Are the ai2 Parallax carousels free?

Yes. The whole styled layer is free and MIT licensed, like the component core.

Can I change the size?

Yes. Every variation takes a size prop of sm, md, lg or xl, aligned to the base Button height scale.

Parallax carousels

Five parallax carousels: soft, deep, layered, tilt and zoom. The frame slides a full step while the inner layer shifts less, creating depth. Self-contained (no embla), token-driven and sized.

CarouselParallax

Installation

The styled layer is free and installs like any other ai2 component.

Run the following command

npx shadcn@latest add @ai2/carousel-parallax

Dependencies, the @ai2/tokens theme and the component file are installed together.

Install dependencies

npm install motion lucide-react

Copy the source

components/ui/carousel-parallax.tsx

"use client"

import * as React from "react"
import { ChevronLeft, ChevronRight } from "lucide-react"
import { motion, useReducedMotion } from "motion/react"

import { cn } from "@/lib/utils"

/* Parallax carousel family: 5 self-contained sliders (NO embla, NO radix). On a
   slide change the frame moves a full slide, but the inner layer of the slide
   moves less (parallax depth). Each export is a complete carousel: it holds the
   slide index internally, and the arrows + dots change it. Deterministic
   (index-based, no Date.now or Math.random). The root carries
   data-slot="styled-carousel" and role="region". Color comes ONLY from semantic
   tokens; the active dot is primary, via alpha color-mix. Gated on framer's
   useReducedMotion: under reduced motion there is no parallax transform and the
   slide changes instantly. */

export type StyledSize = "sm" | "md" | "lg" | "xl"

const trackHeight: Record<StyledSize, string> = {
  sm: "h-40",
  md: "h-56",
  lg: "h-72",
  xl: "h-96",
}

const focusRing =
  "outline-none focus-visible:ring-[3px] focus-visible:ring-ring/50 disabled:pointer-events-none disabled:opacity-50"

const arrowBtn =
  "absolute top-1/2 z-20 inline-flex size-9 -translate-y-1/2 items-center justify-center rounded-full border border-border bg-[color-mix(in_oklab,var(--color-background)_72%,transparent)] text-foreground shadow-sm transition-colors supports-[backdrop-filter]:backdrop-blur hover:bg-background [&_svg]:pointer-events-none [&_svg]:size-4 [&_svg]:shrink-0 [&_i]:text-base [&_i]:leading-none"

/* Token-surfaced, numbered placeholder panels - for prop-less rendering. */
const panelTones = ["bg-surface-2", "bg-surface-3", "bg-muted", "bg-accent"]

function defaultSlides(count = 4): React.ReactNode[] {
  return Array.from({ length: count }, (_, i) => (
    <div
      key={i}
      className={cn(
        "flex h-full w-full items-center justify-center",
        panelTones[i % panelTones.length]
      )}
    >
      <span className="text-4xl font-semibold tabular-nums text-foreground">{i + 1}</span>
    </div>
  ))
}

function resolveSlides(slides?: React.ReactNode[]): React.ReactNode[] {
  return slides && slides.length > 0 ? slides : defaultSlides()
}

/* Ortak index state: sonsuz sarma (wrap) ile prev/next ve dogrudan jump. */
function useCarousel(count: number) {
  const [index, setIndex] = React.useState(0)
  const total = Math.max(count, 1)
  const wrap = React.useCallback((i: number) => ((i % total) + total) % total, [total])
  const go = React.useCallback((i: number) => setIndex(wrap(i)), [wrap])
  const next = React.useCallback(() => setIndex((p) => wrap(p + 1)), [wrap])
  const prev = React.useCallback(() => setIndex((p) => wrap(p - 1)), [wrap])
  return { index: Math.min(index, total - 1), setIndex: go, next, prev }
}

/* Shared dot group: the active one widens and turns primary. */
function CarouselDots({
  count,
  index,
  onSelect,
  className,
}: {
  count: number
  index: number
  onSelect: (i: number) => void
  className?: string
}) {
  const reduce = useReducedMotion()
  return (
    <div
      role="tablist"
      aria-label="Choose slide to display"
      className={cn("flex items-center justify-center", className)}
    >
      {Array.from({ length: count }, (_, i) => {
        const active = i === index
        return (
          <button
            key={i}
            type="button"
            role="tab"
            aria-selected={active}
            aria-label={`Go to slide ${i + 1}`}
            onClick={() => onSelect(i)}
            className={cn(
              "relative inline-flex h-6 min-w-6 shrink-0 items-center justify-center rounded-full",
              focusRing
            )}
          >
            <motion.span
              aria-hidden="true"
              layout={!reduce}
              transition={reduce ? { duration: 0 } : { type: "spring" as const, stiffness: 500, damping: 34 }}
              className={cn(
                "block h-2 rounded-full transition-colors",
                active
                  ? "w-6 bg-primary"
                  : "w-2 bg-[color-mix(in_oklab,var(--color-foreground)_25%,transparent)] hover:bg-[color-mix(in_oklab,var(--color-foreground)_45%,transparent)]"
              )}
            />
          </button>
        )
      })}
    </div>
  )
}

interface CarouselProps {
  className?: string
  size?: StyledSize
  slides?: React.ReactNode[]
}

/* Parallax settings. depth: how much less the inner layer moves relative to the frame (a percentage of its own width; smaller = deeper lag), rotate: rotateY per step (degrees), zoom: a slight shrink on the inactive slide, overlay: an extra token layer. */
interface ParallaxConfig {
  depth: number
  rotate: number
  zoom: number
  overlay: boolean
}

function Parallax({
  className,
  size = "md",
  slides,
  config,
}: CarouselProps & { config: ParallaxConfig }) {
  const reduce = useReducedMotion()
  const items = resolveSlides(slides)
  const { index, setIndex, next, prev } = useCarousel(items.length)
  return (
    <div
      data-slot="styled-carousel"
      role="region"
      aria-roledescription="carousel"
      aria-label="Gallery"
      className={cn("relative w-full", className)}
    >
      <div
        className={cn("relative w-full overflow-hidden rounded-xl border border-border", trackHeight[size])}
        style={config.rotate && !reduce ? { perspective: "1200px" } : undefined}
      >
        <motion.div
          className="flex h-full w-full [transform-style:preserve-3d]"
          animate={{ x: `-${index * 100}%` }}
          transition={reduce ? { duration: 0 } : { type: "spring" as const, stiffness: 300, damping: 34 }}
        >
          {items.map((slide, i) => {
            const offset = i - index
            const active = offset === 0
            const inner = reduce
              ? { x: "0%", rotateY: 0, scale: 1 }
              : {
                  x: `${offset * config.depth}%`,
                  rotateY: config.rotate ? -offset * config.rotate : 0,
                  scale: active ? 1.1 : 1.1 - config.zoom,
                }
            return (
              <div
                key={i}
                role="group"
                aria-roledescription="slide"
                aria-label={`${i + 1} of ${items.length}`}
                aria-hidden={!active}
                className="relative h-full w-full shrink-0 basis-full overflow-hidden [transform-style:preserve-3d]"
              >
                <motion.div
                  className="h-full w-full"
                  initial={false}
                  animate={inner}
                  transition={reduce ? { duration: 0 } : { type: "spring" as const, stiffness: 300, damping: 34 }}
                >
                  {slide}
                </motion.div>
                {config.overlay && !reduce ? (
                  <motion.span
                    aria-hidden="true"
                    className="pointer-events-none absolute inset-0 bg-gradient-to-tr from-[color-mix(in_oklab,var(--color-foreground)_16%,transparent)] to-transparent"
                    initial={false}
                    animate={{ x: `${offset * config.depth * 2}%` }}
                    transition={reduce ? { duration: 0 } : { type: "spring" as const, stiffness: 300, damping: 34 }}
                  />
                ) : null}
              </div>
            )
          })}
        </motion.div>
        <button type="button" aria-label="Previous slide" onClick={prev} className={cn(arrowBtn, focusRing, "left-3")}>
          <ChevronLeft />
        </button>
        <button type="button" aria-label="Next slide" onClick={next} className={cn(arrowBtn, focusRing, "right-3")}>
          <ChevronRight />
        </button>
      </div>
      <CarouselDots count={items.length} index={index} onSelect={setIndex} className="mt-3" />
    </div>
  )
}

/* Soft: hafif parallax, ic katman az kayar. */
export function SoftCarousel(props: CarouselProps) {
  return <Parallax {...props} config={{ depth: 8, rotate: 0, zoom: 0, overlay: false }} />
}

/* Deep: pronounced parallax; the inner layer lags far behind. */
export function DeepCarousel(props: CarouselProps) {
  return <Parallax {...props} config={{ depth: 22, rotate: 0, zoom: 0, overlay: false }} />
}

/* Layered: parallax + a token overlay layer moving at a different speed. */
export function LayeredCarousel(props: CarouselProps) {
  return <Parallax {...props} config={{ depth: 12, rotate: 0, zoom: 0, overlay: true }} />
}

/* Tilt: parallax + hafif 3D rotateY egimi. */
export function TiltCarousel(props: CarouselProps) {
  return <Parallax {...props} config={{ depth: 12, rotate: 10, zoom: 0, overlay: false }} />
}

/* Zoom: parallax + aktif slide yakinlasir, komsular uzaklasir. */
export function ZoomCarousel(props: CarouselProps) {
  return <Parallax {...props} config={{ depth: 10, rotate: 0, zoom: 0.14, overlay: false }} />
}

Manual installs skip the @ai2/tokens theme, so add the token CSS from the theming guide or the tone colors will be missing.

Variations

5 takes on the same idea. Each is its own export, and every one accepts a size prop (sm, md, lg, xl) aligned to the base Button scale.

Soft

A gentle parallax where the inner layer lags slightly behind the frame.

Deep

A pronounced parallax where the inner layer lags far behind.

Layered

Parallax plus a token overlay layer that shifts at a different rate.

Tilt

Parallax with a slight 3D rotateY tilt on the inner layer.

Zoom

Parallax where the active slide zooms in and neighbors zoom out.

ai2 Parallax carousels: 5 styled variations on the token system

The ai2 Parallax carousels are a set of 5 decorative button variations from the styled layer of the @ai2 design system, built around parallax carousels where the inner layer shifts less than the slide for depth. They are free and MIT licensed, and every color comes from a semantic token, so they theme with the rest of ai2 in light and dark.

Motion runs on framer-motion: framer-motion springs the frame and the slower inner layer on change. The styled layer is opt-in, so the dependency only lands if you use it; the base components stay lean. Under reduced motion, the parallax offset is skipped and slides change instantly.

What is in the ai2 Parallax carousels?

5 exports in one file: Soft, Deep, Layered, Tilt and Zoom. Each renders a native button and takes a size prop (sm, md, lg, xl) aligned to the base Button. They are separate from the base Button on purpose: the base keeps its clean variant, tone and size axes, while the styled layer carries the effects.

You own the file. Copy the one category file and you have all 5 variations, with no runtime dependency on ai2 itself.

Why use it

On-system by construction: Every color resolves to an ai2 semantic token, so the buttons follow your theme in light and dark with no extra work.
Effect without the sprawl: The decorations live in a dedicated styled file, so the base Button keeps its clean, predictable API.
Accessible and honest: Each renders a real button element, keeps a visible focus ring, and respects prefers-reduced-motion.

Features

Token-driven color: No hardcoded hex or oklch; the look recolors with your theme tokens.
framer-motion: framer-motion springs the frame and the slower inner layer on change.
Reduced-motion aware: Under prefers-reduced-motion, the parallax offset is skipped and slides change instantly.
Size aligned to the base: Every variation takes sm, md, lg and xl matching the base Button height scale, so styled and base buttons line up in a row.

Production tips

Use it for emphasis, not everywhere: Styled buttons draw the eye. Reserve them for the one action you want people to take on a screen, and use the base Button for the rest.
Keep labels as verbs: The decoration adds weight, so a clear action label keeps the button scannable.
Pick one variation per surface: The variations share a family; using two different ones in the same view competes for attention.

Works with the rest of ai2

The Parallax carousels sit alongside the base Button and the rest of the @ai2 registry. They share the same token file, so a styled action next to a base button or a badge stays visually consistent in both modes.