How to Center Rotate an SVG Element using CSS

Описание: Learn how to perfectly center your SVG animations with CSS by adjusting the `transform-origin` property for seamless rotations.
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This video is based on the question https://stackoverflow.com/q/65009772/ asked by the user 'Johnny Kontrolletti' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/14544753/ ) and on the answer https://stackoverflow.com/a/65010262/ provided by the user 'NVRM' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/2494754/ ) at 'Stack Overflow' website. Thanks to these great users and Stackexchange community for their contributions.

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How to Center Rotate an SVG Element Using CSS

SVG graphics are versatile and powerful when it comes to web design. They can be animated to enhance the user experience, but sometimes achieving a perfect rotation effect can be tricky. If you've ever attempted to rotate an SVG element and found that it spins in a manner that seems off-center, you're not alone! In this post, we will explore how to properly center rotate an SVG element using CSS and the key properties involved in this process.

The Problem

You may want to rotate an SVG element as part of an animation, but when doing so, it often rotates around an unexpected point. This can make your animation seem unprofessional and visually jarring. Commonly, this issue arises from not understanding how to set the transform-origin property accurately.

Example Scenario

For example, you might have the following CSS animation where you've set a transform-origin but find that your SVG doesn't rotate centered:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

In this case, your SVG rotates differently than expected. Let's dive into the solution.

The Solution

Understanding transform-origin

The transform-origin property in CSS allows you to define the point of rotation for an element. By default, this is set to the center of the bounding box of the element, but in SVG elements, it can often require more precise adjustments, especially when dealing with view boxes.

Step-by-Step Fix

Remove unnecessary translations from the transform property within the keyframe animations. This will simplify your rotation and allow focus on the central rotation.

Adjust the transform-origin quantitatively:

Set its value such that it refers to a point that is visually at the center of the element.

For example, if your view box dimensions are 933.574 by 507.132, set it accordingly.

Here’s how you would rewrite the CSS:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Final SVG Structure

Your SVG HTML should look like this, with unnecessary transforms removed:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Why It Works

Adjusting the transform-origin sets a specific point around which the SVG will rotate. In the above example, it positions the pivot point at 260 pixels from the left edge of the bounding box and centers it vertically.

By refining your keyframes and omitting unnecessary translations, you ensure smoother rotations, maintaining a clean visual output.

Conclusion

Animating SVG elements can elevate the user experience on any web application. Understanding transform-origin is key to achieving the perfect centered rotation effect. By following the steps detailed in this post, you can enhance your SVG animations, making them dynamic and visually appealing to your audience.

Feel free to play with the values and experiment with different rotations to achieve the desired effect for your project!