Image Carousel — 3 Techniques Compared

Updated Apr 30, 2026

Compare 3 techniques for building image carousels: CSS scroll-snap for native swiping experience, CSS transforms for smooth slide animations with GPU acceleration, and JavaScript-driven carousel with touch support and auto-play. Choose based on your feature requirements and browser support needs.

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[CSS scroll-snap] CSS-only Carousel with Scroll Snap

Demo & Code

Pure CSS carousel using scroll-snap-type and scroll-snap-align for native-like swiping experience. Technique: CSS scroll-snap. Native scrolling, smooth, no JS at all. Source code by Schepp on CodePen.

Technologies

HTML CSS JavaScript

Code By

Schepp

Created

2025-07-10

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[CSS Transform] CSS Transform Carousel Slider

Demo & Code

Carousel using CSS transforms and transitions for slide animations with JavaScript controls. Technique: CSS Transform. Smooth GPU-accelerated animations, control. Source code by Smashing Magazine on CodePen.

Technologies

HTML CSS JavaScript

Code By

Smashing Magazine

Created

2025-09-20

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[JavaScript Carousel] JS Carousel with Navigation Dots

Demo & Code

Full-featured JavaScript carousel with navigation dots, auto-play, touch support, and responsive design. Technique: JavaScript Carousel. Feature-rich, touch/auto-play, customization. Source code by Tushar Kanjariya on CodePen.

Technologies

HTML CSS JavaScript

Code By

Tushar Kanjariya

Created

2026-01-15

View on CodePen