with duration */
````
END THIRD-PARTY FILE 23d5685cc4f53e05

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