iScroll
A small, dependency-free JavaScript scroller for smooth scrolling in web pages.
- Stars
- 12.8k
- Forks
- 3.7k
- Licence
- MIT
- Language
- JavaScript
- Last update
- 7.9 years ago
- Type
- Library
This repository is archived and no longer maintained.
What it is
iScroll is a JavaScript script that replaces a web page's standard scrolling with a custom scroller that can also handle zooming, panning, infinite lists and carousels. The README describes it as small, dependency-free and usable on desktop, mobile and smart TV browsers. Developers add it to a page and point it at a container element.
- Add smooth scrolling to a list or content area inside a web page
- Build a simple image carousel
- Create a zoomable and pannable image or map view
- Track the scroll position with the probe version
Great for
- Web developers who need custom scrolling behavior inside a page element
- Developers building mobile web pages that need smooth scrolling on older devices
- Projects that need to read or set scroll coordinates during momentum scrolling
- Developers working with very long lists who can use the infinite scrolling version
Not ideal for
- Projects that only need normal browser scrolling, since the README notes native scrolling is often good enough
- Teams that need active maintenance, because the repository is archived and the last push was in December 2018
- Developers who need to use the scroller in new code without checking browser compatibility first
How to get it
- 1
See the README
Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/cubiq/iscroll - 2
Run it
- Download or clone the repository and find the iscroll.js file
- Add a script tag for iscroll.js to your HTML page
- Create a wrapper element around the content you want to scroll
- Call new IScroll('#wrapper') once the page has loaded
- 3
Get the most out of it
- Use the demos folder in the repository to see most features in action
- Set position:relative or absolute on the wrapper element to fix wrong size calculations
- Use iscroll-lite.js if you only need basic scrolling on mobile
- Pass options such as mouseWheel or scrollbars when creating the instance
- Simplify your CSS shadows and opacity effects if scrolling feels slow
Downloads
Strengths
- The README describes it as small (about 4kb) and dependency-free
- It offers several focused versions, such as lite, probe, zoom and infinite
- It exposes scroll position and a range of custom events and easing functions
Trade-offs
- The repository is archived, so it is no longer maintained and the README may not reflect current browser behavior
- The README warns that some CSS properties such as box-shadow and opacity can cause lag with hardware acceleration
How it compares
| Project | Stars | Type | Level | Updated | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| iscroll (this) | 12.8k | Library | intermediate | 7.9 years ago | Web developers who need custom scrolling behavior inside a page element |
| swiper | 41.9k | Library | intermediate | 6 days ago | Front-end developers adding a swipeable slider or image gallery to a website |
| better-scroll | 16.4k | Library | intermediate | 2.4 years ago | Front-end developers building mobile web lists or scrollable panels |
Stats synced from GitHub. The assessment above was drafted with AI from the project's README on 2026-10-29 and may miss recent changes — check the README before relying on a command. MIT licence: free to use, modify and distribute, including commercially, as long as you keep the copyright notice.