Few pop culture icons can match the sheer reach of Harry Potter. What started as a series of novels quickly turned into a global phenomenon. The books have been translated into dozens of languages. The ensuing movies grossed billions of dollars. Not to mention a massive line of collectibles and amusement attractions.
It’s a pretty big deal. Therefore, it’s no wonder that this wizarding world has captured the imaginations of web developers as well. Some are all-too-happy to pay homage to their favorite characters and scenes with a touch of CSS and JavaScript magic.
Prime examples are all over CodePen. Everything from character art to complex animations is being showcased.
Today, we’ll show you 8 of the most spell-binding code snippets. So, ready your wands and prepare for a journey into Hogwarts!
CSS Animation:Marauder’s Map by Olivia Ng
The term “living document” has an entirely different meaning in the wizarding world. More than just static text and images, this Marauder’s Map also tracks the movements of Harry and Professor Snape. And this being such a magical place, you can even use your device’s microphone to open the map.
See the Pen CSS Animation:Marauder’s Map by Olivia Ng
Single div Harry Potter character icons by Alvaro Montoro
When you think about it, there’s a special kind of magic to a single-div snippet. It takes a lot of creativity to make something as unique as these character icons in one simple container. Here we have characters representing the various Hogwarts houses – including Harry and Draco Malfoy. CSS Grid is used to create the spot-on layout.
See the Pen Single div Harry Potter character icons by Alvaro Montoro
Harry Potter by Christina Stephan
Who’s up for a game of Quidditch? This fun animation features Harry on his broom, chasing that elusive Golden Snitch. Even better is that the entire snippet is responsive, so you can watch him fly by on any sized screen.
See the Pen Harry Potter by Christina Stephan
Harry Potter Puppet Pals:Bother by Christina Gorton
Here we have a colorful animation that envisions Harry and his pal Ron Weasley as puppets. What are they doing? Bothering Professor Snape, of course. Powered by SVG and GSAP, the snippet sports a wonderful childlike quality.
See the Pen Harry Potter Puppet Pals:Bother by Christina Gorton
Deathly Hallows by Joshua Ward
From the last book in the series, the Deathly Hallows are three powerful magical objects – symbolized here via CSS. Also note the very subtle cloud animation in the background, giving the scene a mystical feel.
See the Pen Deathly Hallows by Joshua Ward
CSS Puns – Invisibility Cloak – Harry Potter by Maciej Leszczynski
Among the items that make up the Deathly Hallows is the Cloak of Invisibility. Wear it and sneak around unseen. This snippet demonstrates its power, as Harry starts to disappear when the cloak moves in front of him.
See the Pen CSS Puns – Invisibility Cloak – Harry Potter by Maciej Leszczyński
Mad Libs – Harry Potter Edition (single player) by Sofia
Everybody loves a good Mad Lib! This one is all about the wizarding world. Fill in the blanks and they’ll be inserted into a passage from Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. From a code standpoint, the form functionality is provided by JavaScript – not PHP. That in itself is a bit of magic.
See the Pen Mad Libs – Harry Potter Edition (single player) by Sofia
The Daily Prophet by Sowjanya
After a long day of fending off evildoers, it’s nice to curl up with an edition of the Daily Prophet. The newspaper is famous for its moving images, and this facsimile is true-to-form. As a bonus, there are some wonderful hover effects that bring the stories to life.
See the Pen The Daily Prophet by Sowjanya
Magical Snippets for Web Designers
It’s great fun seeing the code-based tributes Harry Potter fans have put together. But it’s more than just entertainment. These snippets also provide a learning opportunity.
This magical place serves as the perfect catalyst for creating both special effects and real-world functionality. The code seen here can be adapted to spice up virtually any project. In short: what you learn at Hogwarts will stay with you forever.
Looking for even more Harry Potter-inspired code snippets? Hop on your broom and head over to our CodePen Collection for a full set.
