Diffraction disc
A silver disc sends narrow spectral reflections across its fine concentric tracks.

Adjust track spacing.
Subframe Original · MIT
Add to your project
Component source
Standalone React component. Styles are included.
React only. No additional packages.
Render the default export inside a container with a defined height. Its optional active prop stops movement when false. This example works with React 19; Next.js projects can use it as a client component.
View source code
"use client"
/*
* Copyright (c) 2026 Subframe
*
* Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
* of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
* in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
* to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
* copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
* furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
* The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all
* copies or substantial portions of the Software.
* THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
* IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
* FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
* AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
* LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
* OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE
* SOFTWARE.
*/
import { useEffect, useRef, useState } from "react"
const FRAGMENT = `
precision highp float;
uniform vec2 u_resolution;
uniform float u_time;
uniform float u_control;
uniform float u_mode;
uniform sampler2D u_state;
const float PI=3.14159265359;
mat2 rot(float a){return mat2(cos(a),-sin(a),sin(a),cos(a));}
vec2 plane(){return (gl_FragCoord.xy-.5*u_resolution)/min(u_resolution.x,u_resolution.y);}
float hash(vec2 p){return fract(sin(dot(p,vec2(83.17,217.43)))*19731.731);}
float noise(vec2 p){vec2 i=floor(p),f=fract(p);f=f*f*(3.-2.*f);return mix(mix(hash(i),hash(i+vec2(1,0)),f.x),mix(hash(i+vec2(0,1)),hash(i+1.),f.x),f.y);}
float line(float d,float width){float px=1.2/min(u_resolution.x,u_resolution.y);return 1.-smoothstep(width-px,width+px,abs(d));}
vec3 wavelength(float w){return exp(-pow((vec3(.64,.53,.45)-w)/vec3(.07,.065,.055),vec3(2.)));}
void main(){
vec2 p=plane()+vec2(.0,-.035);p.x*=1.05;float r=length(p),a=atan(p.y,p.x);
float mask=(1.-smoothstep(.353,.36,r))*smoothstep(.048,.054,r);
vec3 bg=vec3(.93,.39,.29);vec3 color=bg;
float theta=.6+.32*sin(u_time*.22);
vec2 tangent=vec2(-sin(a),cos(a));float diff=abs(dot(tangent,vec2(cos(theta),sin(theta))))*(1.4+u_control*2.5);
vec3 spectrum=vec3(0.);for(int i=1;i<=6;i++){float w=diff/float(i);spectrum+=wavelength(w);}
float light=pow(abs(cos(a-theta)),18.);float groove=.985+.015*sin(r*1800.);
vec3 disc=(vec3(.34,.39,.42)+spectrum*.38+light*.48)*groove;
disc+=.05*sin(r*240.);disc=mix(disc,vec3(.92),smoothstep(.06,.063,r)*(1.-smoothstep(.094,.1,r)));
color=mix(color,disc,mask);color=mix(color,vec3(.3,.28,.28),line(r-.358,.0013));
gl_FragColor=vec4(color,1.);
}
`
export default function DiffractionDiscExample({ active = true }: { active?: boolean }) {
const canvasRef = useRef<HTMLCanvasElement>(null)
const runningRef = useRef(active)
const syncRef = useRef<() => void>(() => {})
const timeRef = useRef(3)
const contextLeaseRef = useRef(0)
const modeRef = useRef(1)
const controlRef = useRef(0.48)
const [control, setControl] = useState(0.48)
const [paused, setPaused] = useState(false)
const [available, setAvailable] = useState(false)
const [reduced, setReduced] = useState(false)
runningRef.current = active && !paused
useEffect(() => {
const canvas = canvasRef.current
if (!canvas) return
const gl = canvas.getContext("webgl", { alpha: false, antialias: false, powerPreference: "low-power" })
if (!gl) return
const lease = ++contextLeaseRef.current
let disposed = false
let frame = 0
let last = 0
let lost = false
const preference = window.matchMedia("(prefers-reduced-motion: reduce)")
let reduce = preference.matches
setReduced(reduce)
const shaders: WebGLShader[] = []
const compile = (type: number, code: string) => {
const shader = gl.createShader(type)
if (!shader) return null
shaders.push(shader)
gl.shaderSource(shader, code)
gl.compileShader(shader)
return gl.getShaderParameter(shader, gl.COMPILE_STATUS) ? shader : null
}
const vertex = compile(
gl.VERTEX_SHADER,
"attribute vec2 a_position; void main(){gl_Position=vec4(a_position,0.0,1.0);}",
)
const fragment = compile(gl.FRAGMENT_SHADER, FRAGMENT)
const program = gl.createProgram()
const buffer = gl.createBuffer()
if (!vertex || !fragment || !program || !buffer) {
shaders.forEach((shader) => gl.deleteShader(shader))
gl.deleteProgram(program)
gl.deleteBuffer(buffer)
gl.getExtension("WEBGL_lose_context")?.loseContext()
return
}
gl.attachShader(program, vertex)
gl.attachShader(program, fragment)
gl.linkProgram(program)
if (!gl.getProgramParameter(program, gl.LINK_STATUS)) {
shaders.forEach((shader) => gl.deleteShader(shader))
gl.deleteProgram(program)
gl.deleteBuffer(buffer)
gl.getExtension("WEBGL_lose_context")?.loseContext()
return
}
gl.useProgram(program)
gl.bindBuffer(gl.ARRAY_BUFFER, buffer)
gl.bufferData(gl.ARRAY_BUFFER, new Float32Array([-1, -1, 1, -1, -1, 1, -1, 1, 1, -1, 1, 1]), gl.STATIC_DRAW)
const position = gl.getAttribLocation(program, "a_position")
gl.enableVertexAttribArray(position)
gl.vertexAttribPointer(position, 2, gl.FLOAT, false, 0, 0)
const resolution = gl.getUniformLocation(program, "u_resolution")
const time = gl.getUniformLocation(program, "u_time")
const adjustment = gl.getUniformLocation(program, "u_control")
const operation = gl.getUniformLocation(program, "u_mode")
const draw = () => {
if (disposed || lost) return
gl.uniform2f(resolution, canvas.width, canvas.height)
gl.uniform1f(time, timeRef.current)
gl.uniform1f(adjustment, controlRef.current)
gl.uniform1f(operation, modeRef.current)
gl.drawArrays(gl.TRIANGLES, 0, 6)
}
const tick = (now: number) => {
if (disposed || lost || reduce || !runningRef.current || document.hidden) {
frame = 0
last = 0
return
}
if (last) timeRef.current += Math.min((now - last) / 1000, 0.05)
last = now
draw()
frame = requestAnimationFrame(tick)
}
const sync = () => {
cancelAnimationFrame(frame)
frame = 0
last = 0
if (disposed || lost) return
draw()
if (runningRef.current && !reduce && !document.hidden) frame = requestAnimationFrame(tick)
}
const resize = () => {
const { width, height } = canvas.getBoundingClientRect()
if (!width || !height) return
// Size the drawing buffer from displayed pixels, including ancestor scale.
const ratio = Math.min(window.devicePixelRatio || 1, 2, Math.sqrt(3600000 / (width * height)))
const nextWidth = Math.max(1, Math.round(width * ratio))
const nextHeight = Math.max(1, Math.round(height * ratio))
if (canvas.width === nextWidth && canvas.height === nextHeight) return
canvas.width = nextWidth
canvas.height = nextHeight
gl.viewport(0, 0, canvas.width, canvas.height)
draw()
}
const updatePreference = () => {
reduce = preference.matches
setReduced(reduce)
sync()
}
const contextLost = (event: Event) => {
event.preventDefault()
lost = true
cancelAnimationFrame(frame)
setAvailable(false)
}
// Keep the static artwork after context loss. Remount to create fresh GPU resources.
canvas.addEventListener("webglcontextlost", contextLost)
preference.addEventListener("change", updatePreference)
document.addEventListener("visibilitychange", sync)
const observer = new ResizeObserver(resize)
// ResizeObserver alone cannot see a transform on the preview composition.
const transforms = new MutationObserver(resize)
for (let node: HTMLElement | null = canvas; node; node = node.parentElement) {
observer.observe(node)
transforms.observe(node, { attributes: true, attributeFilter: ["style", "class"] })
}
window.addEventListener("resize", resize)
syncRef.current = sync
resize()
setAvailable(true)
sync()
const releaseContext = () => {
if (contextLeaseRef.current === lease) gl.getExtension("WEBGL_lose_context")?.loseContext()
}
return () => {
disposed = true
cancelAnimationFrame(frame)
syncRef.current = () => {}
observer.disconnect()
transforms.disconnect()
window.removeEventListener("resize", resize)
canvas.removeEventListener("webglcontextlost", contextLost)
preference.removeEventListener("change", updatePreference)
document.removeEventListener("visibilitychange", sync)
gl.deleteBuffer(buffer)
gl.deleteProgram(program)
shaders.forEach((shader) => gl.deleteShader(shader))
// Defer context release so React Strict Mode can reacquire this canvas.
queueMicrotask(releaseContext)
}
}, [])
useEffect(() => {
syncRef.current()
}, [active, paused, control])
return (
<div
className="sg-diffraction-disc"
style={{
position: "relative",
isolation: "isolate",
width: "100%",
height: "100%",
minHeight: 240,
overflow: "hidden",
background: "#ed674f",
}}
>
<div className="sg-diffraction-disc-fallback" aria-hidden="true" />
{!available && <span className="sg-diffraction-disc-unavailable">Static preview</span>}
<canvas
ref={canvasRef}
role="img"
aria-label="A silver disc sends narrow spectral reflections across its fine concentric tracks."
style={{ position: "absolute", inset: 0, width: "100%", height: "100%", opacity: available ? 1 : 0 }}
/>
{available && (
<label className="sg-diffraction-disc-control">
<span>Track spacing</span>
<input
type="range"
min="0"
max="1"
step="0.01"
value={control}
onChange={(event) => {
const value = Number(event.currentTarget.value)
controlRef.current = value
setControl(value)
}}
/>
</label>
)}
{available && !reduced && (
<button
className="sg-diffraction-disc-pause"
type="button"
disabled={!active}
aria-label={paused ? "Play animation" : "Pause animation"}
onClick={() => setPaused((value) => !value)}
>
<svg viewBox="0 0 16 16" width="14" height="14" aria-hidden="true">
{paused ? (
<path fill="currentColor" d="M4 2.5 13 8 4 13.5Z" />
) : (
<path fill="currentColor" d="M4 3h3v10H4zm5 0h3v10H9z" />
)}
</svg>
</button>
)}
<style>{`
.sg-diffraction-disc *{box-sizing:border-box}
.sg-diffraction-disc-unavailable{position:absolute;bottom:22px;left:24px;color:#2b1e27;font:11px Arial,sans-serif}
.sg-diffraction-disc-fallback{position:absolute;inset:0;background:repeating-linear-gradient(135deg,transparent 0 24px,#2b1e2722 25px 26px),#ed674f}
.sg-diffraction-disc-control{position:absolute;bottom:14px;left:14px;display:flex;align-items:center;gap:10px;padding:0 12px;min-height:44px;background:#ed674fee;color:#2b1e27;font:11px/1.2 Arial,sans-serif}
.sg-diffraction-disc-control input{width:78px;max-width:95px;height:44px;margin:0;cursor:pointer;appearance:none;background:transparent;color:inherit}
.sg-diffraction-disc-control input::-webkit-slider-runnable-track{height:2px;background:#2b1e2766}
.sg-diffraction-disc-control input::-webkit-slider-thumb{appearance:none;width:10px;height:14px;margin-top:-6px;border:1px solid currentColor;border-radius:1px;background:#2b1e27}
.sg-diffraction-disc-control input::-moz-range-track{height:2px;background:#2b1e2766}
.sg-diffraction-disc-control input::-moz-range-thumb{width:10px;height:14px;border:0;border-radius:1px;background:#2b1e27}
.sg-diffraction-disc-pause{position:absolute;right:14px;bottom:14px;display:grid;place-items:center;width:44px;height:44px;padding:0;border:0;color:#2b1e27;background:#ed674fee;cursor:pointer}
.sg-diffraction-disc-pause:focus-visible,.sg-diffraction-disc-control input:focus-visible{outline:2px solid #2b1e27;outline-offset:3px}
.sg-diffraction-disc-pause:disabled{opacity:.5;cursor:default}
`}</style>
</div>
)
}
Where it works well
Use tangent-directed diffraction as a controllable optical material.
Reduced motion
The elapsed-time clock stops. Parameter controls immediately update the static composition.
Things to know
Requires WebGL 1; a static CSS swatch appears if unavailable or after context loss. Six approximate spectral orders and authored RGB wavelength response, not a measured optical coating.