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How to Use HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to Make an Image Slider

html css javascript image slider

Creating an image slider using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript is a great way to enhance the visual appeal of your website. According to Statista, these remain the most used programming languages as of 2023, so mastering them can take you a long way. 

In this tutorial, we’ll explore the step-by-step process of building an image slider that is not only aesthetically pleasing but also functional and interactive.

In this article:

What Is an Image Slider?

An image slider, also known as a carousel, is a web element that displays a series of images in a rotating fashion. It allows for the dynamic presentation of content, making websites more engaging and dynamic.

html css javascript image slider

Where Are CSS Sliding Images Used?

Sliding images find widespread use in various parts of web design. They are commonly used on homepages, product pages, and portfolios to showcase multiple visuals in a limited space. Image sliders are prominently featured on the front pages of websites, creating a visually striking introduction.

Additionally, sliders are employed in product galleries, enabling users to preview different items without navigating away from the current page. Understanding the versatility of sliding images helps you choose the right design approach for your specific use case.

html css javascript image slider

Making an Automatic Image Slider With Navigation Buttons

Building an automatic image slider with navigation buttons combines HTML for structure, CSS for styling, and JavaScript for functionality. Let’s look at the process of setting up a basic HTML CSS slider that automatically transitions between images and provides user-friendly navigation buttons for manual control.

To create an HTML slideshow, start by creating a new HTML file and pasting the following code:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
    <title>Cloudinary Sliding Image</title>
    <!-- Link to external stylesheet -->
    <link rel="stylesheet" href="styles.css">
</head>
<body>
</body>
</html>

We will start by adding a div container of 500 pixels. This division will help us control the maximum size of our image slider. Next, we will create another div element inside this container that will contain our images for our HTML slider:

        <!-- Container for the HTML slideshow -->
        <div class="imageshow-container">
            <!-- Individual image slides -->
            <div class="imageClass fade">
                <img src="cld-sample.jpg" style="width:100%">
                <!-- Caption for the first image -->
                <div style="text-align: center;">Image 1</div>
            </div>

            <div class="imageClass fade">
                <img src="cld-sample-2.jpg" style="width:100%">
                <!-- Caption for the second image -->
                <div style="text-align: center;">Image 2</div>
            </div>

            <div class="imageClass fade">
                <img src="cld-sample-3.jpg" style="width:100%">
                <!-- Caption for the third image -->
                <div style="text-align: center;">Image 3</div>
            </div>
        </div>

Here, we have added different classes to our images. The imageClass is used to show our image, while the fade class adds a fade animation when we switch images. Additionally, the imageshow-container class allows us to style the image container.

Now that the image container is ready, we can add dots to help us select our images. To do this, create a div container and add three span elements. We will add an onclick method to each element, allowing us to control their functionality.

        <div style="text-align:center">
            <span class="dot" onclick="currentImage(1)"></span>
            <span class="dot" onclick="currentImage(2)"></span>
            <span class="dot" onclick="currentImage(3)"></span>
        </div>

Here, we have assigned the span elements a function called currentImage, which is called whenever we click on the span element. This function will help us switch between the images. Here is what our code looks like:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
    <title>Cloudinary Sliding Image</title>
    <!-- Link to external stylesheet -->
    <link rel="stylesheet" href="styles.css">
</head>
<body>

    <div style="width: 500px">
        <!-- Container for the HTML slideshow -->
        <div class="imageshow-container">
            <!-- Individual image slides -->
            <div class="imageClass fade">
                <img src="cld-sample.jpg" style="width:100%">
                <!-- Caption for the first image -->
                <div style="text-align: center;">Image 1</div>
            </div>

            <div class="imageClass fade">
                <img src="cld-sample-2.jpg" style="width:100%">
                <!-- Caption for the second image -->
                <div style="text-align: center;">Image 2</div>
            </div>

            <div class="imageClass fade">
                <img src="cld-sample-3.jpg" style="width:100%">
                <!-- Caption for the third image -->
                <div style="text-align: center;">Image 3</div>
            </div>
        </div>
        <br>

        <!-- The dots/circles for navigation -->
        <div style="text-align:center">
            <span class="dot" onclick="currentImage(1)"></span>
            <span class="dot" onclick="currentImage(2)"></span>
            <span class="dot" onclick="currentImage(3)"></span>
        </div>
    </div>
</body>
</html>

Finally, we will load in our JavaScript code, which will help us add functionality to our HTML file:

    <!-- Link to external JavaScript file -->
    <script src="script.js"></script>

With this, our webpage is ready, and we can add our styling using CSS. To do this, create a new file called styles.css and add the following code:

/* CSS Slider container */
.imageshow-container {
    max-width: 1000px;
    position: relative;
    margin: auto;
}

/* Hide the images by default  */
.imageClass {
    display: none;
}

/* Adding fading animation */
.fade {
    animation-name: fade;
    animation-duration: 1.5s;
}

@keyframes fade {
    from {
        opacity: .4
    }

    to {
        opacity: 1
    }
}

/* Defining the dot styles */
.dot {
    cursor: pointer;
    height: 15px;
    width: 15px;
    margin: 0 2px;
    background-color: #bbb;
    border-radius: 50%;
    display: inline-block;
    transition: background-color 0.6s ease;
}

/* Setting a different style for hovering and active */
.active,
.dot:hover {
    background-color: #717171;
}

In this code, we have created a new class called imageshow-container that helps us style our entire image slider. The imageClass and dot classes allow us to style our image and span elements, respectively. Finally, the fade class will enable us to add a fade animation to our slider.

Here is what our webpage looks like:

html css javascript image slider

Now that our webpage is ready, we need to add functionality to our project!

For this, create a new JavaScript file called script.js. Here, we will start by creating a function called showImages that takes in a parameter n and displays the nth image in our image collection. Next, we use the getElementsByClassName function to retrieve all our images and dots from our webpage:

// Function to display the images
function currentImage(n) {
    var i;
    // Get all elements with the class name "imageClass"
    var images = document.getElementsByClassName("imageClass");
    // Get all elements with the class name "dot" (navigation dots)
    var dots = document.getElementsByClassName("dot");

Now, we loop through all images and set their display property as none. This hides all the images that are currently displayed on our webpage. Next, we will loop through the navigation dots and deactivate them by removing the active class from their class name:

    // Hide all images
    for (i = 0; i < images.length; i++) {
        images[i].style.display = "none";
    }
    // Remove the "active" class from all navigation dots
    for (i = 0; i < dots.length; i++) {
        dots[i].className = dots[i].className.replace(" active", "");
    }

Finally, we will display the image corresponding to the image index and set the dot corresponding element as active. Here is what our function looks like:

// Function to display the images
function currentImage(n) {
    var i;
    // Get all elements with the class name "imageClass"
    var images = document.getElementsByClassName("imageClass");
    // Get all elements with the class name "dot" (navigation dots)
    var dots = document.getElementsByClassName("dot");
    for (i = 0; i < images.length; i++) {
        images[i].style.display = "none";
    }
    // Remove the "active" class from all navigation dots
    for (i = 0; i < dots.length; i++) {
        dots[i].className = dots[i].className.replace(" active", "");
    }
    // Display the image corresponding to the current index
    images[n - 1].style.display = "block";
    // Add the "active" class to the corresponding navigation dot
    dots[n - 1].className += " active";
}

Now that our function is ready, all we need to do is call this function and display our first image. Here is what our script.js file looks like:

// Function to display the images
function currentImage(n) {
    var i;
    // Get all elements with the class name "imageClass"
    var images = document.getElementsByClassName("imageClass");
    // Get all elements with the class name "dot" (navigation dots)
    var dots = document.getElementsByClassName("dot");
    for (i = 0; i < images.length; i++) {
        images[i].style.display = "none";
    }
    // Remove the "active" class from all navigation dots
    for (i = 0; i < dots.length; i++) {
        dots[i].className = dots[i].className.replace(" active", "");
    }
    // Display the image corresponding to the current index
    images[n - 1].style.display = "block";
    // Add the "active" class to the corresponding navigation dot
    dots[n - 1].className += " active";
}

// Display the initial image
currentImage(1);

With this, our image slider is ready. Here is what our completed webpage looks like:

html css javascript image slider

Now, we can even click on the dot elements to navigate through our images:

html css javascript image slider

Create a Sliding Image With Cloudinary

Integrating Cloudinary into your image slider brings additional benefits, such as efficient image storage, optimization, and manipulation. So, let’s discuss how to leverage Cloudinary to enhance the performance and responsiveness of your image slider, making it an even more powerful and scalable solution.

To begin, sign up for a free Cloudinary account if you haven’t already. Once you’ve signed in, you’ll gain access to a dashboard where you can upload, manage, and manipulate your images effortlessly.

The first step is to upload your images to Cloudinary. You can do this manually through the dashboard or programmatically using Cloudinary’s API, which offers various SDKs for popular programming languages like JavaScript, Python, and Ruby.

html css javascript image slider

Once your images are uploaded, navigate to the Assets tab and copy your image URL.

Cloudinary provides a unique URL for each image, allowing you to reference them easily in your HTML code. This URL can also be customized to deliver images in different formats, sizes, and qualities based on your specific requirements, ensuring optimal performance and visual fidelity across different devices and screen resolutions.

html css javascript image slider

Now, all you have to do is replace the URL in your webpage with Cloudinary URLs. This will allow you to specify transformations such as cropping, resizing, and applying effects to your images on the fly.

Final Thoughts

Mastering the art of creating image sliders with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript opens up new possibilities for web designers and developers. Whether you opt for a manual slider with navigation buttons or explore advanced features with Cloudinary, implementing these techniques will undoubtedly elevate your website’s visual appeal and user experience.

Empower your development team with Cloudinary’s easy-to-use APIs and SDKs. Sign up for a free account today!

Learn more:

QUICK TIPS
Colby Fayock
Cloudinary Logo Colby Fayock

In my experience, here are tips that can help you better build an image slider using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript:

  1. Prioritize image loading performance
    Large images can significantly slow down page load times, affecting user experience. Use optimized image formats like WebP and implement lazy loading techniques to prevent all images from loading simultaneously. This can be done using the loading="lazy" attribute on img elements or by using lazy-loading libraries.
  2. Use srcset and sizes for responsive images
    When your image slider is meant to be used across different devices, use the srcset attribute to specify multiple image resolutions. This allows browsers to automatically select the best image based on screen size and resolution, reducing data usage on smaller screens.
  3. Implement keyboard and swipe navigation
    Enhance your image slider by adding keyboard arrow key support and swipe navigation for touch devices. Listen for keydown events (left and right arrow keys) and touch gestures to allow more intuitive control, making your slider more accessible and user-friendly.
  4. Add smooth CSS transitions
    Apply CSS transitions to opacity or transform properties for smoother image transitions. Use the transition property on your image elements to make the changes between images more visually appealing.
  5. Avoid JavaScript manipulation of CSS classes directly
    Use the classList API instead of manipulating classes via className. This prevents bugs when toggling multiple classes. Using classList.add and classList.remove keeps your code cleaner and reduces the chances of overwriting existing classes.
  6. Throttle automatic slide switching for better performance
    When implementing auto-sliding, ensure the interval isn’t set too frequently, which could degrade performance and user experience. Use a timed interval for smooth automatic transitions but add a clearing mechanism for user interactions like button clicks to allow manual control.
  7. Use the will-change CSS property for smoother animations
    Use the will-change CSS property to hint to the browser which properties (like opacity or transform) are going to change, enabling the browser to optimize its rendering performance. This technique is particularly useful for sliders with complex animations.
  8. Use semantic HTML and ARIA roles for accessibility
    Ensure your image slider is accessible by adding ARIA roles such as role="button" and aria-label attributes on your navigation buttons. Use aria-live attributes on image containers to announce the currently displayed image to assistive technologies.
  9. Enable autoplay with caution
    If using autoplay, always include a visible pause button for users who wish to stop the slider from switching images automatically. Autoplay can be distracting, so respect user preferences by adding a pause or play toggle button.
  10. Integrate Cloudinary’s image transformations for dynamic sliders
    Take advantage of Cloudinary’s transformations to dynamically apply effects like cropping, resizing, or watermarking based on user interactions. Cloudinary’s real-time image manipulation can make your sliders highly dynamic, especially when you want to present different variants of the same image based on device or user preferences.

By implementing these expert tips, you can create more performant, responsive, and interactive image sliders that enhance user experience and deliver a polished, professional look.

Last updated: Oct 2, 2024