Flipbook Codepen May 2026

The magic happens here. We use preserve-3d to keep the 3D context and rotateY to turn the pages.

/* Layout setup */
body 
  display: flex;
  justify-content: center;
  align-items: center;
  height: 100vh;
  background: #f0f0f0;
  font-family: sans-serif;
.scene 
  width: 300px;
  height: 400px;
  perspective: 1000px; /* Depth of field */
.book 
  width: 100%;
  height: 100%;
  position: relative;
  transform-style: preserve-3d;
.page 
  width: 100%;
  height: 100%;
  position: absolute;
  top: 0;
  left: 0;
  cursor: pointer;
/* The flip animation logic */
  transform-style: preserve-3d;
  transition: transform 0.8s cubic-bezier(0.645, 0.045, 0.355, 1);
  transform-origin: left center; /* Hinge on the left */
/* Visuals */
  box-shadow: 0 0 5px rgba(0,0,0,0.1);
/* Front and Back faces of a page */
.front, .back 
  position: absolute;
  width: 100%;
  height: 100%;
  backface-visibility: hidden; /* Hide the back side when facing away */
  display: flex;
  justify-content: center;
  align-items: center;
  font-size: 1.5rem;
  background: white;
  border: 1px solid #ddd;
  box-sizing: border-box;
.back 
  background: #fff;
  transform: rotateY(180deg); /* The back is flipped by default */
/* Active state - this class is toggled by JS */
.page.flipped 
  transform: rotateY(-180deg);
/* Z-indexing so pages stack correctly */
/* We stack them in reverse order in HTML, or use z-index */
.page:nth-child(1)  z-index: 4; 
.page:nth-child(2)  z-index: 3; 
.page:nth-child(3)  z-index: 2; 
.page:nth-child(4)  z-index: 1;
/* Helper styling */
.click-hint 
  position: absolute;
  bottom: 20px;
  font-size: 0.8rem;
  color: gray;

Search tag: pure css flipbook codepen no js These pens rely on HTML checkboxes (<input type="checkbox">) or :hover states. They are lightweight but require pre-defined page counts. You cannot drag the page; you click a "Next" button.

Best for: Mobile menus, product cards, short storybooks (2-6 pages).

CodePen is the perfect playground for flipbooks because:

A flipbook on CodePen isn’t just a nostalgic toy. It’s a lesson in state management, animation timing, and user interaction — all wrapped in retro charm. flipbook codepen

Example shadow style:

.page::before 
  content: "";
  position: absolute; inset: 0;
  background: linear-gradient(90deg, rgba(0,0,0,0.35), rgba(0,0,0,0));
  pointer-events: none; opacity: var(--shadow, 0);

Animate --shadow with JS mapped to rotation angle.

Most pens utilize a strict naming convention:

<div class="flipbook">
  <div class="page hard">Cover</div>
  <div class="page">
    <div class="front">Page 1</div>
    <div class="back">Page 2</div>
  </div>
  <div class="page">
    <div class="front">Page 3</div>
    <div class="back">Page 4</div>
  </div>
  <div class="page hard">Back</div>
</div>

document.getElementById('prevBtn').addEventListener('click', () => 
  currentFrame = (currentFrame - 1 + totalFrames) % totalFrames;
  drawFrame(currentFrame);
);
document.getElementById('nextBtn').addEventListener('click', () => 
currentFrame = (currentFrame + 1) % totalFrames;
drawFrame(currentFrame);
); The magic happens here
document.getElementById('slider').addEventListener('input', (e) => 
currentFrame = parseInt(e.target.value);
drawFrame(currentFrame);
);
// Optional: Thumb-drag flip simulation (mouse drag)
let isDragging = false;
canvas.addEventListener('mousedown', (e) => 
isDragging = true;
let startX = e.clientX;
let startFrame = currentFrame;
function onMouseMove(moveEvent) 
if (!isDragging) return;
let deltaX = moveEvent.clientX - startX;
let frameDelta = Math.floor(deltaX / 15); // sensitivity
let newFrame = startFrame + frameDelta;
newFrame = ((newFrame % totalFrames) + totalFrames) % totalFrames;
drawFrame(newFrame);
currentFrame = newFrame;

function onMouseUp() 
isDragging = false;
window.removeEventListener('mousemove', onMouseMove);
window.removeEventListener('mouseup', onMouseUp);
 Search tag: pure css flipbook codepen no js
window.addEventListener('mousemove', onMouseMove);
window.addEventListener('mouseup', onMouseUp);
);

The "flip" happens via transform-style: preserve-3d. The container gets a perspective: 2000px; to create depth. As the user clicks, the page rotates along the Y-axis from 0deg to -180deg.