Did you know that you can use CSS to create beautiful animations and interesting effects? Combined with HTML and JavaScript, or even on its own, CSS can be extremely powerful. You’d be surprised at what developers can create.
From simple scrolling animations to complex environments built entirely of code, these effects can add a lot of personality to your website.
What if you could use CSS backgrounds created by others for free? Sites like CodePen were made to host open source or other freely-licensed code, which means you can use it in your own projects with few-to-no stipulations.
This is also helpful for designers who want to learn CSS or pull off a similar, but personalized look. You can use these code snippets as a base to create your own effects.
There are a ton of developers who have created amazing CSS backgrounds and released them for free. Today we’ve collected 15 of the most stunning ones. See for yourself what you can do with a creative mind and a little code!
Parallax Pixel Stars
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Parallax Star background in CSS by Saransh Sinha (@saransh)
on CodePen.
Gradient Background Animation
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Pure CSS3 Gradient Background Animation by Manuel Pinto (@P1N2O)
on CodePen.
Frosted Glass Effect
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CSS only frosted glass effect by Gregg OD (@GreggOD)
on CodePen.
Shooting Star
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Only CSS: Shooting Star by Yusuke Nakaya (@YusukeNakaya)
on CodePen.
Fixed Background Effect
Tri Travelers
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Tri Travelers by Nate Wiley (@natewiley)
on CodePen.
ColorDrops
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ColorDrops by Nate Wiley (@natewiley)
on CodePen.
Animated Background Header
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Animated Background Header by Jasper LaChance (@jasperlachance)
on CodePen.
Zero Element: DeLight
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Zero Element: DeLight by Keith Clark (@keithclark)
on CodePen.
Glowing Particle Animation
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CSS Glowing Particle Animation by Nate Wiley (@natewiley)
on CodePen.
Background Image Scroll Effect
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Pure CSS Background Image Scroll Effect by carpe numidium (@carpenumidium)
on CodePen.
Multiple Background Image Parallax
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CSS Multiple Background Image Parallax Animation by carpe numidium (@carpenumidium)
on CodePen.
Bokeh Effect
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Bokeh effect (CSS) by Louis Hoebregts (@Mamboleoo)
on CodePen.
Calm Breeze Login Screen
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Calm breeze login screen by Lewi Hussey (@Lewitje)
on CodePen.
Effect Text Gradient
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Effect Text Gradient by Diogo Realles (@SoftwaRealles)
on CodePen.
Creatively Beautiful CSS Backgrounds
Good web design leaves a lasting impression on visitors, and there’s always something extra enchanting about a well-made animation. Whether you go all out with an animated starry or gradient background, or you just add some elegant and subtle parallax effects to your site, it can do wonders for your design.
CodePen hosts exclusively open source code, made by developers as a contribution to the community. So, if one of these effects caught your eye, feel free to copy it, tweak it, or use it as a base for making your own CSS animations.
Just remember to use the same license, and everything on CodePen is free to use.