---
title: "Edit Operations"
description: "The complete EditOp catalog for dispatch(), can(), and batch()."
---

Every mutation in the SDK is expressed as an `EditOp` — a plain data object with a discriminated `type` field. You can submit ops individually through `dispatch()`, validate them with `can()`, or group them into a single undo/persist step with `batch()`.

<Tip>
  Every element op requires an explicit `target` (an `HfId` string or `HfId[]` array). There is no selection-implicit mutation — the SDK never reads the current selection to decide what to edit. The typed methods on `Composition` (such as `comp.setText()` and `comp.setStyle()`) are convenience sugar that construct and dispatch these same ops.
</Tip>

## dispatch, batch, and can

### dispatch

```typescript
comp.dispatch(op: EditOp, opts?: { origin?: unknown }): void
```

Applies `op` immediately. Emits a `patch` event, persists if an adapter is attached, and records a history entry. The optional `origin` is forwarded verbatim in the resulting `PatchEvent`; use it to label the source of the change (e.g. `"user"`, `"agent"`, or your own string constant).

```typescript
comp.dispatch(
  { type: "setStyle", target: "hf-title", styles: { color: "#FFD60A" } },
  { origin: "agent" },
);
```

### batch

```typescript
comp.batch(fn: () => void, opts?: { origin?: unknown }): void
```

Groups all `dispatch()` calls made inside `fn` into a single undo step, a single persist write, and a single `patch` event. Use `batch()` when several mutations belong together logically.

```typescript
comp.batch(() => {
  comp.dispatch({ type: "setText", target: "hf-title", value: "Launch Day" });
  comp.dispatch({ type: "setStyle", target: "hf-title", styles: { fontSize: "96px" } });
  comp.dispatch({ type: "setTiming", target: "hf-title", start: 0.5, duration: 3 });
});
```

### can

```typescript
comp.can(op: EditOp): CanResult
```

Dry-runs `op` without mutating the document. Returns `{ ok: true }` when `dispatch(op)` would succeed, or `{ ok: false; code: string; message: string; hint?: string }` when it would be a no-op or error.

Use `can()` as a feature-detection gate before rendering controls or applying optional operations:

```typescript
const result = comp.can({
  type: "setGsapTween",
  animationId: "anim-1",
  properties: { ease: "power3.out" },
});

if (result.ok) {
  comp.setGsapTween("anim-1", { ease: "power3.out" });
} else {
  console.warn(result.code, result.message);
}
```

Stable `code` values for `ok: false`:

| Code | Meaning |
|------|---------|
| `E_TARGET_NOT_FOUND` | The `target` hf-id does not exist in the document. |
| `E_NO_ROOT` | The document has no root element (empty HTML). |
| `E_NO_GSAP_TIMELINE` | Op requires a parsed GSAP timeline; parser engine not yet active. |
| `E_NO_GSAP_SCRIPT` | Op requires a GSAP `<script>` block; none found in the document. |

<Note>
  Several Phase-3b GSAP ops (`addGsapTween`, `setGsapTween`, `removeGsapTween`, `addGsapKeyframe`, `setGsapKeyframe`, `removeGsapKeyframe`, etc.) return `{ ok: false, code: 'E_NO_GSAP_TIMELINE' }` from `can()` until the parser engine ships. `dispatch()` still applies those ops structurally even when `can()` returns false.
</Note>

See also: [`Composition`](/sdk/reference/composition) for the typed-method wrappers, [`Types`](/sdk/reference/types) for `CanResult` and `EditOp`.

---

## Element edits

These ops target one or more elements by explicit hf-id. `target` accepts a single `HfId` string or an `HfId[]` array; when an array is given the op is applied to each id individually within a single batch.

| `type` | Key fields | What it does |
|--------|-----------|--------------|
| `setStyle` | `target`, `styles` | Merges CSS inline styles. `null` values remove that property. |
| `setText` | `target`, `value` | Replaces the element's direct text content. |
| `setAttribute` | `target`, `name`, `value` | Sets or removes an HTML attribute. `null` removes it. Does not touch `style`, `class`, or `data-hf-*`. |
| `setTiming` | `target`, `start?`, `duration?`, `trackIndex?` | Updates one or more timing attributes (`data-start`, `data-duration`, `data-track`). Omitted fields are unchanged. |
| `setHold` | `target`, `hold` | Sets an elastic hold window; see `ElasticHold` shape below. |
| `moveElement` | `target`, `x`, `y` | Repositions the element by setting `data-x` / `data-y` (not CSS `left`/`top`). |
| `removeElement` | `target` | Removes the element and all its children from the document. Inverse of `addElement`. |

### setStyle

```typescript
comp.dispatch({
  type: "setStyle",
  target: "hf-card",
  styles: {
    borderRadius: "24px",
    backgroundColor: "#1A1A1A",
    color: null,          // removes the color property
  },
});
```

`styles` keys are camelCase property names, matching `CSSStyleDeclaration` convention.

### setText

```typescript
comp.dispatch({
  type: "setText",
  target: ["hf-headline", "hf-sub"],
  value: "Coming soon",
});
```

### setAttribute

```typescript
comp.dispatch({
  type: "setAttribute",
  target: "hf-logo",
  name: "src",
  value: "/assets/logo-v2.png",
});

// Remove an attribute:
comp.dispatch({
  type: "setAttribute",
  target: "hf-video",
  name: "autoplay",
  value: null,
});
```

### setTiming

```typescript
comp.dispatch({
  type: "setTiming",
  target: "hf-title",
  start: 1.5,
  duration: 3,
  trackIndex: 0,
});
```

### setHold

`hold` is an `ElasticHold` object:

```typescript
comp.dispatch({
  type: "setHold",
  target: "hf-badge",
  hold: {
    start: 2,
    end: 5,
    fill: "freeze",   // "freeze" | "loop"
  },
});
```

### moveElement

Sets the element's position via `data-x` / `data-y` attributes. Coordinates are in composition-space pixels.

```typescript
comp.dispatch({
  type: "moveElement",
  target: "hf-logo",
  x: 120,
  y: 48,
});
```

---

## Structure

These ops mutate document structure (add/remove/reorder elements, apply class-level styles, or change composition metadata). They do **not** take a `target` field in the same form as element edits.

| `type` | Key fields | What it does |
|--------|-----------|--------------|
| `addElement` | `parent`, `index`, `html` | Inserts an HTML fragment. Returns the minted hf-id via the typed `comp.addElement()` method. |
| `reorderElements` | `entries` | Sets inline `z-index` on one or more elements to reorder their stacking. |
| `setClassStyle` | `selector`, `styles` | Merges CSS rule styles for a class selector. `null` values remove properties. |
| `deleteAllForSelector` | `selector` | Removes all elements matching the CSS selector from the document. |
| `setCompositionMetadata` | `width?`, `height?`, `duration?` | Updates top-level composition dimensions and/or total duration. |

### addElement

`parent` is the hf-id of the parent element, or `null` to insert at the document body root. `index` is the zero-based sibling index (append if `>= childCount`). `html` must be a single-root HTML fragment and must not contain `<script>`.

```typescript
comp.dispatch({
  type: "addElement",
  parent: "hf-scene-1",
  index: 2,
  html: '<div class="clip" data-start="3" data-duration="2">New layer</div>',
});
```

Use the typed `comp.addElement(parent, index, html)` method to get back the minted hf-id.

### reorderElements

Each entry sets `z-index` on one element. Elements must be non-statically positioned for `z-index` to take effect — the caller must ensure `position` is set.

```typescript
comp.dispatch({
  type: "reorderElements",
  entries: [
    { target: "hf-bg",   zIndex: 0 },
    { target: "hf-logo", zIndex: 10 },
    { target: "hf-text", zIndex: 20 },
  ],
});
```

### setClassStyle

```typescript
comp.dispatch({
  type: "setClassStyle",
  selector: ".caption",
  styles: { fontSize: "14px", fontWeight: "600" },
});
```

### deleteAllForSelector

```typescript
comp.dispatch({
  type: "deleteAllForSelector",
  selector: ".debug-overlay",
});
```

### setCompositionMetadata

```typescript
comp.dispatch({
  type: "setCompositionMetadata",
  width: 1920,
  height: 1080,
  duration: 30,
});
```

---

## Variables

| `type` | Key fields | What it does |
|--------|-----------|--------------|
| `setVariableValue` | `id`, `value` | Sets a composition variable's current value by id. Value may be a string, number, boolean, `FontValue`, or `ImageValue`. Refuses to create an undeclared variable. |
| `declareVariable` | `decl` | Creates a new variable declaration, or fully replaces an existing one (type, label, default, and all other schema fields — not just the value). The only op that creates the schema entry from scratch. |
| `removeVariable` | `id` | Removes a variable's declaration entirely. Live `var.{id}` overrides and `data-var-*` DOM references are left untouched. |

```typescript
// Scalar variable
comp.dispatch({
  type: "setVariableValue",
  id: "brandColor",
  value: "#6C5CE7",
});

// Font variable (object-valued — never a CSS string)
comp.dispatch({
  type: "setVariableValue",
  id: "brand-font",
  value: {
    name: "Inter",
    source: "https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Inter:wght@400;700",
  },
});

// Image variable (object-valued)
comp.dispatch({
  type: "setVariableValue",
  id: "hero-image",
  value: {
    url: "/assets/hero.jpg",
    alt: "Product hero",
    fit: "cover",
  },
});

// Create a new variable declaration
comp.dispatch({
  type: "declareVariable",
  decl: {
    id: "brandColor",
    type: "color",
    label: "Brand color",
    default: "#6C5CE7",
  },
});

// Remove a variable's declaration
comp.dispatch({ type: "removeVariable", id: "brandColor" });
```

---

## GSAP tweens

These ops add, edit, and remove GSAP tween entries in the composition's GSAP script block. They operate by `animationId` — a stable string identifier minted when a tween is created. Use `comp.addGsapTween()` or `addWithKeyframes` to mint a new id; the typed wrapper returns it directly.

<Note>
  Several GSAP ops require the parser engine to be active. Until it ships, `can()` returns `{ ok: false, code: 'E_NO_GSAP_TIMELINE' }` for these ops. `dispatch()` still applies the op structurally.
</Note>

| `type` | Key fields | What it does |
|--------|-----------|--------------|
| `addGsapTween` | `target`, `tween` | Adds a new tween for a target hf-id. Returns the minted `animationId` via the typed method. |
| `setGsapTween` | `animationId`, `properties` | Partially updates an existing tween's `GsapTweenSpec` fields. |
| `removeGsapTween` | `animationId` | Removes the tween entirely. |
| `removeGsapProperty` | `animationId`, `property`, `from?` | Removes one animated property from a tween. `from: true` removes from `fromProperties`; otherwise removes from `toProperties` / `properties`. |

### addGsapTween

`tween` is a `GsapTweenSpec` object:

```typescript
comp.dispatch({
  type: "addGsapTween",
  target: "hf-title",
  tween: {
    method: "from",
    position: 0,
    duration: 0.8,
    ease: "power3.out",
    fromProperties: { opacity: 0, y: 40 },
  },
});
```

`GsapTweenSpec` fields:

| Field | Type | Description |
|-------|------|-------------|
| `method` | `"from" \| "to" \| "fromTo" \| "set"` | GSAP tween method. |
| `position` | `number \| string` | Timeline position. Accepts numbers (seconds) or label-relative strings (`"intro+=0.5"`). |
| `duration` | `number` | Tween duration in seconds. |
| `ease` | `string` | GSAP ease string (e.g. `"power3.out"`). |
| `fromProperties` | `Record<string, unknown>` | Start-state properties (used by `from` and `fromTo`). |
| `toProperties` | `Record<string, unknown>` | End-state properties (used by `fromTo`). |
| `properties` | `Record<string, unknown>` | Animated properties for `to` tweens. |
| `repeat` | `number` | Repeat count (`-1` = infinite). |
| `yoyo` | `boolean` | Reverse on alternating repeats. |
| `stagger` | `number \| Record<string, unknown>` | Stagger config for multi-target tweens. |

### setGsapTween

Only the fields you supply are changed; omit any field to leave it unchanged.

```typescript
comp.dispatch({
  type: "setGsapTween",
  animationId: "anim-1",
  properties: { ease: "elastic.out(1, 0.3)", duration: 1.2 },
});
```

### removeGsapProperty

```typescript
// Remove 'scale' from the to-properties of an existing tween
comp.dispatch({
  type: "removeGsapProperty",
  animationId: "anim-1",
  property: "scale",
});

// Remove 'opacity' from the from-properties
comp.dispatch({
  type: "removeGsapProperty",
  animationId: "anim-2",
  property: "opacity",
  from: true,
});
```

---

## Keyframes

Keyframe ops work with tweens that use CSS `@keyframes`-style percentage arrays rather than a single `fromProperties`/`toProperties` shape.

| `type` | Key fields | What it does |
|--------|-----------|--------------|
| `setGsapKeyframe` | `animationId`, `keyframeIndex`, `position?`, `value?`, `ease?` | Updates one keyframe by index inside an existing keyframed tween. |
| `addGsapKeyframe` | `animationId`, `position`, `value` | Appends a new keyframe at a given percentage position. |
| `removeGsapKeyframe` | `animationId`, `percentage` | Removes the keyframe at a specific percentage. |
| `removeAllKeyframes` | `animationId` | Clears all keyframes from a tween, leaving the tween shell intact. |
| `convertToKeyframes` | `animationId`, `resolvedFromValues?` | Converts a `from`/`to`/`fromTo` tween into keyframe form. `resolvedFromValues` provides live computed values for the 0% stop. |
| `materializeKeyframes` | `animationId`, `keyframes`, `easeEach?`, `resolvedSelector?` | Writes a complete keyframe set to an existing tween, replacing any previous keyframes. |
| `addWithKeyframes` | `targetSelector`, `position`, `duration`, `keyframes`, `ease?` | Creates a new keyframed tween for the given CSS selector. Returns minted `animationId` via typed method. |
| `replaceWithKeyframes` | `animationId`, `targetSelector`, `position`, `duration`, `keyframes`, `ease?` | Atomically removes an existing tween and inserts a new keyframed tween. |
| `splitIntoPropertyGroups` | `animationId` | Splits a multi-property keyframed tween into one tween per animated property. |
| `splitAnimations` | `originalId`, `newId`, `splitTime`, `elementStart`, `elementDuration` | Splits one tween into two at `splitTime`. The second half gets `newId`. |
| `unrollDynamicAnimations` | `animationId`, `elements` | Converts a selector-targeted tween that matches multiple elements into per-element keyframe tweens. |

### materializeKeyframes

`keyframes` is an array of `{ percentage, properties, ease? }` objects:

```typescript
comp.dispatch({
  type: "materializeKeyframes",
  animationId: "anim-3",
  keyframes: [
    { percentage: 0,   properties: { opacity: 0, y: 30 } },
    { percentage: 100, properties: { opacity: 1, y: 0 }, ease: "power2.out" },
  ],
  easeEach: "none",
  resolvedSelector: "#hf-title",
});
```

### addWithKeyframes / replaceWithKeyframes

`position` is a number (seconds) — unlike `GsapTweenSpec.position`, label-relative strings are not accepted here.

```typescript
// Create a new keyframed tween:
comp.dispatch({
  type: "addWithKeyframes",
  targetSelector: "#hf-card",
  position: 1.5,
  duration: 0.6,
  keyframes: [
    { percentage: 0,   properties: { scale: 0.8, opacity: 0 } },
    { percentage: 100, properties: { scale: 1,   opacity: 1 } },
  ],
  ease: "back.out(1.7)",
});

// Replace an existing tween atomically:
comp.dispatch({
  type: "replaceWithKeyframes",
  animationId: "anim-4",
  targetSelector: "#hf-card",
  position: 1.5,
  duration: 0.6,
  keyframes: [
    { percentage: 0,   properties: { scale: 0.9 } },
    { percentage: 100, properties: { scale: 1 } },
  ],
});
```

<Note>
  After `replaceWithKeyframes`, position-derived tween IDs renumber. Re-query `comp.getElement(id).animationIds` to discover the new ID rather than assuming it matches the old one.
</Note>

`KeyframeSpec` fields:

| Field | Type | Description |
|-------|------|-------------|
| `percentage` | `number` | Keyframe stop position (0–100). |
| `properties` | `Record<string, number \| string>` | CSS / GSAP properties at this stop. |
| `ease` | `string` | Ease applied from this stop to the next. |
| `auto` | `boolean` | GSAP endpoint flag — emitted as numeric `_auto: 1`. |

---

## Labels

GSAP timeline labels mark named positions (in seconds) in the master timeline. Labels are referenced in `GsapTweenSpec.position` as strings like `"intro"` or `"intro+=0.5"`.

| `type` | Key fields | What it does |
|--------|-----------|--------------|
| `addLabel` | `name`, `position` | Adds a named label at a timeline position (seconds). |
| `removeLabel` | `name` | Removes a named label. |

```typescript
comp.dispatch({ type: "addLabel", name: "intro", position: 0 });
comp.dispatch({ type: "addLabel", name: "outro", position: 8 });

// Tween positioned relative to a label:
comp.dispatch({
  type: "addGsapTween",
  target: "hf-cta",
  tween: {
    method: "from",
    position: "outro-=0.5",
    duration: 0.4,
    fromProperties: { opacity: 0 },
  },
});

comp.dispatch({ type: "removeLabel", name: "intro" });
```

---

## Arc paths

Arc path ops control the motion path of a GSAP tween — the curve along which an element travels.

| `type` | Key fields | What it does |
|--------|-----------|--------------|
| `setArcPath` | `animationId`, `config` | Creates or replaces the arc-path config on a tween. |
| `updateArcSegment` | `animationId`, `segmentIndex`, `update` | Updates one segment's curviness or control points. |
| `removeArcPath` | `animationId` | Removes the arc-path from a tween, reverting to a straight-line path. |

### setArcPath

`config` shape:

```typescript
comp.dispatch({
  type: "setArcPath",
  animationId: "anim-5",
  config: {
    enabled: true,
    autoRotate: true,            // boolean, or a number (degrees offset)
    segments: [
      {
        curviness: 1.5,
        cp1: { x: 200, y: -80 }, // first control point
        cp2: { x: 400, y: 20 },  // second control point
      },
    ],
  },
});
```

| Field | Type | Description |
|-------|------|-------------|
| `enabled` | `boolean` | Whether the arc path is active. |
| `autoRotate` | `boolean \| number` | `true` = auto-rotate to follow path tangent; a number offsets the rotation by that many degrees. |
| `segments` | `Array<{ curviness?, cp1?, cp2? }>` | Per-segment path definition. `curviness` is a GSAP Bezier curviness value; `cp1`/`cp2` are control-point coordinates in composition space. |

### updateArcSegment

```typescript
comp.dispatch({
  type: "updateArcSegment",
  animationId: "anim-5",
  segmentIndex: 0,
  update: { curviness: 2, cp1: { x: 220, y: -100 } },
});
```