AnimationController Explained | Flutter for Web Developers

What’s AnimationController?

The AnimationController class in Flutter is a powerful tool for managing animations. It allows developers to play animations forward or in reverse, stop them, and set specific values. Key methods include forward(), reverse(), stop(), and properties like value, duration, and status.

Check the official documentation for more.

AnimationController explained for Web Developers

From a web developer’s perspective, the AnimationController is similar to animation libraries in frameworks like React, Angular, or Vue, where you can control animations through state changes. However, Flutter’s AnimationController is more explicit, requiring a TickerProvider to manage frame updates, akin to using requestAnimationFrame in JavaScript.

Example Code

Here is an example of how to use AnimationController:

class Foo extends StatefulWidget {
  const Foo({ super.key, required this.duration });
  final Duration duration;
  @override
  State createState() => _FooState();
}

class _FooState extends State<Foo> with SingleTickerProviderStateMixin {
  late AnimationController _controller;

  @override
  void initState() {
    super.initState();
    _controller = AnimationController(
      vsync: this,
      duration: widget.duration,
    );
  }

  @override
  void dispose() {
    _controller.dispose();
    super.dispose();
  }

  @override
  Widget build(BuildContext context) {
    return Container(); // ...
  }
}

AnimationController Remarks

In conclusion, the AnimationController class is essential for creating smooth animations in Flutter. Understanding its lifecycle and how to manage it effectively will enhance your Flutter applications.