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CSS Layout - The Position Property

The position property specifies how elements are positioned in CSS and accepts five values: static, relative, fixed, absolute, and sticky. These values determine how elements can be positioned and interact with other elements using properties like top, bottom, left, right, and z-index. The position property must be set for these other positioning properties to have an effect.

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45 views

CSS Layout - The Position Property

The position property specifies how elements are positioned in CSS and accepts five values: static, relative, fixed, absolute, and sticky. These values determine how elements can be positioned and interact with other elements using properties like top, bottom, left, right, and z-index. The position property must be set for these other positioning properties to have an effect.

Uploaded by

Russel Patrick
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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CSS Layout - The position Property

The position property specifies the type of positioning method used for an element (static,
relative, fixed, absolute or sticky).

The position Property


The position property specifies the type of positioning method used for an element.

There are five different position values:

 static
 relative
 fixed
 absolute
 sticky

Elements are then positioned using the top, bottom, left, and right properties. However, these
properties will not work unless the position property is set first. They also work differently
depending on the position value.

position: static;
HTML elements are positioned static by default.

Static positioned elements are not affected by the top, bottom, left, and right properties.

An element with position: static; is not positioned in any special way; it is always
positioned according to the normal flow of the page:

This <div> element has position: static;

Here is the CSS that is used:

Example

div.static {
position: static;
border: 3px solid #73AD21;
}

position: relative;
An element with position: relative; is positioned relative to its normal position.

Setting the top, right, bottom, and left properties of a relatively-positioned element will cause it
to be adjusted away from its normal position. Other content will not be adjusted to fit into any
gap left by the element.

This <div> element has position: relative;

Here is the CSS that is used:

Example

div.relative {
position: relative;
left: 30px;
border: 3px solid #73AD21;
}

position: fixed;
An element with position: fixed; is positioned relative to the viewport, which means it
always stays in the same place even if the page is scrolled. The top, right, bottom, and left
properties are used to position the element.

A fixed element does not leave a gap in the page where it would normally have been located.

Notice the fixed element in the lower-right corner of the page. Here is the CSS that is used:

Example

div.fixed {
position: fixed;
bottom: 0;
right: 0;
width: 300px;
border: 3px solid #73AD21;
}
This <div> element has position: fixed;

position: absolute;
An element with position: absolute; is positioned relative to the nearest positioned ancestor
(instead of positioned relative to the viewport, like fixed).

However; if an absolute positioned element has no positioned ancestors, it uses the document
body, and moves along with page scrolling.

Note: A "positioned" element is one whose position is anything except static.

Here is a simple example:

This <div> element has position: relative;

This <div> element has position: absolute;

Here is the CSS that is used:

Example

div.relative {
position: relative;
width: 400px;
height: 200px;
border: 3px solid #73AD21;
}

div.absolute {
position: absolute;
top: 80px;
right: 0;
width: 200px;
height: 100px;
border: 3px solid #73AD21;
}

position: sticky;
An element with position: sticky; is positioned based on the user's scroll position.

A sticky element toggles between relative and fixed, depending on the scroll position. It is
positioned relative until a given offset position is met in the viewport - then it "sticks" in place
(like position:fixed).

Note: Internet Explorer, Edge 15 and earlier versions do not support sticky positioning. Safari
requires a -webkit- prefix (see example below). You must also specify at least one of top, right,
bottom or left for sticky positioning to work.

In this example, the sticky element sticks to the top of the page ( top: 0), when you reach its
scroll position.

Example

div.sticky {
position: -webkit-sticky; /* Safari */
position: sticky;
top: 0;
background-color: green;
border: 2px solid #4CAF50;
}

Overlapping Elements
When elements are positioned, they can overlap other elements.

The z-index property specifies the stack order of an element (which element should be placed in
front of, or behind, the others).

An element can have a positive or negative stack order:

This is a heading
Because the image has a z-index of -1, it will be placed behind the text.

Example

img {
position: absolute;
left: 0px;
top: 0px;
z-index: -1;
}

An element with greater stack order is always in front of an element with a lower stack order.

Note: If two positioned elements overlap without a z-index specified, the element positioned
last in the HTML code will be shown on top.

Positioning Text In an Image


How to position text over an image:

Example

Bottom Left

Top Left
Top Right

Bottom Right

Centered

Try it Yourself:

More Examples
Set the shape of an element
This example demonstrates how to set the shape of an element. The element is clipped into this
shape, and displayed.

Test Yourself with Exercises!

All CSS Positioning Properties


Property Description

bottom Sets the bottom margin edge for a positioned box

clip Clips an absolutely positioned element

left Sets the left margin edge for a positioned box

position Specifies the type of positioning for an element

right Sets the right margin edge for a positioned box

top Sets the top margin edge for a positioned box

z-index Sets the stack order of an element

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