Parallax Image
The image drifts slower than the page inside its frame, adding depth as you scroll.
- Category: Image
- Licence: Charcoal UI Pro
- Built with: React 19, Tailwind CSS 4, Motion
- Dependencies: motion, clsx, tailwind-merge
Examples
Parallax Image
API reference
| Prop | Type | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
src / alt | string | — | |
strength | number | 0.2 | |
container | RefObject<HTMLElement> | — |
About Parallax Image
Parallax Image drifts an image slower than the page inside its frame, adding depth as you scroll without moving the layout.
Parallax Image is an image effect for React 19, styled with Tailwind CSS 4 and animated with Motion. It drops into Next.js, Vite, Remix or Astro through the shadcn CLI as a single file you own.
When to use Parallax Image
- Hero and section images.
- Editorial and travel stories.
- Product pages.
- Portfolio case studies.
How it works
Motion's useScroll maps the frame's progress to a translate on an oversized image. Reduced motion keeps it still.
Images keep their alt text, controls are keyboard operable, and the effect never hides the content it decorates. With prefers-reduced-motion on, it holds still or settles instantly instead of animating.
Customizing Parallax Image
Every prop is documented in the API reference above with its type and default. The ones you will reach for first are listed here.
Style it with className like any other element. It only uses your theme's tokens, so it follows light and dark mode without extra work.
- src / alt (string).
- strength (number, default 0.2).
- container (RefObject<HTMLElement>).
Goes well with Parallax Image
These image pieces share its tokens and motion language, so they sit together on one page without clashing.
- Pixelate Reveal: A React pixelate reveal: images resolve from chunky pixels to full detail
- Image Reveal: A React image reveal: a clip-path wipe uncovers the image as it settles
- Zoom Lens: A React zoom lens: a magnifier follows the pointer over product images
- Ken Burns: A React Ken Burns slideshow: slow pan and zoom crossfading through images
- Pixel Transition: A React pixel transition: content swaps behind a grid of flipping cells
Install Parallax Image
npx shadcn@latest add @charcoal/parallax-imageParallax Image is part of Charcoal UI Pro. One seat unlocks all 300 Pro components, 107 landing-page sections and 100 full templates, for every personal and client project, with updates included. Add the @charcoal registry once with your access token, then the command above copies parallax-image.tsx into components/ui and installs clsx, tailwind-merge.
You own the file you install: no runtime package, no lock-in, nothing to keep in sync. Change it however your product needs.
See Charcoal UI Pro pricing · Pro setup
Frequently asked questions
- Does parallax image hurt performance?
- No. It only translates an oversized image based on scroll progress, which the browser composites cheaply, and it holds still under reduced motion.
- How do I install Parallax Image?
- Parallax Image is part of Charcoal UI Pro. Add the @charcoal registry to components.json with your access token, then run npx shadcn@latest add @charcoal/parallax-image. It copies parallax-image.tsx into components/ui and installs motion, clsx, tailwind-merge.
- Is Parallax Image free for commercial use?
- Parallax Image needs a Charcoal UI Pro seat, monthly or a one-time lifetime price. A seat covers unlimited personal and commercial projects, including client work, and every future Pro component.
- Does Parallax Image work with Next.js?
- Yes. It is a client component for React 19 styled with Tailwind CSS 4, so it works in the Next.js App Router and Pages Router, Vite, Remix and Astro.
- Can an AI coding agent install Parallax Image?
- Yes. Connect the Charcoal UI MCP server (https://charcoalui.com/mcp) to Claude Code, Cursor or any MCP client; get_component returns Parallax Image's props and get_install_command returns the exact command.