Parallax scrolling is a technique in computer graphics and web design, where background images move by the camera slower than foreground images, creating an illusion of depth in a 2D scene and adding to the immersion.

Parallax scrolling in Web design

Web designers began incorporating parallax scrolling in 2011, using HTML5 and CSS3. Advocates argue it is a simple way to embrace the fluidity of the Web. Proponents use parallax backgrounds as a tool to better engage users and improve the overall experience that a website provides. However, a Purdue University study, published in 2013, revealed the following findings: “… although parallax scrolling enhanced certain aspects of the user experience, it did not necessarily improve the overall user experience”.