What method is used to animate the path in Adobe After Effects?

Animating the path in Adobe After Effects is effectively accomplished by opening the Stroke properties of a shape layer or path and adding keyframes to the "End" property. This technique allows you to create a "reveal" effect for a stroke, where the stroke is gradually drawn over time. By setting keyframes at different points along the timeline for the "End" property, you can control how much of the stroke is visible at any given moment, creating fluid animations that simulate the appearance of drawing.

For example, setting an initial keyframe at 0% for the "End" property and another keyframe at 100% later in the timeline will make it look like the stroke is being animated from start to finish. This method is particularly useful for emphasizing outlines, creating animated logos, and enhancing visual storytelling through motion graphics.

Other methods like adding keyframes to position properties or animating opacity changes serve different purposes in animation and do not directly control the stroke or path itself. Modifying the duration of the layer affects how long the layer is visible but does not inherently animate the path like adjusting the "End" property does. Therefore, using the "End" property of the Stroke to add keyframes is the most effective way to achieve path animations