5 Awesome jQuery Lightbox useful for website

Lightbox, is a JavaScript application used to display large images using modal dialogs. Instead of old Pop-ups now you can use lightbox to show off your Videos, images, iFrame websites in a awesome way

The script has gained widespread popularity due to its simple yet elegant style and easy implementation. While it was initially developed from scratch, Lightbox has since been modified to use a number of JavaScript libraries but today I will show you 5 awesome jQuery Lightbox’s, you will find them very useful.

1. FancyBox 2

• Can display images, HTML elements, SWF movies, Iframes and also Ajax requests
• Customizable through settings and CSS
• Groups related items and adds navigation.
• If the mouse wheel plugin is included in the page then FancyBox will respond to mouse wheel events as well
• Support fancy transitions by using easing plugin
• Adds a nice drop shadow under the zoomed item

Fancy Lightbox - Fancybox v.2

Visit: http://fancybox.net/

2. ColorBox

• Supports photos, grouping, slideshow, ajax, inline, and iframed content.
• Lightweight: 10KB of JavaScript (less than 5KBs gzipped).
• Appearance is controlled through CSS so it can be restyled.
• Can be extended with callbacks & event-hooks without altering the source files.
• Completely unobtrusive, options are set in the JS and require no changes to existing HTML.
• Preloads upcoming images in a photo group.
• Well vetted (ColorBox is one of the top 10 jQuery plugins, currently used on tens of thousands of websites).

Colourbox lightbox

Visit: http://jacklmoore.com/colorbox/

3. Shadowbox

Shadowbox uses a smart plugin detection mechanism behind the scenes that can spare your users from confusing torn image or puzzle piece icons when they don’t have the plugins they need to view your content. Also, it will never overflow the viewport, forcing those obnoxious scroll bars.

shadowbox.js Video in a lightbox

Visit: http://www.shadowbox-js.com/index.html (Scroll a lil down to see demo.)

4. jQuery UI Dialog box

A little tough to use, but for advanced users its quite useful. Not only fancy dialog box this script has lots of other useful jQuery UI for website.

http://jqueryui.com/demos/dialog/

5. Thickbox 3.1

Author of this script has discontinued this lightbox, but its very good. Im still using it on many of my website because of its very easy to use and it works well even though there are lots of other jQuery or JavaScript’s running in background on same web page.

Its function is to show a single image, multiple images, inline content, iframed content, or content served through AJAX in a LIGHTBOX.

http://jquery.com/demo/thickbox/

Have fun !