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Scrollintoview() causing the whole page to move

javascript
scrolling
smooth-scroll
scrollintoview
Nikita BarsukovbyNikita Barsukov·Jan 22, 2025
TLDR

To prevent scrollIntoView() from causing ripples across the entire page:

target.scrollIntoView({ block: 'nearest', inline: 'nearest' });

Key Points:

  • block: 'nearest': Minimal scroll for the win! Scrolls the minimum amount needed.
  • inline: 'nearest': Gets your target element in line without causing a screenquake.
  • Avoid applying this to elements chilling directly under <body>. They don't like scrollIntoView() much.

Result: Smoothly scrolls the target into view without treating the whole page like a bouncing castle.

Know thy scrolling

Notice an unintentional moonwalk when using scrollIntoView()? Engage with fixed position containers or scrollable lists, and you stumble upon the unexpected MJ move in your whole page. Let's handle this thriller!

They see me scrolling within fixed containers

When wrestling with a fixed position container, make the scrollTop property your best buddy to directly control the scrolling position.

// This is how we scroll in our neighborhood target.parentNode.scrollTop = target.offsetTop;

Stop! In the name of full-page shifts

To hold back the entire page from moving, especially on mobile Safari, we need to put the brakes on our scrolling strategy:

// Applying brakes to avoid full-page moonwalk on some mobile browsers element.scrollIntoView({ behavior: 'smooth', block: 'nearest', inline: 'start' });

Let's go cross-browser

Always put your solution to the cross-browser test and validate it, especially when playing with options like { block: 'nearest' }. Browsers, like humans, have unique behaviors (if only they also enjoyed coffee!).

Make sure you don't miss out on special tools like -moz-hidden-unscrollable in Firefox's toolbox.

Sharpen your approach

Thinking about absolute positioning for those elements that should not trigger scroll effects? Great thinking! This can keep elements like floating action buttons (FABs) from causing any unexpected page choreography.

Scroll smoother than butter: a how-to guide

Weaving a smooth, user-centered scroll narrative involves understanding method details and the environment's quirks.

Scroll like an arrow: be targeted and precise

Mix querySelector and scrollTop to precisely target elements within scroll-friendly areas:

// Code that hits the bullseye. document.querySelector('.your-class').parentNode.scrollTop = target.offsetTop;

Try other tools in your scroll toolbox

scrollIntoView() may not always be your knight in shining armor. window.scroll() or directly setting scrollTop can battle the dragons of unexpected page disturbance:

// In case scrollIntoView() takes a day off. window.scroll({ top: target.offsetTop, left: 0, behavior: 'smooth' });

Organize your scroll code like Marie Kondo

Delegate the scrolling logic into a separate function for a cleaner scroll operation:

// A little function to keep code joy alive function scrollToElement(element) { element.scrollIntoView({ behavior: 'smooth', block: 'nearest', inline: 'start' }); }

Go social with your code

Trade code snippets and wisdom bites on platforms like jsFiddle. Community feedback can be the flashlight illuminating the path to optimized solutions.