Does Morphing Pill Menu work in Next.js App Router?

Yes. The component includes the `'use client'` directive and uses `useGSAP` for proper cleanup across Server Component re-renders. Drop it into any page or component inside `app/`.

Does Morphing Pill Menu work with Server Components?

The component itself runs on the client (it needs the DOM for GSAP), but the parent page can be a Server Component. Import the component normally; React's "use client" boundary handles the rest. No additional configuration needed.

Does Morphing Pill Menu work in React 18 and React 19?

Yes. The component uses `useGSAP` which is React-version-agnostic. It also handles Strict Mode double-invocation correctly via `gsap.context` scoping.

Will the animation flash before hydration?

Brief flash is possible on first paint because GSAP needs the client to initialize. The component sets the parked ("starting") state via `gsap.set` on mount before the first frame, so any visible jump is sub-frame and rarely perceived. For above-the-fold use, pair with a CSS opacity:0 default that the component clears on mount.

GSAP component for React

Morphing Pill Menu in React.

A compact Menu pill that grows into the whole navigation panel when clicked - no overlay stacked on top, the pill itself morphs open. Links cascade in letter by letter, roll on hover, and an image slot inside is ready to link anywhere.

Install

Morphing Pill Menu ships as a copy-paste React component. The only dependencies are GSAP and the official @gsap/react adapter for the useGSAP hook. Both work in Next.js (App Router and Pages), Vite, Remix, and Create React App.

BASH

Integrate

Where it goes in your React app

Morphing Pill Menu is a leaf-level interactive component, so it needs to render on the client. In a Next.js App Router project, add the 'use client' directive at the top of the file (it's already there in the component you copy).

The component is self-contained: it manages its own refs, useGSAP scope, and cleanup. Mount it inside any Server Component, Client Component, or page. It does not require a provider or wrapper.

If your project uses TypeScript, the component is typed - the props it accepts match the data-anm-* attributes documented on the main detail page.

Gotchas

Char masks are rendered, not injected

Link labels and the View cue split into per-character mask spans in JSX, with the animatable inners collected into per-link ref arrays. Changing the links prop rebuilds the masks.

Readiness lives in refs, not state

linkReady / panelReady are animation-internal refs - they gate hovers per element without triggering renders. No global open/close lock exists; do not add one around the handlers.

The idle ripple uses setTimeout on purpose

A gsap.delayedCall would be sped up 20x by the reduced-motion timeScale. The timer is cleared on unmount and never scheduled when prefers-reduced-motion is set.

FAQ

Common questions

Does Morphing Pill Menu work in Next.js App Router?: Yes. The component includes the 'use client' directive and uses useGSAP for proper cleanup across Server Component re-renders. Drop it into any page or component inside app/.
Does Morphing Pill Menu work with Server Components?: The component itself runs on the client (it needs the DOM for GSAP), but the parent page can be a Server Component. Import the component normally; React's "use client" boundary handles the rest. No additional configuration needed.
Does Morphing Pill Menu work in React 18 and React 19?: Yes. The component uses useGSAP which is React-version-agnostic. It also handles Strict Mode double-invocation correctly via gsap.context scoping.
Will the animation flash before hydration?: Brief flash is possible on first paint because GSAP needs the client to initialize. The component sets the parked ("starting") state via gsap.set on mount before the first frame, so any visible jump is sub-frame and rarely perceived. For above-the-fold use, pair with a CSS opacity:0 default that the component clears on mount.

Copy the React code

The full React implementation lives on the component page, with the live demo, every format side by side, and the ability to edit and re-run it in the browser.

Open Morphing Pill Menu

Morphing Pill Menu in React.

Install Morphing Pill Menu in your React project

Where it goes in your React app

Common questions

Copy the React code

Every component, in every framework.