Clearfix
Ensures that an element self-clears its children.
HTML
<div class="clearfix">
+ <div class="floated">float a</div>
+ <div class="floated">float b</div>
+ <div class="floated">float c</div>
+</div>
+CSS
.clearfix::after {
+ content: '';
+ display: table;
+ clear: both;
+}
+.floated {
+ float: left;
+}
+Demo
Explanation
.clearfix::afterdefines a pseudo element.content: ''allows the pseudo element to affect layout.clear: bothindicates that the left, right or both sides of the element cannot be adjacent to earlier floated elements within the same block formatting context.
Browser support
✅ No caveats.
Custom text selection
Changes the styling of text selection.
HTML
<p class="custom-text-selection">Select some of this text.</p>
+CSS
.text-selection::selection {
+ background: red;
+ color: white;
+}
+Demo
Select some of this text.
Explanation
::selection defines a pseudo selector on an element to style text within it when selected.
Browser support
⚠️ Requires prefixes for full support.
Easing variables
Variables that can be reused for transition-timing-function properties, more powerful than the built-in ease, ease-in, ease-out and ease-in-out.
HTML
<div class="easing-variables"></div>
+CSS
:root {
+ --ease-in-quad: cubic-bezier(0.55, 0.085, 0.68, 0.53);
+ --ease-in-cubic: cubic-bezier(0.55, 0.055, 0.675, 0.19);
+ --ease-in-quart: cubic-bezier(0.895, 0.03, 0.685, 0.22);
+ --ease-in-quint: cubic-bezier(0.755, 0.05, 0.855, 0.06);
+ --ease-in-expo: cubic-bezier(0.95, 0.05, 0.795, 0.035);
+ --ease-in-circ: cubic-bezier(0.6, 0.04, 0.98, 0.335);
+ --ease-out-quad: cubic-bezier(0.25, 0.46, 0.45, 0.94);
+ --ease-out-cubic: cubic-bezier(0.215, 0.61, 0.355, 1);
+ --ease-out-quart: cubic-bezier(0.165, 0.84, 0.44, 1);
+ --ease-out-quint: cubic-bezier(0.23, 1, 0.32, 1);
+ --ease-out-expo: cubic-bezier(0.19, 1, 0.22, 1);
+ --ease-out-circ: cubic-bezier(0.075, 0.82, 0.165, 1);
+ --ease-in-out-quad: cubic-bezier(0.455, 0.03, 0.515, 0.955);
+ --ease-in-out-cubic: cubic-bezier(0.645, 0.045, 0.355, 1);
+ --ease-in-out-quart: cubic-bezier(0.77, 0, 0.175, 1);
+ --ease-in-out-quint: cubic-bezier(0.86, 0, 0.07, 1);
+ --ease-in-out-expo: cubic-bezier(1, 0, 0, 1);
+ --ease-in-out-circ: cubic-bezier(0.785, 0.135, 0.15, 0.86);
+}
+.easing-variables {
+ width: 50px;
+ height: 50px;
+ background: #333;
+ transition: transform 1s var(--ease-out-quart);
+}
+.easing-variables:hover {
+ transform: rotate(45deg);
+}
+Demo
Explanation
The variables are defined globally with the :root CSS pseudo-class, which matches the root element of a tree representing the document. In HTML, :root represents the <html> element and is identical to the selector html, except that its specificity is higher.
Browser support
✅ No caveats.
Etched text
Creates an effect where text appears to be "etched" or engraved into the background.
HTML
<p class="etched-text">I appear etched into the background.</p>
+CSS
.etched-text {
+ text-shadow: 0 2px white;
+ font-size: 1.5rem;
+ font-weight: bold;
+ color: #b8bec5;
+}
+Demo
I appear etched into the background.
Explanation
text-shadow: 0 2px white creates a white shadow offset 0px horizontally and 2px vertically from the origin position.
The background must be darker than the shadow for the effect to work.
The text color should be slightly faded to make it look like it's engraved/carved out of the background.
Browser support
✅ No caveats.
Gradient text
Gives text a gradient color.
HTML
<p class="gradient-text">Gradient text</p>
+CSS
.gradient-text {
+ background: -webkit-linear-gradient(pink, red);
+ -webkit-text-fill-color: transparent;
+ -webkit-background-clip: text;
+}
+Demo
Gradient text
Explanation
background: -webkit-linear-gradient(...)gives the text element a gradient background.webkit-text-fill-color: transparentfills the text with a transparent color.webkit-background-clip: textclips the background with the text, filling the text with the gradient background as the color.
Browser support
⚠️ Uses non-standard properties.
Hairline border
Gives an element a border equal to 1 native device pixel in width, which can look very sharp and crisp.
HTML
<div class="hairline-border">text</div>
+CSS
.hairline-border {
+ box-shadow: 0 0 0 1px;
+}
+@media (min-resolution: 2dppx) {
+ .hairline-border {
+ box-shadow: 0 0 0 0.5px;
+ }
+}
+@media (min-resolution: 3dppx) {
+ .hairline-border {
+ box-shadow: 0 0 0 0.33333333px;
+ }
+}
+@media (min-resolution: 4dppx) {
+ .hairline-border {
+ box-shadow: 0 0 0 0.25px;
+ }
+}
+Demo
Text with a hairline border around it.
Explanation
box-shadow, when only using spread, adds a psuedo-border which can use subpixels*.- Use
@media (min-resolution: ...)to check the device pixel ratio (1ddpxequals 96 DPI), setting the spread of thebox-shadowequal to1 / dppx.
Browser Support
⚠️ Needs alternate syntax and JavaScript user agent checking for full support.
*Chrome does not support subpixel values on border. Safari does not support subpixel values on box-shadow. Firefox supports subpixel values on both.
Horizontal and vertical centering
Horizontally and vertically centers a child element within a parent element.
HTML
<div class="horizontal-and-vertical-centering">
+ <div class="child"></div>
+</div>
+CSS
.horizontal-and-vertical-centering {
+ display: flex;
+ justify-content: center;
+ align-items: center;
+}
+Demo
Centered content.
Explanation
display: flexenables flexbox.justify-content: centercenters the child horizontally.align-items: centercenters the child vertically.
Browser support
⚠️ Needs prefixes for full support.
Mouse cursor gradient tracking
A hover effect where the gradient follows the mouse cursor.
HTML
<button class="mouse-cursor-gradient-tracking">
+ <span>Hover me</span>
+</button>
+CSS
.mouse-cursor-gradient-tracking {
+ position: relative;
+ background: #2379f7;
+ padding: 0.5rem 1rem;
+ font-size: 1.2rem;
+ border: none;
+ color: white;
+ cursor: pointer;
+ outline: none;
+ overflow: hidden;
+}
+.mouse-cursor-gradient-tracking span {
+ position: relative;
+}
+.mouse-cursor-gradient-tracking::before {
+ --size: 0;
+ content: '';
+ position: absolute;
+ left: var(--x);
+ top: var(--y);
+ width: var(--size);
+ height: var(--size);
+ background: radial-gradient(circle closest-side, pink, transparent);
+ transform: translate(-50%, -50%);
+ transition: width .2s ease, height .2s ease;
+}
+.mouse-cursor-gradient-tracking:hover::before {
+ --size: 200px;
+}
+JavaScript
var btn = document.querySelector('.mouse-cursor-gradient-tracking')
+btn.onmousemove = function (e) {
+ var x = e.pageX - btn.offsetLeft
+ var y = e.pageY - btn.offsetTop
+ btn.style.setProperty('--x', x + 'px')
+ btn.style.setProperty('--y', y + 'px')
+}
+Demo
Explanation
TODO
Note!
If the element's parent has a positioning context (position: relative), you will need to subtract its offsets as well.
var x = e.pageX - btn.offsetLeft - btn.offsetParent.offsetLeft
+var y = e.pageY - btn.offsetTop - btn.offsetParent.offsetTop
+Browser support
Overflow scroll gradient
Adds a fading gradient to an overflowing element to better indicate there is more content to be scrolled.
HTML
<div class="overflow-scroll-gradient">
+ <div class="overflow-scroll-gradient__scroller">
+ Content to be scrolled
+ </div>
+</div>
+CSS
.overflow-scroll-gradient {
+ position: relative;
+}
+.overflow-scroll-gradient::after {
+ content: '';
+ position: absolute;
+ bottom: 0;
+ width: 300px;
+ height: 25px;
+ background: linear-gradient(rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.001), white); /* transparent keyword is broken in Safari */
+}
+.overflow-scroll-gradient__scroller {
+ overflow-y: scroll;
+ background: white;
+ width: 300px;
+ height: 250px;
+ line-height: 1.2;
+ text-align: center;
+}
+Demo
Explanation
position: relativeon the parent establishes a Cartesian positioning context for psuedo elements.::afterdefines a pseudo element.background-image: linear-gradient(...)adds a linear gradient that fades from transparent to white (top to bottom).position: absolutetakes the pseudo element out of the flow of the document and positions it in relation to the parent.width: 300pxmatches the size of the scrolling element (which is a child of the parent that has the pseudo element).height: 25pxis the height of the fading gradient psuedo element, which should be kept relatively small.bottom: 0positions the pseudo element at the bottom of the parent.
Browser support
✅ No caveats.
Popout menu
Reveals an interactive popout menu on hover.
HTML
<div class="reference">
+ <div class="popout-menu">
+ Popout menu
+ </div>
+</div>
+CSS
.reference {
+ position: relative;
+}
+.popout-menu {
+ position: absolute;
+ visibility: hidden;
+ left: 100%;
+}
+.reference:hover > .popout-menu {
+ visibility: visible;
+}
+Demo
Explanation
position: relativeon the reference parent establishes a Cartesian positioning context for its child.position: absolutetakes the popout menu out of the flow of the document and positions it in relation to the parent.left: 100%moves the the popout menu 100% of its parent's width from the left.visibility: hiddenhides the popout menu initially and allows for transitions (unlikedisplay: none)..reference:hover > .popout-menumeans that when.referenceis hovered over, select immediate children with a class of.popout-menuand change theirvisibilitytovisible, which shows the popout.
Browser support
✅ No caveats.
Pretty text underline
A nicer alternative to text-decoration: underline where descenders do not clip the underline. Natively implemented as text-decoration-skip-ink: auto but it has less control over the underline.
HTML
<p class="pretty-text-underline">Pretty text underline without clipping descending letters.</p>
+CSS
.pretty-text-underline {
+ display: inline;
+ font-size: 1.25rem;
+ text-shadow: 1px 1px 0 #f5f6f9,
+ -1px 1px 0 #f5f6f9,
+ -1px -1px 0 #f5f6f9,
+ 1px -1px 0 #f5f6f9;
+ background-image: linear-gradient(90deg, currentColor 100%, transparent 100%);
+ background-position: 0 1.04em;
+ background-repeat: repeat-x;
+ background-size: 1px 1px;
+}
+.pretty-text-underline::selection {
+ background-color: rgba(0, 150, 255, 0.3);
+ text-shadow: none;
+}
+Demo
Pretty text underline without clipping descending letters.
Explanation
text-shadow: ...has 4 values with offsets that cover a 4x4 px area to ensure the underline has a "thick" shadow that covers the line where descenders clip it. Use a color that matches the background. For a larger font, use a largerpxsize.background-image: linear-gradient(...)creates a 90deg gradient with the current text color (currentColor).- The
background-*properties size the gradient as 1x1px at the bottom and repeats it along the x-axis. - The
::selectionpseudo selector ensures the text shadow does not interfere with text selection.
Browser support
✅ No caveats.
Shape separator
Uses an SVG shape to separate two different blocks to create more a interesting visual appearance compared to standard horizontal separation.
HTML
<div class="shape-separator"></div>
+CSS
.shape-separator {
+ position: relative;
+ height: 48px;
+}
+.shape-separator::after {
+ content: '';
+ background-image: url(data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB2aWV3Qm94PSIwIDAgMjQgMjQiIHhtbG5zPSJodHRwOi8vd3d3LnczLm9yZy8yMDAwL3N2ZyIgZmlsbC1ydWxlPSJldmVub2RkIiBjbGlwLXJ1bGU9ImV2ZW5vZGQiIHN0cm9rZS1saW5lam9pbj0icm91bmQiIHN0cm9rZS1taXRlcmxpbWl0PSIxLjQxNCI+PHBhdGggZD0iTTEyIDEybDEyIDEySDBsMTItMTJ6IiBmaWxsPSIjZmZmIi8+PC9zdmc+);
+ position: absolute;
+ width: 100%;
+ height: 24px;
+ bottom: 0;
+}
+Demo
Explanation
position: relativeon the element establishes a Cartesian positioning context for psuedo elements.::afterdefines a pseudo element.background-image: url(...)adds the SVG shape (a 24x24 triangle in base64 format) as the background image of the psuedo element, which repeats by default. It must be the same color as the block that is being separated.position: absolutetakes the pseudo element out of the flow of the document and positions it in relation to the parent.width: 100%ensures the element stretches the entire width of its parent.height: 24pxis the same height as the shape.bottom: 0positions the pseudo element at the bottom of the parent.
Browser support
✅ No caveats.
System font stack
Uses the native font of the operating system to get close to a native app feel.
HTML
<p class="system-font-stack">This text uses the system font.</p>
+CSS
.system-font-stack {
+ font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;
+}
+Demo
This text uses the system font.
Explanation
The browser looks for each successive font, preferring the first one if possible, and falls back to the next of it cannot find the font (on the system or defined in CSS).
-apple-systemis San Francisco, used on iOS and macOS (not Chrome however)BlinkMacSystemFontis San Francisco, used on macOS ChromeSegoe UIis used on Windows 10Robotois used on AndroidOxygen-Sansis used on GNU+LinuxUbuntuis used on Linux"Helvetica Neue"andHelveticais used on macOS 10.10 and below (wrapped in quotes because it has a space)Arialis a font widely supported by all operating systemssans-serifis the fallback sans-serif font if none of the other fonts are supported
Browser support
✅ No caveats.
Triangle
Creates a triangle shape with pure CSS.
HTML
<div class="triangle"></div>
+CSS
.triangle {
+ width: 0;
+ height: 0;
+ border-top: 20px solid #333;
+ border-left: 20px solid transparent;
+ border-right: 20px solid transparent;
+}
+Demo
Explanation
View this link for a detailed explanation.
The color of the border is the color of the triangle. The side the triangle tip points corresponds to the opposite border-* property. For example, a color on border-top means the arrow points downward.
Experiment with the px values to change the proportion of the triangle.
Browser support
✅ No caveats.
Truncate text
If the text is longer than one line, it will be truncated and end with an ellipsis ....
HTML
<p class="truncate-text">If I exceed one line's width, I will be truncated.</p>
+CSS
.truncate-text {
+ overflow: hidden;
+ white-space: nowrap;
+ text-overflow: ellipsis;
+}
+Demo
This text will be truncated if it exceeds 200px in width.
Explanation
overflow: hiddenprevents the text from overflowing its dimensions (for a block, 100% width and auto height).white-space: nowrapprevents the text from exceeding one line in height.text-overflow: ellipsismakes it so that if the text exceeds its dimensions, it will end with an ellipsis.
Browser support
✅ No caveats.
+