CSS inset-block-start Property

Posted in CSS Tutorial

Updated on Oct 03, 2024

By Mari Selvan

👁️ 9 - Views

⏳ 4 mins

💬 1 Comment

Photo Credit to CodeToFun

🙋 Introduction

The inset-block-start property in CSS is part of the Logical Properties and Values module. It is used to define the logical block start offset of an element, which corresponds to the start of the block direction in the writing mode of the document.

This property is particularly useful for internationalization and responsive design, as it adapts to different writing modes, such as left-to-right and right-to-left.

💡 Syntax

The syntax for the inset-block-start property is straightforward. It can be applied to any element, and you can specify the offset value using various units.

Syntax

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element {
  inset-block-start: value;
}

Here, value can be a length, percentage, or one of several keywords.

🎛️ Default Value

The default value of the inset-block-start property is auto, which means the block start offset is determined by the browser's default styles or other related CSS properties.

🏠 Property Values

Value	Description
length	A specific length value (e.g., 10px, 2em, 5rem).
percentage	A percentage relative to the containing block's dimension (e.g., 10%).
auto	The browser calculates the block start offset.
initial	Sets the property to its default value.
inherit	Inherits the property from its parent element.
unset	Resets the property to its natural value, which means it acts as inherit if the property is inherited, and as initial if not.

📄 Example

In this example, we'll set the block start offset of a div element to 20px.

index.html

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<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="UTF-8">
  <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
  <title>CSS inset-block-start Example</title>
  <style>
    div {
      inset-block-start: 20px;
      background-color: lightblue;
      width: 200px;
      height: 100px;
    }
  </style>
</head>
<body>
  <h1>Div with inset-block-start Property</h1>
  <div>
    This div has a block start offset of 20px.
  </div>
</body>
</html>

🖥️ Browser Compatibility

The inset-block-start property is supported in most modern browsers, including the latest versions of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, and Opera. However, it is always a good practice to test your website across different browsers to ensure compatibility.

🎉 Conclusion

The inset-block-start property is a powerful tool for web developers looking to create layouts that are adaptable to different writing modes and responsive designs.

By using logical properties like inset-block-start, you can ensure that your layout remains consistent and flexible across various languages and screen sizes. Experiment with different values and see how this property can enhance the positioning and layout of your web projects.