Gradient Button

A button with a colour that travels around its edge. The label sits on the normal button surface, so its contrast is the plain Button's. Builds on Button.

Motionv0.1.0experimentalWCAG 2.2 AAView spec

Optional, and kept apart.

Nothing here is included in a project unless you add it, and the plain component it builds on is unchanged. This effect is decoration: it is hidden from screen readers, stands still for visitors who prefer reduced motion, and can be paused. Use Still on a preview to see that version.

import { GradientButton } from "@rdloom/react";

export default function GradientButtonBasicExample() {
  return (
    <GradientButton>Try the new editor</GradientButton>
  );
}

Installation

CLI

Manual

npm

pnpm

yarn

bun

npx rdloom add gradient-button

Copies the source into src/components/rdloom. Edit it freely: rdloom upgrade merges later versions into your changes.

It also adds rdloom-motion.css next to your tokens and imports it from the tokens file, once: no setup, and no inline styles. The plain components you already use are untouched.

Use another registry client

npx shadcn@latest add https://rdloom.vimalbhatt.com/r/gradient-button.json

Works, but without upgrade tracking, and you import the motion CSS yourself.

Usage

import { GradientButton } from "@rdloom/react";

<GradientButton>Try the new editor</GradientButton>

Colors

import { GradientButton } from "@rdloom/react";

export default function GradientButtonColorsExample() {
  return (
    <div className="flex flex-wrap items-center gap-4">
      <GradientButton colors={["#6366f1", "#06b6d4", "#22c55e"]}>Cool</GradientButton>
      <GradientButton colors={["#f97316", "#ef4444", "#a855f7"]} duration={2}>
        Warm and quick
      </GradientButton>
    </div>
  );
}

API Reference

Defined by the spec. Components also accept the props of the React Aria component they wrap.

Prop	Type	Default
`children`required Button label. Icon-only buttons must pass aria-label instead.	`node`	none
`variant` Visual emphasis, as on Button.	`"primary" \| "secondary" \| "ghost" \| "danger"`	`"secondary"`
`size` Height, padding and font size, as on Button.	`"sm" \| "md" \| "lg"`	`"md"`
`colors` Colours of the edge, any CSS colours. Two or more.	`readonly string[]`	none
`duration` Seconds for the colour to travel once around.	`number`	`3`
`borderWidth` Thickness of the coloured edge in pixels.	`number`	`2`
`isPaused` Stops the animation. Moving content that lasts more than five seconds should be stoppable.	`boolean`	`false`
`isDisabled` Prevents interaction and dims the button.	`boolean`	`false`
`isLoading` Shows a spinner and blocks presses; the pending state is announced.	`boolean`	`false`
`onPress` Called when the button is pressed by mouse, touch or keyboard.	`() => void`	none

Accessibility

Role button, WCAG 2.2 AA. Tested with axe and keyboard tests; screen reader checks are in the audit checklist.

Keyboard

Tab focuses it
Enter or Space presses it

Screen readers announce

Announced exactly as a Button: its label, as a button; the effect adds nothing to what is read

What your code must do

Decoration only: the animated layers are hidden from assistive technology and never take focus
Stands still for visitors who ask for less motion (prefers-reduced-motion), and the effect can also be shown still with the rdm-still class
Text contrast comes from the button surface; the colours only decorate the edge, which meets 3:1 against the page by default
A disabled button stops moving
Does not flash: nothing changes more than three times in a second (WCAG 2.3.1)
Optional: it is a separate component, so projects that do not add it carry none of its code

Guidelines

Use it when

A featured action, such as Upgrade or Try the new editor

Avoid it when

Forms with several actions side by side

Don't

Choosing edge colours that vanish into the page

Design tokens

The semantic tokens this component uses. Change them once and every component follows; see Design tokens.

--rd-color-action-primary
--rd-color-action-on-primary
--rd-color-action-danger
--rd-color-surface-default
--rd-color-text-default
--rd-color-border-default
--rd-color-focus-ring
--rd-radius-control
--rd-color-feedback-warning
--rd-color-feedback-info