Fading Background Images with JavaScript

Unlike fading a background color, fading a background image is not a straightforward task with jQuery. This is because background images are not treated as elements in the DOM, but rather as CSS properties.

However, a clever workaround is to use tags with absolute positioning and a negative z-index to create the illusion of a background image. By hiding these images by default and fading them in and out with jQuery, we can simulate the effect of fading a background image.

Here's how to do it step-by-step:

1. Add Tags to Your HTML:

Add one tag for each background image you want to fade. Position them absolutely and give them a negative z-index to place them behind all other elements:

img {
  position: absolute;
  z-index: -1;
  display: none;
}

2. Write the jQuery Code:

Use jQuery's each() method to iterate through the tags and fade them in and out in sequence. Here's an example:

function fadeImages() {
  $("img").each(function(index) {
    $(this)
      .hide()
      .delay(3000 * index) // delay each image by 3 seconds
      .fadeIn(3000)
      .fadeOut()
  });
}

3. Call the Function:

Call the fadeImages() function to start the fading process.

For a working example, check out the live demo at http://jsfiddle.net/RyGKV/