Getting CSS Translate values with JavaScript

How do you get a translateX, translateY or translateZ value in JavaScript? Turns out, you need to read transform matrices. But it can be quite easy. Matrices Browsers turn transform values into 2d or 3d matrices depending on what transformations you applied. Browsers create 3d matrices if you apply 3d transforms (X, Y, Z axes). Browsers create 2d matrices if you apply 2d transforms (X, Y axes only