Ring-Shaped Process Spinner with Fading Gradient Effect Around The Ring

Ring-shaped process spinner with fading gradient effect around the ring

This would be trivially easy if only CSS or SVG had conical gradients! Until the conic-gradient() notation matures and gains support, we can approximate the effect by slicing up the gradient and covering the seams somehow.

Below you will find two solutions. The first solution uses an embedded SVG image; the second uses multiple CSS gradients and pseudo-elements.

Both start with a single div with a keyframe animation applied to make it rotate:

HTML:

<div class="spinner"></div>

CSS:

@keyframes rotate {
    from { transform: rotate(0deg);   }
    to   { transform: rotate(360deg); }
}

.spinner {
    animation: rotate 1s linear infinite;
    height: 200px;
    width: 200px;
}

You can use a progress element if you prefer, but you will find it a pain to style. Also note that unless you're using something like prefixfree.js, you'll need to add the vendor-prefixed versions of the @keyframes at-rule and the transform and animation properties.

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The SVG solution

@keyframes rotate {
    from { transform: rotate(0deg);   }
    to   { transform: rotate(360deg); }
}

.spinner {
    animation: rotate 1s linear infinite;
    background: url('data:image/svg+xml;base64,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') no-repeat;
    height: 200px;
    width: 200px;
}

<div class="spinner"></div>

Cut a hole in a background gradient

I was able to figure it out by adding mask-image.

body { background: purple; }
.container { width: 200px; }

.spinner {
  height: 0px;
  width: 100%;
  padding-bottom: calc(100% - 20px);
  margin: 0;
  background: conic-gradient(from 0deg at center, transparent 45deg, orange 360deg);
  clip-path: circle(46% at center);
  -webkit-mask-image: radial-gradient(circle at center, transparent 54%, black 54.8%);
  mask-image: radial-gradient(circle at center, transparent 54%, black 54.8%);
}

<div class="container">
  <div class="spinner"></div>
</div>

CSS animated gradient border on a DIV

I like your original idea with using overflow: hidden, but to make it work I had to include an extra wrapper div.

• The outer wrapper defines a padding which serves as the display area for the gradient border
• The inner div is just the content box with a black background

.loading-box-container {
  --size: 200px;
  --radius: 10px;
  position: relative;
  width: var(--size);
  height: var(--size);
  padding: var(--radius);
  border-radius: var(--radius);
  overflow: hidden;
}

.loading-box {
  position: relative;
  width: 100%;
  height: 100%;
  display: flex;
  align-items: center;
  justify-content: center;
  color: #fff;
  background: #000;
  border-radius: var(--radius);
}

.loading-box-container::before {
  content: '';
  width: 150%; /* The upscaling allows the box to fill its container even when rotated */
  height: 150%;
  position: absolute;
  top: -25%; left: -25%;
  background: conic-gradient(#0000ff00, #ff0000ff);
  animation: rotate-border 5s linear infinite;
}

@keyframes rotate-border {
    to {
        transform: rotate(360deg);
    }
}

<div class="loading-box-container">
  <div class="loading-box">
    <p>Loading</p>
  </div>
</div>

Is it possible to draw a partial circle outline in CSS (open ring shape)?

To create a circle that gradually draws it's outer path, use SVG.

SVG's stroke-dasharray property will turn any path into a dashed line, which you can use to your advantage by setting the dash size to be almost as long as the path itself.

Then use a CSS animation to gradually change the stroke-dashoffset to move the dash around the perimeter of your circle.

circle {  fill: white;  stroke: black;  stroke-width: 2;  stroke-dasharray: 250;  stroke-dashoffset: 1000;  animation: rotate 5s linear infinite;}
@keyframes rotate {  to {    stroke-dashoffset: 0;  }}

<svg height="100" width="100">  <circle cx="50" cy="50" r="40" /></svg>

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