---
title: "JQuery Timeline Event Appearance & Time Buffers Example | Mobiscroll"
component: "Timeline"
framework: "jQuery"
library_version: "6.2.0"
url: "https://demo.mobiscroll.com/jquery/timeline/timeline-custom-event-rendering"
---
# Event Appearance & Time Buffers - jQuery Timeline demo
Customize event layouts on a JQuery Timeline with icons, labels, and colors — visualize before/after buffers for travel, prep, or inspection workflows.
- [Live demo](https://demo.mobiscroll.com/jquery/timeline/timeline-custom-event-rendering)
- [View code on GitHub](https://github.com/acidb/mobiscroll-demos-jquery/tree/main/src/demos/eventcalendar/timeline/timeline-custom-event-rendering)
- This demo in other frameworks: [JavaScript](https://demo.mobiscroll.com/javascript/timeline/timeline-custom-event-rendering.md), [Angular](https://demo.mobiscroll.com/angular/timeline/timeline-custom-event-rendering.md), [React](https://demo.mobiscroll.com/react/timeline/timeline-custom-event-rendering.md), [Vue](https://demo.mobiscroll.com/vue/timeline/timeline-custom-event-rendering.md)
## Description
Events can be customized through the [`renderTimelineEvent`](https://mobiscroll.com/docs/jquery/eventcalendar/api#renderer-renderTimelineEvent) option. How the events look are fully up to you. Base event fields along with custom fields can be accessed when writing the rendering function.
The before/after buffers can help you visualise delays or added minutes for tasks. For example travel time for meetings/appointments, check in/check out for flights.
The buffers can be customized through the [`renderBufferBefore`](https://mobiscroll.com/docs/jquery/eventcalendar/api#renderer-renderBufferBefore) and [`renderBufferAfter`](https://mobiscroll.com/docs/jquery/eventcalendar/api#renderer-renderBufferAfter) options.
**Want to see how custom event rendering looks on the time grid?** [Check out this example →](https://demo.mobiscroll.com/jquery/scheduler/customizing-events)
## What this demo shows
- A desktop timeline day view where hours are arranged horizontally and resources are listed as rows on the left.
- **Header navigation** The month and year label opens date navigation, the previous and next arrows move between days, and the Today button returns to the current date.
- **Day view** The strip below the header shows the selected day, with the current date highlighted.
- **Timeline grid** The timeline displays hourly columns for the selected day.
- **Resources** Resources are shown as separate timeline rows.
- **Current time** A vertical blue line with a time label marks the current time.
- **Hover behavior** Hovering over the time grid shows a time indicator that follows the cursor in 15-minute increments.
- **Event labels** Events use custom timeline rendering with a colored icon, a colored start time, and the event title inside the event body.
- **Buffers** Events include before and after buffer areas labeled Prep and Inspection, with the required time shown for each buffer.
- **Date positioning** Events are positioned by assigned resource and exact date and time range.
- **Event interaction** Hovering over events reveals drag and resize handles for repositioning events or changing their duration.
- **Event creation** New events can be created by double-clicking the timeline or by clicking and dragging across a time range.
- **Scrolling** The timeline supports horizontal and vertical scrolling for navigating through time and resources.
## Best for
- **Custom timeline event rendering** Timeline views that need event labels to match product-specific visual requirements instead of using the default event layout.
- **Resource-based scheduling** Timelines where events are assigned to people, teams, equipment, rooms, or other resources.
- **Project or category-based scheduling** Timelines where color, icons, labels, or visual accents help users distinguish projects, categories, teams, or statuses.
- **Detailed event summaries** Scheduling interfaces that need to show additional event context, such as start time, custom fields, task type, or status.
- **Preparation and follow-up buffers** Workflows where time before or after an event needs to be shown separately from the main scheduled task.
- **Field service workflows** Maintenance, inspection, repair, and asset management applications where each appointment may include preparation, the main task, and post-task inspection.
## API used in this demo
- [`theme`](https://mobiscroll.com/docs/jquery/eventcalendar/api#opt-theme) - option
- [`themeVariant`](https://mobiscroll.com/docs/jquery/eventcalendar/api#opt-themeVariant) - option
- [`clickToCreate`](https://mobiscroll.com/docs/jquery/eventcalendar/api#opt-clickToCreate) - option
- [`dragToCreate`](https://mobiscroll.com/docs/jquery/eventcalendar/api#opt-dragToCreate) - option
- [`dragToMove`](https://mobiscroll.com/docs/jquery/eventcalendar/api#opt-dragToMove) - option
- [`dragToResize`](https://mobiscroll.com/docs/jquery/eventcalendar/api#opt-dragToResize) - option
- [`eventDelete`](https://mobiscroll.com/docs/jquery/eventcalendar/api#opt-eventDelete) - option
- [`view`](https://mobiscroll.com/docs/jquery/eventcalendar/api#opt-view) - option
- [`renderTimelineEvent`](https://mobiscroll.com/docs/jquery/eventcalendar/api#renderer-renderTimelineEvent) - renderer
- [`renderBufferBefore`](https://mobiscroll.com/docs/jquery/eventcalendar/api#renderer-renderBufferBefore) - renderer
- [`renderBufferAfter`](https://mobiscroll.com/docs/jquery/eventcalendar/api#renderer-renderBufferAfter) - renderer
- [`extendDefaultEvent`](https://mobiscroll.com/docs/jquery/eventcalendar/api#opt-extendDefaultEvent) - option
- [`data`](https://mobiscroll.com/docs/jquery/eventcalendar/api#opt-data) - option
- [`resources`](https://mobiscroll.com/docs/jquery/eventcalendar/api#opt-resources) - option
## Code
### JS
```js
mobiscroll.setOptions({
theme: 'ios',
themeVariant: 'light'
});
$(function () {
$('#demo-timeline-template')
.mobiscroll()
.eventcalendar({
clickToCreate: true,
dragToCreate: true,
dragToMove: true,
dragToResize: true,
eventDelete: true,
view: {
timeline: {
type: 'day',
},
},
renderTimelineEvent: function (data) {
var ev = data.original;
var color = data.color;
return (
'
' +
'
' +
'' +
'' +
data.start +
'' +
'' +
ev.title +
'
'
);
},
renderBufferBefore: function (args) {
var event = args.original;
var color = event.color;
return (
'
Prep' +
'' +
event.bufferBefore +
' min' +
'
'
);
},
renderBufferAfter: function (args) {
var event = args.original;
var color = event.color;
return (
'
Inspection' +
'' +
event.bufferAfter +
' min' +
'
'
);
},
extendDefaultEvent: function () {
return {
taskType: 'cogs',
bufferAfter: 60,
bufferBefore: 30,
color: '#239a21',
};
},
data: [
{
bufferBefore: 30,
bufferAfter: 35,
start: '2026-11-01T10:30',
end: '2026-11-01T13:00',
title: 'Tire change',
color: '#7a5886',
taskType: 'material-repeat',
resource: 1,
},
{
bufferAfter: 40,
bufferBefore: 30,
start: '2026-11-01T07:00',
end: '2026-11-01T10:00',
title: 'Brake maintenance',
color: '#9da721',
taskType: 'cogs',
resource: 2,
},
{
bufferAfter: 45,
bufferBefore: 30,
start: '2026-11-01T13:30',
end: '2026-11-01T16:30',
title: 'Fluid maintenance',
color: '#cd6957',
taskType: 'cogs',
resource: 1,
},
{
bufferAfter: 35,
bufferBefore: 30,
start: '2026-11-01T11:00',
end: '2026-11-01T14:00',
title: 'Oil change',
color: '#637e57',
taskType: 'material-repeat',
resource: 3,
},
{
bufferAfter: 60,
bufferBefore: 30,
start: '2026-11-01T08:00',
end: '2026-11-01T12:00',
title: 'Engine repair',
color: '#6c5d45',
taskType: 'material-search',
resource: 3,
},
{
bufferAfter: 45,
bufferBefore: 30,
start: '2026-11-01T14:00',
end: '2026-11-01T19:00',
title: 'Car painting',
color: '#50789d',
taskType: 'material-format-paint',
resource: 2,
},
],
resources: [
{
id: 1,
name: 'Ryan',
color: '#239a21',
},
{
id: 2,
name: 'Kate',
color: '#01adff',
},
{
id: 3,
name: 'John',
color: '#ff0101',
},
],
});
});
```
### HTML
```html
```
### CSS
```css
.md-timeline-template .mbsc-schedule-event.mbsc-ltr {
height: auto !important;
}
.md-timeline-template-event {
border: 1px solid transparent;
margin: 2px 0;
}
.md-timeline-template-event-cont {
background: rgba(255, 255, 255, .8);
font-size: 15px;
height: 32px;
white-space: nowrap;
text-overflow: ellipsis;
overflow: hidden;
}
.md-timeline-template-event-cont .mbsc-icon {
padding: 5px;
box-sizing: content-box;
}
.md-before-buffer,
.mbsc-timeline-event-start .md-timeline-template-event,
.mbsc-timeline-event-start .md-timeline-template-event-cont,
.mbsc-timeline-event-start .md-timeline-template-event-cont .mbsc-icon {
border-top-left-radius: 20px;
border-bottom-left-radius: 20px;
}
.md-after-buffer,
.mbsc-timeline-event-end .md-timeline-template-event,
.mbsc-timeline-event-end .md-timeline-template-event-cont,
.mbsc-timeline-event-end .md-timeline-template-event-cont .mbsc-icon {
border-top-right-radius: 20px;
border-bottom-right-radius: 20px;
}
.md-buffer {
position: absolute;
display: flex;
width: 100%;
font-size: 10px;
top: 2px;
bottom: 2px;
left: 0;
color: #fff;
padding: 0 6px;
line-height: 12px;
flex-direction: column;
align-items: center;
justify-content: center;
text-align: center;
opacity: .5;
box-sizing: border-box;
z-index: -1;
}
.md-buffer-tail {
position: absolute;
width: 14px;
height: 100%;
top: 0;
}
.md-before-buffer .md-buffer-tail {
left: 100%;
}
.md-after-buffer .md-buffer-tail {
right: 100%;
}
.md-buffer-time {
font-weight: 600;
}
.md-timeline-template-event-cont .mbsc-icon:before {
color: #fff;
font-size: 18px;
}
.md-timeline-template-time {
margin: 0 10px;
}
.md-timeline-template-title {
color: #666;
}
.md-timeline-template .mbsc-timeline-column,
.md-timeline-template .mbsc-timeline-header-column {
min-width: 100px;
}
.md-timeline-template .mbsc-timeline-resource,
.md-timeline-template .mbsc-timeline-row {
min-height: 100px;
}
```
## Implementation notes
- Use `timeline: { type: 'day' }` for a single-day view with all resources as rows.
- Define 3 person resources (Ryan, Kate, John), each with `id`, `name`, and `color`. Event colors are set per-event independently of resource colors.
- Add a custom `taskType` property to each event containing a Mobiscroll icon name string (e.g. `'cogs'`, `'material-repeat'`, `'material-search'`, `'material-format-paint'`). Each event also carries `bufferBefore` and `bufferAfter` values in minutes. Use `dyndatetime` offsets so events always fall on today.
- Use `renderTimelineEvent` (Angular: `timelineEventTemplate`, Vue: `#timelineEvent`) to fully replace the default event rendering. The render function receives `data` with `data.original` (the raw event object), `data.color` (the resolved event color), and `data.start` (a pre-formatted start time string). Render a Mobiscroll icon via the class `mbsc-icon mbsc-font-icon mbsc-icon-{taskType}`, the formatted start time, and the event title.
- Use `renderBufferBefore` (Angular: `bufferBeforeTemplate`, Vue: `#bufferBefore`) and `renderBufferAfter` (Angular: `bufferAfterTemplate`, Vue: `#bufferAfter`) to render custom buffer zones. Both receive `args.original` (the event). Render "Prep" with `event.bufferBefore` minutes in the before-buffer, and "Inspection" with `event.bufferAfter` minutes in the after-buffer.
- Use `extendDefaultEvent` returning `{ taskType: 'cogs', bufferBefore: 30, bufferAfter: 60, color: '#239a21' }` so newly drag-created events get a default icon, buffer times, and color.
## Run it in your project
1. If not signed up yet, or don't own a license, you can [start a free trial](https://mobiscroll.com/starttrial).
2. Clone the repository:
```
git clone https://github.com/acidb/mobiscroll-demos-jquery.git
```
3. If not installed yet, install the Mobiscroll CLI from NPM:
```
npm install -g @mobiscroll/cli
```
4. Config Mobiscroll - open a terminal window in the root directory and run:
```
mobiscroll config jquery
```
5. Install dependencies - open a terminal window in the root directory and run:
```
npm install
```
6. Run the project:
```
npm run dev
```
On a trial, add `--trial` to the config command: `mobiscroll config jquery --trial`.
Running a demo locally requires a Mobiscroll trial or a license; setup is per framework at https://mobiscroll.com/docs/jquery/getting-started/installation
## Related demos
- Next: [Custom Cell Content](https://demo.mobiscroll.com/jquery/timeline/dynamic-cell-content-template.md) - Add workload badges, status icons, and a hover quick-add button to each JQuery Timeline cell — and cap events per cell.