Title: CSS Borders and Box Decorations Module Level 4 Shortname: css-borders Level: 4 Status: ED Work Status: Exploring Group: csswg ED: https://drafts.csswg.org/css-borders-4/ Editor: Bert Bos, W3C, bert@w3.org, w3cid 3343 Editor: Elika J. Etemad / fantasai, Apple, http://fantasai.inkedblade.net/contact, w3cid 35400 Editor: Lea Verou, Invited Expert, http://lea.verou.me/about/, w3cid 52258 Editor: Sebastian Zartner, Invited Expert, sebastianzartner@gmail.com, w3cid 64937 Abstract: This module contains the features of CSS relating to the borders and decorations of boxes on the page. Ignored Terms: total width Warning: Not Ready
spec:css-text-4; type:value; text:collapse spec:css-shapes-2; type:function; text:path()
This module is currently maintained as a diff against the parts related to borders and box decorations of CSS Backgrounds and Borders Module Level 3 [[CSS3BG]]. We will fold in the text once it’s all formatted up and in CR again, as this will reduce the effort of keeping them in sync (source diffs will be accurate in reflecting the differences).
The border can either be a predefined style (solid line, double line, dotted line, pseudo-3D border, etc.) or it can be an image. In the former case, various properties define the style ('border-style'), color ('border-color'), and thickness ('border-width') of the border.
Name: border-top-color, border-right-color, border-bottom-color, border-left-color, border-block-start-color, border-block-end-color, border-inline-start-color, border-inline-end-color Value: <> | < > Initial: currentcolor Applies to: all elements except [=ruby base containers=] and [=ruby annotation containers=] Inherited: no Logical property group: border-color Percentages: N/A Computed Value: the computed color and/or a one-dimensional image function Animation type: see prose
Name: border-color Value: [ <These properties set the foreground color of the border specified by the 'border-style' properties. The stripes defined by <> | < > ]{1,4}
.foo { border: 30px solid; border-color: stripes(dodgerblue, skyblue) stripes(yellow, gold) stripes(lightgreen, limegreen) stripes(indianred, orange); }Sample rendering:
Name: border-block-color, border-inline-color Value: <<'border-top-color'>>{1,2}These two shorthand properties set the 'border-block-start-color' & 'border-block-end-color' and 'border-inline-start-color' & 'border-inline-end-color', respectively. The first value represents the start side color, and the second value represents the end side color. If only one value is given, it applies to both the start and end sides.
Name: border-top-style, border-right-style, border-bottom-style, border-left-style, border-block-start-style, border-block-end-style, border-inline-start-style, border-inline-end-style Value: <The [=flow-relative=] properties 'border-block-start-style', 'border-block-end-style', 'border-inline-start-style', and 'border-inline-end-style' correspond to the [=physical=] properties 'border-top-style', 'border-bottom-style', 'border-left-style', and 'border-right-style'. The mapping depends on the element’s 'writing-mode', 'direction', and 'text-orientation'.> Initial: none Applies to: all elements except [=ruby base containers=] and [=ruby annotation containers=] Inherited: no Logical property group: border-style Percentages: N/A Computed value: specified keyword Animation type: discrete
Name: border-block-style, border-inline-style Value: <<'border-top-style'>>{1,2}These two shorthand properties set the 'border-block-start-style' & 'border-block-end-style' and 'border-inline-start-style' & 'border-inline-end-style', respectively. The first value represents the start side style, and the second value represents the end side style. If only one value is given, it applies to both the start and end sides.
Name: border-top-width, border-right-width, border-bottom-width, border-left-width, border-block-start-width, border-block-end-width, border-inline-start-width, border-inline-end-width Value: <The [=flow-relative=] properties 'border-block-start-width', 'border-block-end-width', 'border-inline-start-width', and 'border-inline-end-width' correspond to the [=physical=] properties 'border-top-width', 'border-bottom-width', 'border-left-width', and 'border-right-width'. The mapping depends on the element’s 'writing-mode', 'direction', and 'text-orientation'.> Initial: medium Applies to: all elements except [=ruby base containers=] and [=ruby annotation containers=] Inherited: no Logical property group: border-width Percentages: N/A Computed value: absolute length, [=snapped as a border width=]; zero if the border style is ''border-style/none'' or ''border-style/hidden'' Animation Type: by computed value
Name: border-block-width, border-inline-width Value: <<'border-top-width'>>{1,2}These two shorthand properties set the 'border-block-start-width' & 'border-block-end-width' and 'border-inline-start-width' & 'border-inline-end-width', respectively. The first value represents the start side width, and the second value represents the end side width. If only one value is given, it applies to both the start and end sides.
Name: border-top, border-right, border-bottom, border-left, border-block-start, border-block-end, border-inline-start, border-inline-end Value: <The [=flow-relative=] properties 'border-block-start', 'border-block-end', 'border-inline-start', and 'border-inline-end' correspond to the [=physical=] properties 'border-top', 'border-bottom', 'border-left', and 'border-right'. The mapping depends on the element’s 'writing-mode', 'direction', and 'text-orientation'.> || < > || < > Initial: See individual properties Applies to: all elements except [=ruby base containers=] and [=ruby annotation containers=] Inherited: no Percentages: N/A Computed value: see individual properties Animation Type: see individual properties
Name: border-block, border-inline Value: <<'border-block-start'>>These two shorthand properties set the 'border-block-start' & 'border-block-end' or 'border-inline-start' & 'border-inline-end', respectively, both to the same style.
Name: border-top-left-radius, border-top-right-radius, border-bottom-right-radius, border-bottom-left-radius, border-start-start-radius, border-start-end-radius, border-end-start-radius, border-end-end-radius Value: <The [=flow-relative=] properties 'border-start-start-radius', 'border-start-end-radius', 'border-end-start-radius', and 'border-end-end-radius' correspond to the [=physical=] properties 'border-top-left-radius', 'border-bottom-left-radius', 'border-top-right-radius', and 'border-bottom-right-radius'. The mapping depends on the element’s 'writing-mode', 'direction', and 'text-orientation', with the first start/end giving the block axis side, and the second the inline-axis side (i.e. patterned as 'border-block-inline-radius').>{1,2} Initial: 0 Applies to: all elements (but see prose) Inherited: no Logical property group: border-radius Percentages: Refer to corresponding dimension of the border box. Computed value: pair of computed < > values Animation Type: by computed value
Name: border-top-radius, border-right-radius, border-bottom-radius, border-left-radius, border-block-start-radius, border-block-end-radius, border-inline-start-radius, border-inline-end-radius Value: <>{1,2} [ / < >{1,2} ]? Initial: 0 Applies to: all elements (but see prose) Inherited: no Percentages: Refer to corresponding dimension of the border box. Computed value: see individual properties Animation type: see individual properties
The 'border-*-radius' shorthands set the two 'border-*-*-radius' longhand properties of the related side. If values are given before and after the slash, then the values before the slash set the horizontal radius and the values after the slash set the vertical radius. If there is no slash, then the values set both radii equally. The two values for the radii are given in the order top-left, top-right for 'border-top-radius', top-right, bottom-right for 'border-right-radius', bottom-left, bottom-right for 'border-bottom-radius', top-left, bottom-left for 'border-left-radius', start-start, start-end for 'border-block-start-radius', end-start, end-end for 'border-block-end-radius' start-start, end-start for 'border-inline-start-radius', and start-end, end-end for 'border-inline-end-radius'. If the second value is omitted it is copied from the first.
Name: border-radius Value: <See [[CSS3BG]].>{1,4} [ / < >{1,4} ]? Initial: 0 Applies to: all elements, except table element when 'border-collapse' is ''collapse'' Inherited: no Animation type: see individual properties
Name: corner-shape Value: [ round | angle ]{1,4} Initial: round Applies to: all elements, except table element when 'border-collapse' is ''collapse'' Inherited: no Animation type: discreteBy default, non-zero border-radii define a quarter-ellipse that rounds the affected corners. However in some cases, other corner shapes are desired. The 'corner-shape' property specifies a reinterpretation of the radii to define other corner shapes.
a { border-radius: .3em .8em .8em .3em / .3em 50% 50% .3em; corner-shape: round angle angle round; padding: .5em 1em .5em .5em; }
How to allow custom corners? Perhaps a ''path()'' function? Or a ''cubic-bezier()''? Something else?
Name: corners Value: <<'corner-shape'>> || <<'border-radius'>>The 'corners' shorthand sets 'corner-shape' and 'border-radius' in the same declaration. If either is omitted, it is reset to its initial value.
corners: angle 50%;In UAs that don't support 'corner-shape', the declaration is ignored (falls back to a rectangle).
border-radius: 0.25em 0.25em 0 0; corners: angle 0.25em 0.25em 0 0 / 50% 50% 0 0;
CSS borders traditionally cover an entire border edge. Sometimes, however, it can be useful to hide some parts of the border.
Here are two proposals for doing this: the second one is from GCPM, the first one is an attempt to recast it more readably. The names are terrible, known problem, proposals accepted. There is a problem with conceiving this as clipping: if you have dotted borders, you want whole dots always, not parts of dots. So it should be a drawing limit, not a clip.
Name: border-limit Value: all | [ sides | corners ] <>? | [ top | right | bottom | left ] < > Initial: all Applies to: all elements, except table element when 'border-collapse' is ''collapse'' Inherited: no Percentages: relative to border-box Animation type: discrete
By default, the entire border is drawn. However, border rendering can be limited to only part of a border. The keyword specifies which part, and the length or percentage specifies how much.
The following example draws only the middle 50% of the sides.
div { border: solid; border-limit: sides 50%; }
The following example draws only the curved parts of the corners.
div { border: solid; border-radius: 1em 2em; border-limit: corners; }
The following example draws only the left 4em of the top border.
div { border-top: solid; border-limit: left 4em; }
The following example draws only the first 10px of each corner:
div { border: solid; border-limit: corners 10px; }
The following example draws the curved part of the corner plus 5px along the sides:
div { border: solid; border-radius: 5px; border-limit: corners 5px; }
The following example draws the curved part of the corner and all of the side except the middle 40%.
div { border: solid; border-radius: 5px; border-limit: corners 30%; }
Name: border-clip, border-clip-top, border-clip-right, border-clip-bottom, border-clip-left Value: normal | [ <> | < > ]+ Initial: normal Inherited: no Percentages: refer to length of border-edge side Computed value: ''border-clip/normal'', or a list consisting of absolute lengths, or percentages as specified Animation type: by computed value
These properties split their respective borders into parts along the border edge. The first part is visible, the second is invisible, the third part is visible, etc. Parts can be specified with lengths, percentages, or flexible lengths (expressed by the ''fr'' unit, as per [[CSS3GRID]]). The ''border-clip/normal'' value means that the border is not split, but shown normally.
'border-clip' is a shorthand property for the four individual properties.
If the listed parts are shorter than the border, any remaining border is split proportionally between the specified flexible lengths. If there are no flexible lengths, the behavior is as if ''1fr'' had been specified at the end of the list.
If the listed parts are longer than the border, the specified parts will be shown in full until the end of the border. In this case, all flexible lengths will be zero.
For horizontal borders, parts are listed from left to right. For vertical borders, parts are listed from top to bottom.
The exact border parts are determined by laying out the specified border parts with all flexible lengths initially set to zero. Any remaining border is split proportionally between the flexible lengths specified.
border-clip: 10px 1fr 10px;
border-clip-top: 10px 1fr 10px; border-clip-bottom: 10px 1fr 10px; border-clip-right: 5px 1fr 5px; border-clip-left: 5px 1fr 5px;
By making the first part have zero length, the inverse border of the previous example can easily be created:
border-clip-top: 0 10px 1fr 10px; border-clip-bottom: 0 10px 1fr 10px; border-clip-right: 0 5px 1fr 5px; border-clip-left: 0 5px 1fr 5px;
border: thin solid black; border-clip: 0 1fr; /* hide borders */ border-clip-top: 10px 1fr 10px; /* make certain borders visible */ border-clip-bottom: 10px 1fr 10px;
border-top: thin solid black; border-bottom: thin solid black; border-clip-top: 10px; border-clip-bottom: 10px;
border-top: thin solid black; border-clip: 10px;
This rendering:
A sentence consists of words¹.
¹ Most often.
@footnote { border-top: thin solid black; border-clip: 4em; }
border: 4px solid black; border-clip-top: 40px 20px 0 1fr 20px 20px 0 1fr 40px;
In this example, there will be a visible 40px border part on each end of the top border. Inside the 40px border parts, there will be an invisible border part of at least 20px. Inside these invisible border parts, there will be visible border parts, each 20px long with 20px invisible border parts between them.
The fragments are shown in red for illustrative purposes; they should not be visible in compliant UAs.
border: 4px solid black; border-clip-top: 3fr 10px 2fr 10px 1fr 10px 10px 10px 1fr 10px 2fr 10px 3fr;
All but one of the visible border parts are represented as flexible lengths in this example. The length of these border parts will change when the width of the element changes. Here is one rendering where 1fr ends up being 10px:
Here is another rendering where 1fr ends up being 30px:
The fragments are shown in red for illustrative purposes; they should be black in compliant UAs.
Name: box-shadow-color Value: <># Initial: currentcolor Applies to: all elements Inherited: no Percentages: N/A Computed value: list, each item a computed color Animation type: by computed value
The 'box-shadow-color' property defines one or more drop shadow colors. The property accepts a comma-separated list of shadow colors.
See the section [[css-backgrounds-3#shadow-layers|“Layering, Layout, and Other Details”]] for how 'box-shadow-color' interacts with other comma-separated drop shadow properties to form each drop shadow layer.
Name: box-shadow-offset Value: [ none | <>{2} ]# Initial: none Applies to: all elements Inherited: no Percentages: N/A Computed value: list, each item either ''box-shadow-offset/none'' or a pair of offsets (horizontal and vertical) from the element‘s box Animation type: by computed value, treating ''box-shadow-offset/none'' as ''0 0'' when interpolated with non-''box-shadow-offset/none'' values.
The 'box-shadow-offset' property defines one or more drop shadow offsets.
The property accepts a comma-separated list.
Each item in that list can either be the ''box-shadow-offset/none'' value,
which indicates no shadow, or a pair of horizontal and vertical offsets,
where both values are described as < See the section [[css-backgrounds-3#shadow-layers|“Layering, Layout, and
Other Details”]] for how 'box-shadow-offset' interacts with other
comma-separated drop shadow properties to form each drop shadow
layer.
The 'box-shadow-blur' property defines one or more blur radii for drop shadows.
The property accepts a comma-separated list of < Negative values are invalid.
If the blur value is zero, the shadow’s edge is sharp.
Otherwise, the larger the value, the more the shadow’s edge is blurred.
See [[css-backgrounds-3#shadow-blur|Shadow Blurring]], below.
See the section [[css-backgrounds-3#shadow-layers|“Layering, Layout, and
Other Details”]] for how 'box-shadow-blur' interacts with other
comma-separated drop shadow properties to form each drop shadow
layer.
The 'box-shadow-spread' property defines one or more spread distances for drop shadows.
The property accepts a comma-separated list of < Positive values cause the shadow to expand in all directions by the specified radius.
Negative values cause the shadow to contract.
See [[css-backgrounds-3#shadow-shape|Shadow Shape]], below.
Note that for inner shadows,
expanding the shadow (creating more shadow area)
means contracting the shadow’s perimeter shape.
See the section [[css-backgrounds-3#shadow-layers|“Layering, Layout, and
Other Details”]] for how 'box-shadow-spread' interacts with other
comma-separated drop shadow properties to form each drop shadow
layer.
The 'box-shadow-position' property defines one or more drop shadow positions.
The property accepts a comma-separated list of ''box-shadow-position/outset'' and ''box-shadow-position/inset'' keywords.
See the section [[css-backgrounds-3#shadow-layers|“Layering, Layout, and
Other Details”]] for how 'box-shadow-position' interacts with other
comma-separated drop shadow properties to form each drop shadow
layer.
The 'box-shadow' property attaches one or more drop-shadows to the box.
The property accepts a comma-separated list of shadows,
ordered front to back.
Each shadow is given as a < The shadow effects are applied front-to-back:
the first shadow is on top and the others are layered behind.
Shadows do not influence layout and may overlap (or be overlapped by)
other boxes and text or their shadows.
In terms of stacking contexts and the painting order,
the outer box-shadows of an element are drawn immediately below the background of that element,
and the inner shadows of an element are drawn immediately above the background of that element
(below the borders and border image, if any).
Unless otherwise specified, drop shadows are only applied to the [=principal box=].
If the affected box has multiple fragments,
the shadows are applied as specified in 'box-decoration-break'.
Shadows do not trigger scrolling or increase the size of the scrollable area.
Outer shadows have no effect on internal table elements in the collapsing border model.
If a shadow is defined for single border edge in the collapsing border model
that has multiple border thicknesses
(e.g. an outer shadow on a table where one row has thicker borders than the others,
or an inner shadow on a rowspanning table cell that adjoins cells with different border thicknesses),
the exact position and rendering of its shadows are undefined.
In addition to the many contributors to the [[CSS1]], [[CSS21]],
and [[CSS3BG]] predecessors to this module,
the editors would like to thank
Tab Atkins,
Håkon Wium Lie,
and Oriol Brufau
for their suggestions and feedback specifically for this Level 4.
Blurring shadows: the 'box-shadow-blur' property
Name: box-shadow-blur
Value: <
Spreading shadows: the 'box-shadow-spread' property
Name: box-shadow-spread
Value: <
Spreading shadows: the 'box-shadow-position' property
Name: box-shadow-position
Value: [ outset | inset ]#
Initial: outset
Applies to: all elements
Inherited: no
Percentages: N/A
Computed value: list, each item one of the keywords
Animation type: by computed value
Drop Shadows Shorthand: the 'box-shadow' property
Name: box-shadow
Value: <
<
Layering, Layout, and Other Details
Drop shadows are declared in the [=coordinated value list=]
constructed from the 'box-shadow-*' properties,
which form a [=coordinating list property group=]
with 'box-shadow-offset' as the [=coordinating list base property=].
See [[css-values-4#linked-properties]].
Changes
Additions since [[CSS3BG]]
* <
Acknowledgments