Hero System Unification Summary
Hero System Unification Summary
Problem Solved
The hero section had multiple overlapping animation systems causing conflicts:
Before (Issues):
- Multiple JS Controllers:
hero-animations.js
,hero-animation.js
,HeroVideoManager
,HeroAnimationCoordinator
- Conflicting Timing: Different systems triggering at different intervals
- CSS/JS Conflicts: CSS loading animations fighting with JavaScript animations
- Swup Integration Issues: Multiple files handling page transitions differently
- Complex Dependencies: Systems depending on each other in unclear ways
After (Solution):
- Single Hero Manager:
hero-manager.js
- One source of truth for all hero functionality - Unified Timing: All animations coordinated through a single system
- Simplified CSS: Minimal loading states, JavaScript controls timing
- Clean Swup Integration:
swup-simple.js
works directly with Hero Manager - Clear Dependencies: Hero Manager coordinates all subsystems
New Architecture
Core Files:
hero-manager.js
- Master controller for all hero functionalityswup-simple.js
- Simplified Swup integration that uses Hero Managermain-optimized.js
- Updated to initialize Hero Manager firsthero.css
- Simplified loading animations
Hero Manager Features:
- Unified Animation Sequencing: Terminal typing → Media entrance → Video initialization
- Smart Content Detection: Automatically detects if media should be shown
- Swup Integration: Smooth transitions without conflicts
- Fallback Support: Works with or without GSAP
- Performance Optimized: Minimal DOM queries, efficient animations
Animation Sequence
Initial Page Load:
- Cache DOM elements
- Set initial CSS states (terminal hidden, media in loading state)
- Update terminal timestamps
- Animate terminal entrance (0.6s)
- Animate terminal typing (if typing terminal)
- Animate media entrance (0.8s delay)
- Initialize video systems
Page Transitions (Swup):
- Detect content changes
- Animate current content out (0.2s)
- Update content HTML
- Animate new content in (0.4s)
- Reinitialize media systems
Benefits
Performance:
- Reduced JavaScript: Eliminated 4 overlapping animation files
- Faster Load Times: Single initialization sequence
- Smoother Transitions: No conflicting animations
Maintainability:
- Single Source of Truth: All hero logic in one place
- Clear API: Simple methods for common tasks
- Better Debugging: Centralized logging and error handling
User Experience:
- Consistent Timing: All animations properly sequenced
- Reliable Playback: No race conditions or conflicts
- Smooth Transitions: Clean page-to-page navigation
API Usage
Basic Usage:
// Initialize (automatic on page load)
await window.HeroManager.init();
// Update content (used by Swup)
await window.HeroManager.updateHeroContent(terminalHTML, mediaHTML, shouldShow);
// Reinitialize for new page
await window.HeroManager.reinitialize();
Integration Points:
- Terminal System: Uses
window.TerminalModule
for typing animations - Video Systems: Coordinates with
HeroVideoManager
andVideoJSManager
- GSAP: Uses GSAP if available, falls back to CSS transitions
- Swup: Integrated via
swup-simple.js
File Changes
New Files:
assets/js/hero-manager.js
- Unified hero controllerassets/js/swup-simple.js
- Simplified Swup integration
Modified Files:
assets/js/main-optimized.js
- Uses Hero Manager_includes/scripts.html
- Updated script loading orderassets/css/components/hero.css
- Simplified animations
Deprecated Files:
assets/js/hero-animations.js
- Replaced by Hero Managerassets/js/animation/hero-animation.js
- Functionality moved to Hero Managerassets/js/swup-optimized.js
- Replaced by swup-simple.js
Testing
- Homepage: Terminal typing + media entrance animations
- Navigation: Smooth transitions between pages with different media
- Video Pages: Proper video initialization and controls
- Mobile: Responsive animations and fallbacks
Troubleshooting
Common Issues:
- Animations not running: Check browser console for Hero Manager initialization
- Swup conflicts: Ensure only
swup-simple.js
is loaded - Video not loading: Check that Hero Manager is calling video systems correctly
Debug Commands:
// Check Hero Manager status
console.log(window.HeroManager);
// Test hero animation
window.HeroManager.animateInitialSequence();
// Check cached elements
console.log(window.HeroManager.elements);
This unified system eliminates the complexity and conflicts that were causing issues with your hero animations and Swup integration.