How to Create a Slider / Carousel Using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript

Sliders, also known as carousels or slideshows, are a popular feature on websites, allowing users to view multiple pieces of content in a small space. By combining CSS and JavaScript, you can create a responsive slideshow that adapts to different screen sizes, providing a seamless experience for users across devices. In this article, we will walk through the process of building a responsive slideshow from scratch, using only CSS and JavaScript.

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Caption Text
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Caption Two
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Caption Three
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Caption Four

Step 1 : Basic HTML Structure

We'll begin by setting up the basic HTML layout.

HTML
<div class="slideshow-container">
  <div class="mySlides fade">
    <div>class="numbertext">1 / 1</div>
    <img
      src="https://www.codingy.com/images/static/1.webp"
      style="width: 100%"
    />
    <div>class="text">Caption Text</div>
  </div>
  <div class="mySlides fade">
    <div>class="numbertext">2 / 4</div>
    <img
      src="https://www.codingy.com/images/static/2.webp"
      style="width: 100%"
    />
    <div>class="text">Caption Two</div>
  </div>
  <div class="mySlides fade">
    <div>class="numbertext">3 / 4</div>
    <img
      src="https://www.codingy.com/images/static/3.webp"
      style="width: 100%"
    />
    <div>class="text">Caption Three</div>
  </div>
  <div class="mySlides fade">
    <div>class="numbertext">4 / 4</div>
    <img
      src="https://www.codingy.com/images/static/4.webp"
      style="width: 100%"
    />
    <div>class="text">Caption Four</div>
  </div>
  <a> class="prev" onclick="plusSlides(-1)">❮</a>
  <a> class="next" onclick="plusSlides(1)">❯</a>
</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center">
  <span> class="dot" onclick="currentSlide(1)"></span>
  <span> class="dot" onclick="currentSlide(2)"></span>
  <span> class="dot" onclick="currentSlide(3)"></span>
  <span> class="dot" onclick="currentSlide(4)"></span>
</div>

Step 2: Styling with CSS

Now let's style the slider and hide/show slides accordingly.

CSS
* {box-sizing:border-box} /* Slideshow container */ .slideshow-container { max-width: 1000px; position: relative; margin: auto; } /* Hide the images by default */ .mySlides { display: none; } /* Next & previous buttons */ .prev, .next { cursor: pointer; position: absolute; top: 50%; width: auto; margin-top: -22px; padding: 16px; color: white; font-weight: bold; font-size: 18px; transition: 0.6s ease; border-radius: 0 3px 3px 0; user-select: none; } /* Position the "next button" to the right */ .next { right: 0; border-radius: 3px 0 0 3px; } /* On hover, add a black background color with a little bit see-through */ .prev:hover, .next:hover { background-color: rgba(0,0,0,0.8); } /* Caption text */ .text { color: #f2f2f2; font-size: 15px; padding: 8px 12px; position: absolute; bottom: 8px; width: 100%; text-align: center; } /* Number text (1/3 etc) */ .numbertext { color: #f2f2f2; font-size: 12px; padding: 8px 12px; position: absolute; top: 0; } /* The dots/bullets/indicators */ .dot { cursor: pointer; height: 15px; width: 15px; margin: 0 2px; background-color: #bbb; border-radius: 50%; display: inline-block; transition: background-color 0.6s ease; } .active, .dot:hover { background-color: #717171; } /* Fading animation */ .fade { animation-name: fade; animation-duration: 1.5s; } @keyframes fade { from {opacity: .4} to {opacity: 1} }

Step 3: Add Interactivity with JavaScript

We'll make the “Next” and “Prev” buttons functional by adding some simple JavaScript.

JavaScript
let slideIndex = 1; showSlides(slideIndex); // Next/previous controls function plusSlides(n) { showSlides(slideIndex += n); } // Thumbnail image controls function currentSlide(n) { showSlides(slideIndex = n); } function showSlides(n) { let i; let slides = document.getElementsByClassName("mySlides"); let dots = document.getElementsByClassName("dot"); if (n > slides.length) {slideIndex = 1} if (n < 1) {slideIndex = slides.length} for (i = 0; i < slides.length; i++) { slides[i].style.display = "none"; } for (i = 0; i < dots.length; i++) { dots[i].className = dots[i].className.replace(" active", ""); } slides[slideIndex-1].style.display = "block"; dots[slideIndex-1].className += " active"; }

Automatic Slideshow

You can auto-slide every few seconds by adding this snippet:

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Caption Four

Tips for Improvement

  • Add dot indicators for better UX
  • Make it responsive for different screen sizes
  • Use keyboard navigation (left/right arrow)
  • Add swipe support for mobile users

Conclusion

This slideshow is a great starting point to learn about DOM manipulation, animations, and responsive design. You can further customize and expand its functionality to suit your project needs!

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