Unlock the Power of Full-Screen Views: A Deep Dive into the FullScreen API

Getting Started with the FullScreen API

To enable full-screen mode, you’ll need to request permission using the Element.requestFullScreen() function. This is not the same as requesting access to location data; instead, the browser determines whether to accept or deny the request based on user interaction, such as clicking an “Allow” button. Once in full-screen mode, users can exit by pressing the escape key or using other standard methods.

A Basic Example: Full-Screen Section

Let’s start with a simple example: a full-screen section with a button to toggle the view. We’ll use the :fullscreen pseudo selector to switch between two different states, hiding and showing elements as needed. This technique is commonly used for images and videos, but we’ll apply it to a basic HTML5 section.

<section id="full-screen-section">
  <button id="toggle-full-screen">Toggle Full Screen</button>
  <div>Content to be displayed in full screen</div>
</section>

const section = document.getElementById('full-screen-section');
const button = document.getElementById('toggle-full-screen');

button.addEventListener('click', () => {
  section.requestFullScreen();
});

Taking it to the Next Level: Full-Screen Modal

We can take the :fullscreen element a step further by creating a modal-like experience. By adding a close button and some styling, we can create a seamless transition between the normal and full-screen views. We’ll also explore how to add focus styles and keyboard navigation for improved accessibility.

<section id="full-screen-modal">
  <button id="close-modal">Close</button>
  <div>Modal content</div>
</section>

#full-screen-modal:fullscreen {
  /* styles for full-screen modal */
}

The Most Common Use Cases: Images and Videos

The FullScreen API is often used to create immersive experiences for images and videos. We’ll focus on images, using a grid layout to display multiple images that can be viewed in full-screen mode. We’ll also explore how to use the :fullscreen pseudo selector to style the backdrop and create a seamless transition.

<div class="image-grid">
  <img src="image1.jpg" alt="Image 1">
  <img src="image2.jpg" alt="Image 2">
  <!-- more images -->
</div>

.image-grid:fullscreen {
  /* styles for full-screen image grid */
}

Accessibility Considerations

While the FullScreen API offers many benefits, there are some accessibility concerns to keep in mind. We’ll discuss how to use the ::backdrop pseudo selector to create a backdrop that hides the underlying document and how to handle accessibility issues with screen readers.

#full-screen-element::backdrop {
  /* styles for backdrop */
}

Full-Screen Images with SVGs

We’ll also explore how to use SVGs to create full-screen images with animations and effects. By embedding images inside SVGs, we can create a more engaging experience and take advantage of SVG’s unique features.

<svg viewBox="0 0 100 100">
  <image xlink:href="image.jpg" width="100" height="100"></image>
  <!-- animations and effects -->
</svg>