Stories

This pattern shows how to build a Stories component for the web that is responsive, supports keyboard navigation, and works across browsers.

Full article · Video on YouTube · Source on Github

HTML

<div class="stories"> 
  <section class="user">
    <article class="story" style="--bg: url(https://picsum.photos/480/840);"></article> 
    <article class="story" style="--bg: url(https://picsum.photos/480/841);"></article>
  </section>
  <section class="user">
    <article class="story" style="--bg: url(https://picsum.photos/481/840);"></article>
  </section>
  <section class="user">
    <article class="story" style="--bg: url(https://picsum.photos/481/841);"></article>
  </section>
  <section class="user">
    <article class="story" style="--bg: url(https://picsum.photos/482/840);"></article>
    <article class="story" style="--bg: url(https://picsum.photos/482/843);"></article>
    <article class="story" style="--bg: url(https://picsum.photos/482/844);"></article>
  </section>
</div>

CSS


        .stories {
  display: grid;
  grid: 1fr / auto-flow 100%;
  grid-gap: 1ch;
  gap: 1ch;
  overflow-x: auto;
  scroll-snap-type: x mandatory;
  overscroll-behavior: contain;
  touch-action: pan-x;
}

.user {
  scroll-snap-align: start;
  scroll-snap-stop: always;
  display: grid;
  grid: [story] 1fr / [story] 1fr;
}

.story {
  grid-area: story;

  background-size: cover;
  background-image: 
    var(--bg), 
    linear-gradient(to top, rgb(249, 249, 249), rgb(226, 226, 226));

  user-select: none;
  touch-action: manipulation;

  transition: opacity .3s cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.0, 1, 1)
}

.story.seen {
  opacity: 0;
  pointer-events: none;
}
        

JS


        const stories = document.querySelector('.stories')
const median = stories.offsetLeft + (stories.clientWidth / 2)

const state = {
  current_story: stories.firstElementChild.lastElementChild
}

const navigateStories = direction => {
  const story = state.current_story
  const lastItemInUserStory = story.parentNode.firstElementChild
  const firstItemInUserStory = story.parentNode.lastElementChild
  const hasNextUserStory = story.parentElement.nextElementSibling
  const hasPrevUserStory = story.parentElement.previousElementSibling
  
  if (direction === 'next') {
    if (lastItemInUserStory === story && !hasNextUserStory)
      return
    else if (lastItemInUserStory === story && hasNextUserStory) {
      state.current_story = story.parentElement.nextElementSibling.lastElementChild
      story.parentElement.nextElementSibling.scrollIntoView({
        behavior: 'smooth'
      })
    }
    else {
      story.classList.add('seen')
      state.current_story = story.previousElementSibling
    }
  }
  else if(direction === 'prev') {
    if (firstItemInUserStory === story && !hasPrevUserStory)
      return
    else if (firstItemInUserStory === story && hasPrevUserStory) {
      state.current_story = story.parentElement.previousElementSibling.firstElementChild
      story.parentElement.previousElementSibling.scrollIntoView({
        behavior: 'smooth'
      })
    }
    else {
      story.nextElementSibling.classList.remove('seen')
      state.current_story = story.nextElementSibling
    }
  }
}

stories.addEventListener('click', e => {
  if (e.target.nodeName !== 'ARTICLE') 
    return
  
  navigateStories(
    e.clientX > median 
      ? 'next' 
      : 'prev')
})

// left & right are free with snap points 👍
document.addEventListener('keydown', ({key}) => {
  if (key !== 'ArrowDown' || key !== 'ArrowUp')
    navigateStories(
      key === 'ArrowDown'
        ? 'next'
        : 'prev')
})