Published on December 9, 2023
Bodymovin Extension or LottieFiles for After Effects?
This question has been revolving around animators for quite a while now. They both come with their own benefits. So, in this article, we’ll discuss the features of both the extensions and deduce which one is best suited for animators.
The Bodymovin Extension
Hernan Torrisi, the man who brought the Lottie format to life, published this original extension. The Bodymovin extension presented the Lottie format to the world and provides entrance to brand new features and dynamic changes for the Lottie generation that are based on After Effects.
There are several benefits when it comes to the Bodymovin extension. It allows importing Lottie JSON to After Effects, previewing and playing of the exported Lottie animation, and exporting to AVD, Zip, and Rive formats. Yep, all in one place.
But that’s just it, really. But when it comes to After Effects, the benefits are, well, neverending when compared to the Bodymovin Extension. Let’s look at it in detail.
The LottieFiles for After Effects Extension
After Effects extension was made in accordance with the open-source work by Hernan and the entire Lottie community. The purpose behind the open-source work was to enhance the user experience and further improve a user’s workflow. Several significant features of the LottieFiles plugin run in parallel with that of the Bodymovin plugin extension. Standing one step forward, the After Effects extension also brings in a couple more additional key features to refine DX and the workflow of both the animators and developers.
LottieFiles for After Effects takes things to the next level with a range of hidden benefits we’re about to uncover. It offers instant previews of rendered animations across various devices, streamlining the editing process for animations and backgrounds. Additionally, it provides performance analysis and size control tools, granting users firm control over their animations.
After Effects also gives access to the Lottie platform just within the extension. That’s right. Through After Effects, you can look through the thousand of Lottie animations available on LottieFiles.
1. You can straightaway preview your Lottie animation that plays in the Lottie player for the web right inside the extension panel.
2. Augments the file size of the Lottie animation and performance of the CPU by rendering a time graph.
3. Allows you to upload the Lottie animation in progress and privately share it with peers and clients for feedback.
4. Allows crosschecking the uniformity of the Lottie animation across the web, iOS, and Android by directly sending it off to the LottieFiles Android or iOS apps to examine the animation on the platform-specific players.
5. As After Effects provides direct access to the LottieFiles platform, you can easily sift through the thousands of free Lottie animations, download the JSON file of the animation you prefer, or even draw inspiration from a certain animation that caught your attention.
At Animoox, we’re dedicated to uncovering insights that benefit both animators and users. We often turn to LottieFiles, the ultimate hub, for crucial insights. On this topic, LottieFiles advocates for After Effects, and considering its advantages, we do too. When you’re part of a team aiming for an efficient workflow and near-instant client feedback, After Effects becomes the go-to extension. However, the Bodymovin extension may offer everything you need, and if it suits your workflow, that’s fantastic. Ultimately, our goal is to create animations that make interactivity as dynamic as possible.
