Creating custom animation blocks in WordPress opens endless possibilities for unique, brand-specific interactions. While plugins like Block Editor Animations provide pre-built effects, sometimes you need something completely custom.

This developer guide teaches you to build custom animation blocks from scratch using modern WordPress block development tools. You’ll learn block registration, attribute management, animation controls, and frontend implementation.
Setting Up Your Development Environment
Install Node.js and npm, WordPress local development (Local by Flywheel or similar), and @wordpress/create-block scaffold tool.
npx @wordpress/create-block animation-showcase
cd animation-showcase
npm start
Block Structure and Registration
block.json configuration:
{
"apiVersion": 2,
"name": "yournamespace/animation-block",
"title": "Custom Animation Block",
"category": "design",
"attributes": {
"animationType": { "type": "string", "default": "fade-up" },
"duration": { "type": "number", "default": 600 },
"delay": { "type": "number", "default": 0 },
"content": { "type": "string", "source": "html", "selector": ".content" }
}
}
Adding Animation Controls
Use InspectorControls for sidebar settings:
import { InspectorControls } from "@wordpress/block-editor";
import { PanelBody, SelectControl, RangeControl } from "@wordpress/components";
<InspectorControls>
<PanelBody title="Animation Settings">
<SelectControl
label="Animation Type"
value={animationType}
options={[
{ label: "Fade Up", value: "fade-up" },
{ label: "Slide Left", value: "slide-left" },
{ label: "Zoom In", value: "zoom-in" }
]}
onChange={(value) => setAttributes({ animationType: value })}
/>
<RangeControl
label="Duration (ms)"
value={duration}
onChange={(value) => setAttributes({ duration: value })}
min={200}
max={2000}
step={100}
/>
</PanelBody>
</InspectorControls>;
Frontend Animation Implementation
CSS animations:
.animation-block.fade-up {
opacity: 0;
transform: translateY(30px);
transition: all 0.6s ease;
}
.animation-block.fade-up.visible {
opacity: 1;
transform: translateY(0);
}
JavaScript (Intersection Observer):
document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", () => {
const observer = new IntersectionObserver((entries) => {
entries.forEach((entry) => {
if (entry.isIntersecting) {
entry.target.classList.add("visible");
}
});
});
document.querySelectorAll(".animation-block").forEach((el) => observer.observe(el));
});
Advanced Features
Add timing controls, easing options, trigger point customization, repeat/once toggle, and mobile detection.
Best Practices
- Use GPU-accelerated properties (transform, opacity)
- Implement prefers-reduced-motion support
- Lazy load animations (scroll-triggered)
- Test on low-end devices
- Keep JavaScript minimal
Conclusion
Building custom animation blocks requires block registration, animation controls in InspectorControls, CSS transitions/animations, Intersection Observer for lazy loading, and accessibility compliance.
Start with Block Editor Animations for ready-made solutions, then extend with custom blocks for unique needs.
Visit our support page for questions!

