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What is panelscroller?

stephengrider/panelscroller — explained in plain English

Analysis updated 2026-07-14 · repo last pushed 2013-12-30

7JavaScriptAudience · designerComplexity · 2/5DormantSetup · moderate

In one sentence

A demo web app that adds physics-based weight and momentum to infinite scrolling using a custom math library and 3D CSS transforms. It pulls restaurant data from Yelp to showcase a more tactile, engaging browsing experience.

Mindmap

mindmap
  root((repo))
  What it does
    Physics-based scrolling
    Weight and momentum feel
    Infinite scroll enhancement
  Tech stack
    JavaScript
    Custom MatrixUtil lib
    3D CSS transforms
  Use cases
    Restaurant discovery UI
    Tactile browsing prototype
    Motion design exploration
  Audience
    Designers
    Frontend devs
  Limitations
    Sparse README
    Needs Yelp API key
    Demo not plug-and-play
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Code map

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What do people build with it?

USE CASE 1

Prototype a restaurant discovery app with physics-based scrolling that feels tactile and engaging.

USE CASE 2

Explore how custom math libraries combined with CSS transforms can create motion effects in web apps.

USE CASE 3

Study the code to understand how to add weight and momentum to infinite scrolling lists.

What is it built with?

JavaScriptCSS 3D TransformsYelp APIMatrixUtil.js

How does it compare?

stephengrider/panelscrollerboneskull/promwrapbrunosimon/ecole-multimedia-fi-dev2-2019
Stars777
LanguageJavaScriptJavaScriptJavaScript
Last pushed2013-12-302020-07-212021-08-12
MaintenanceDormantDormantDormant
Setup difficultymoderateeasyhard
Complexity2/52/52/5
Audiencedesignerdeveloperdeveloper

Figures from each repo's GitHub metadata at analysis time.

How do you get it running?

Difficulty · moderate Time to first run · 30min

Requires a Yelp API key to display any content, and the README is sparse so setup details are limited.

No license information is provided in the repo, so usage rights are unclear.

So what is it?

PanelScroller is a demo project that adds physics-based effects to infinite scrolling. Instead of a plain list that endlessly loads more items, the scrolling experience feels more natural, as if panels of content have weight and momentum as you move through them. Under the hood, the project uses a custom linear algebra library called MatrixUtil.js along with 3D CSS transforms to create the physics and visual effects. The demo app itself shows restaurants by pulling data from the Yelp API, so you need your own Yelp API key for it to display any actual content. Once set up, you run it locally and view it in your browser. This project would appeal to someone building a visually rich web experience who wants scrolling to feel more like interacting with physical objects rather than just swiping through a flat list. For example, a designer prototyping a restaurant discovery app might use it to explore how physics-based motion could make browsing feel more engaging and tactile. The README is quite sparse, so there isn't much detail on how to customize the physics or adapt the scrolling effect for your own data. It's primarily a demonstration of what's possible when you combine a custom math library with CSS transforms, rather than a ready-to-use plug-and-play package. There's a video demo linked in the README that likely shows the effect in action, which would be helpful since the static screenshot doesn't fully convey the motion.

Copy-paste prompts

Prompt 1
I want to add physics-based scrolling with momentum and weight to my web app. Here is the PanelScroller repo structure, help me understand how MatrixUtil.js and 3D CSS transforms create the effect so I can adapt it for my own content list.
Prompt 2
I cloned PanelScroller and have a Yelp API key ready. Walk me through the setup steps to get the restaurant demo running locally in my browser.
Prompt 3
I want to customize the physics parameters in PanelScroller so panels feel heavier or lighter. Based on the MatrixUtil.js library and CSS transform code, help me find and adjust the values that control momentum and weight.
Prompt 4
I want to swap out the Yelp API in PanelScroller for my own data source. Help me identify where the data fetching happens and how to replace it while keeping the physics-based scrolling intact.

Frequently asked questions

What is panelscroller?

A demo web app that adds physics-based weight and momentum to infinite scrolling using a custom math library and 3D CSS transforms. It pulls restaurant data from Yelp to showcase a more tactile, engaging browsing experience.

What language is panelscroller written in?

Mainly JavaScript. The stack also includes JavaScript, CSS 3D Transforms, Yelp API.

Is panelscroller actively maintained?

Dormant — no commits in 2+ years (last push 2013-12-30).

What license does panelscroller use?

No license information is provided in the repo, so usage rights are unclear.

How hard is panelscroller to set up?

Setup difficulty is rated moderate, with roughly 30min to a first successful run.

Who is panelscroller for?

Mainly designer.

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