Barba.js Tutorial — Page Transitions for 3D Sites
Barba.js intercepts page navigation and animates transitions — the WebGL canvas stays alive between pages.
Barba.js (barba.js.org) intercepts link clicks, fetches new pages via fetch(), animates transitions, swaps DOM. Key benefit for 3D sites: WebGL canvas and scene don't destroy/rebuild between pages — the hero scene keeps spinning, camera animates to a new angle, new content slides in. Tutorial: install @barba/core, define transitions with `barba.init({ transitions: [...] })`, integrate with GSAP for animation timeline. Mobile considerations: ensure scroll position resets correctly, handle browser back button. For multi-page 3D sites with shared backgrounds, Barba is essentially required tooling. For single-page scroll-driven sites, Barba is unnecessary.
Step-by-step outline
Step 1: scaffold the project (Vite + Three.js). Step 2: get a basic scene rendering — camera, light, geometry. Step 3: load the asset (glTF). Step 4: hook up animation timeline (GSAP or built-in). Step 5: add interactivity (click, scroll). Step 6: optimize for mobile (device-tier check, asset compression). Step 7: deploy. Each step builds on the previous; skipping leads to confusion later.
Common pitfalls
Three failure modes I see beginners hit: (1) trying to render before assets finish loading — always wait for the loader callback, (2) using full-resolution textures on mobile — always have KTX2 or compressed alternatives, (3) leaving the scene rendering when off-screen — pause the render loop with IntersectionObserver. Each pitfall has a clear fix; the trick is recognizing the symptom.
Want a faster path
If your timeline is short and the project matters commercially, hiring an experienced developer often beats self-learning by 4-6 weeks of effort. I take on Barba.js Tutorial — Page Transitions for 3D Sites projects on a fixed-price basis — you get the working result without the learning detour. Reach out via the contact page if a structured engagement makes sense for what you're building.
Further reading
Three resources I recommend after this guide: the official Three.js fundamentals docs (excellent and underused), Bruno Simon's Three.js Journey (paid, comprehensive), and the React Three Fiber docs if you'll work in React. Beyond that, reading other developers' source on GitHub — search for 'three-js portfolio' on GitHub trending — accelerates learning faster than any tutorial.
Frequently asked questions
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