RAMAnimatedTabBarController vs barba.js
Which should you use? A side-by-side look at what each one does, who it suits, what it costs, how hard it is to set up, and where each falls short.
Open source · MIT
A Swift library that adds animations to iOS tab bar items and icons.
Open source · MIT
A small JavaScript library that adds smooth page transitions to websites without full reloads.
The short answer
Choose RAMAnimatedTabBarController if you need…
- iOS developers who want animated tab bar icons without writing the animation logic from scratch
- Developers building a UI prototype who want a quick visual upgrade to navigation
- Teams already using CocoaPods, Carthage, or manual folder import for iOS libraries
Choose barba.js if you need…
- Developers adding animated transitions to an existing multi-page website
- Front-end developers who want to reduce page-load delay without rebuilding as a full single-page app
- Designers working with developers on motion-heavy marketing or portfolio sites
- Developers who want custom code that runs on specific pages through its View system
Side-by-side
| RAMAnimatedTabBarController | barba.js | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Library | Library |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 11.1k | 13k |
| Setup difficulty | Intermediate | Intermediate |
| How you get it | Install with a package manager | Install with a package manager |
| Main language | Swift | TypeScript |
| Last code update | 5 years ago | 23 months ago |
What each one is
RAMAnimatedTabBarController
Animated Tab Bar is an iOS library written in Swift that lets developers add motion effects to the buttons in an app's bottom tab bar, such as bounce, rotation, flip, and frame animations. It works by replacing the standard tab bar controller and items with Ramotion's custom classes, then attaching an animation to each item. It is aimed at developers who want a more lively tab bar than the default iOS look.
barba.js
Barba.js is a small library (about 7kb minified and compressed, per its README) that makes moving between pages on a website feel smooth, with animated transitions. It makes a multi-page site behave somewhat like a single-page application, which the README says can reduce delays between pages and cut repeated browser requests. It is written in TypeScript and works with Promises.
Best for
RAMAnimatedTabBarController
- iOS developers who want animated tab bar icons without writing the animation logic from scratch
- Developers building a UI prototype who want a quick visual upgrade to navigation
- Teams already using CocoaPods, Carthage, or manual folder import for iOS libraries
barba.js
- Developers adding animated transitions to an existing multi-page website
- Front-end developers who want to reduce page-load delay without rebuilding as a full single-page app
- Designers working with developers on motion-heavy marketing or portfolio sites
- Developers who want custom code that runs on specific pages through its View system
Strengths
RAMAnimatedTabBarController
- Ships with nine ready-made animations that can be attached in Interface Builder or code
- Simple setup: swap in the library's tab bar controller and item classes, then add an animation
- Available through CocoaPods, Carthage, Swift Package Manager, or direct folder import, and released under MIT
barba.js
- Small footprint, which the README states as about 7kb minified and compressed
- Clear documentation site with user guide, API reference, and examples
- Uses MIT license and has a large star count and an active release (v2.10.3)
Not ideal for
RAMAnimatedTabBarController
- Developers targeting Android or web, since the library is iOS-only (reason: it is built with UIKit classes)
- Projects that need actively maintained code, since the last push was January 2022 and the latest release is 5.1.0 (reason: the README does not state current support status)
- Teams using SwiftUI's TabView exclusively, since the README describes UITabBarController-based setup (reason: the README does not mention SwiftUI)
barba.js
- People who need a full application framework; the README positions Barba as a transition library, not a complete app framework
- Beginners with no HTML, CSS, or JavaScript experience, since the README says it assumes intermediate knowledge
- Projects that cannot use ES6+ syntax, because the README says all code examples use it, and a legacy example is provided separately
Trade-offs
RAMAnimatedTabBarController
- The last push was 2022-01-26 and the README lists Xcode 10.2, so compatibility with current Xcode and iOS versions is unverified
- The README is brief and does not document the full API or how it behaves with complex layouts
- Some included examples are animation-only; there is no documented support for SwiftUI
barba.js
- Last push date in the metadata is December 2024, so check current maintenance status before relying on it
- The README is truncated and says little about browser support details beyond linking to the docs
Getting started
RAMAnimatedTabBarController
Install with CocoaPods (add to Podfile)
pod 'RAMAnimatedTabBarController'barba.js
Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/barbajs/barbaFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between RAMAnimatedTabBarController and barba.js?
RAMAnimatedTabBarController: A Swift library that adds animations to iOS tab bar items and icons. barba.js: A small JavaScript library that adds smooth page transitions to websites without full reloads. RAMAnimatedTabBarController suits ios developers who want animated tab bar icons without writing the animation logic from scratch, while barba.js suits developers adding animated transitions to an existing multi-page website.
Are RAMAnimatedTabBarController and barba.js free?
RAMAnimatedTabBarController: Free and open source. barba.js: Free and open source.
Is RAMAnimatedTabBarController or barba.js more popular?
barba.js has more GitHub stars (13k) than RAMAnimatedTabBarController (11.1k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
What are other alternatives to RAMAnimatedTabBarController and barba.js?
Other options people compare them with include FoldingCell, Material, Hero, React, Dear ImGui.
Keep comparing
Built from our catalogue entries for both products: open-source details come from each project's README (AI-assisted, refreshed weekly) and GitHub data; AI-tool details are editorial. Spotted something wrong? Let us know from either product's page.