What is CSS Inset Property?

Q: What is the use of the inset() function?

The inset() function in CSS is used to simultaneously specify the values for the top, right, bottom, and left properties. It simplifies the process of defining inset values for positioning elements.

Q: What is the opposite of the CSS Inset property?

The opposite of the CSS Inset property is the outset property. While the inset brings an element inside its border, the outer aspect outset pushes it outside.

Q: What is the difference between inset and Outset in CSS?

In CSS, inset is used to position an element inside its border, while Outset is used to position an element outside its border. Essentially, inset creates an indentation, and Outset creates an extrusion effect.

Q: What is the difference between margin and inset?

The margin property in CSS is used to create space around an element, separating it from other elements. On the other hand, inset is used for positioning an element inside its border, defining the spacing within the element's container.

Q: What is inset in layout?

In the context of layout design, inset refers to the placement of an element within its containing element, considering the top, right, bottom, and left offsets. It allows precise control over the positioning of the element without affecting the flow of other elements in the document.

# CSS

Ravi Baghel · 23 Jan 2024

What is CSS Inset Property?

CSS, commonly known as Cascading Style Sheets, is a language used to present a document written in HTML or XML. The "inset" property is one of the properties in CSS that can be utilised to style elements.

The inset property in CSS defines an element's inner spacing or positioning within its containing element. It is a shorthand property that combines values for the inset-top, inset-right, inset-bottom, and inset-left properties. The inset property is primarily used for adjusting the positioning of an element within its container.

The inset property is significant because it offers a simple and effective means of managing elements' inner spacing or positioning on a webpage. Using the inset property, web developers can easily manage the placement of elements without setting each side individually, streamlining the styling process. This property is beneficial for creating responsive designs, adjusting the spacing within a container, and maintaining a consistent layout across different screen sizes and devices.

How does CSS Inset Property Work?

The CSS inset property works like a compass that helps position elements on a webpage. It's not for figuring out how elements are arranged in a line or blocks; instead, it controls how far an element is from the edges. This property can work with any writing style.

There are different ways to set it:

Length: Pick a specific size, like how many pixels or centimetres away something should be. You can even use negative numbers. The default is 0 pixels.
Percentage: Similar to length, but you decide the size as a percentage of the whole window. Auto: This is when you want the web browser to determine how far something should be.
Initial: This sets the distance to its standard starting point.
Inherit: It copies the distance from the thing it's inside.
Unset: This makes the distance return to its usual setting, like the default mode.

How do You Apply Values in Inset Property?

The values for inset can be defined in different ways, and they determine the placement of the element from the top, right, bottom, and left edges of its container. The order of these values is crucial, and it follows the pattern: top, right, bottom, left.

Single Value:

Example: inset: 10px;
Result: All four sides (top, right, bottom, and left) are set to 10 pixels. This is a shorthand way of applying the same value to all edges.

Two Values:

Example: inset: 10px 20px;
Result: The first value (10px) is applied to the top and bottom edges, while the second value (20px) is applied to the right and left edges. This is useful when you want different spacing for vertical and horizontal edges.

Three Values:

Example: inset: 10px 20px 30px;
Result: The first value (10px) is applied to the top edge, the second value (20px) is applied to the right and left edges, and the third value (30px) is applied to the bottom edge. This configuration allows for different spacing on each side.

Four Values:

Example: inset: 10px 20px 30px 40px;
Result: Each value corresponds to a specific edge, following the order: top, right, bottom, left. In this case, the top edge gets 10px, the right and left edges get 20px, and the bottom edge gets 30px.

{
  /* Single Value: All sides set to 10px */
  inset: 10px;
  /* Two Values: Top and bottom set to 10px, right and left set to 20px */
  inset: 10px 20px;
  /* Three Values: Top is 10px, right and left are 20px, bottom is 30px */
  inset: 10px 20px 30px;
  /* Four Values: Top is 10px, right is 20px, bottom is 30px, left is 40px */
  inset: 10px 20px 30px 40px;
}

Handling Missing Values: If you provide at most four values, the missing values will be set to their initial values. For instance:

inset: 10px; is equivalent to inset: 10px 0 0 0; (all other sides set to 0).

inset: 10px 20px is equivalent to inset: 10px 20px 10px 20px (top and bottom are set to the first value, and right and left are set to the second value).

What is CSS Inset Logical Properties?

Suppose you're designing a webpage and want to control the space around an element (like a box or an image). In traditional CSS, you might use properties like margin or padding. But sometimes, it can get confusing depending on how the text flows (left to right or right to left).

That's where the inset logical properties work. They help you set an element's top, right, bottom, and left spacing in a way that makes sense, no matter the text direction.

Here's the simple version:

inset-inline-start: This sets the space on the left side, considering the flow of the text.
inset-inline-end: This sets the space on the right side, considering the flow of the text.
inset-block-start: This sets the space on the top side, considering the flow of the text.
inset-block-end: This sets the space on the bottom, considering the flow of the text.

For example:

.element {
  inset-inline-start: 20px;
  inset-inline-end: 30px;
  inset-block-start: 10px;
  inset-block-end: 15px;
}

//*And, if you want to keep it short:*//

.element {
  inset: 10px 30px 15px 20px;
}

The above code states, "Give the element 20 pixels of space on the top, 30 pixels on the right, 10 pixels on the left (considering the text flow), and 15 pixels on the bottom (considering the text flow)."

Advantages of CSS Inset Logical Properties:

CSS Inset Logical Properties can help web developers in various ways, including directional control, simplified declarations, and responsive design. Let's look at each of these benefits in greater detail:

1. Directional Control:

Traditional CSS properties often use terms like top, right, bottom, and left, which are tied to the physical layout of a document. In contrast, logical properties (like inset-block and inset-inline) provide a more abstract and flexible approach.

Logical properties separate the block direction (vertical in block writing mode, horizontal in inline writing mode) and the inline path (horizontal in block writing mode, vertical in inline writing mode). This separation is beneficial when working with different writing modes, such as languages that are read from right to left.

2. Simplified Declarations:

CSS Inset Logical Properties introduce shorthand properties like inset-block and inset-inline. These properties allow developers to set values for block and inline directions in a single declaration.

Developers can write more straightforward and more readable code using these shorthand properties. This reduces redundancy, making the stylesheet easier to maintain and understand.

3. Responsive Design:

Responsive design adjusts a website's layout based on device or viewport size characteristics. Developers can set values independently for block and inline directions, allowing for easy horizontal or vertical element positioning and ensuring effective screen dimension response.

CSS Inset Logical Properties improve web layout control, simplicity, and responsiveness by separating block and inline directions and introducing shorthand properties.

Best Practices for CSS Inset Logical Properties:

CSS inset logical properties provide a flexible and powerful way to handle positioning and spacing in a layout, particularly in the context of different writing modes and responsive design. Here are some best practices for using CSS inset logical properties:

Understand the Box Model: The CSS box model is essential for accurate element positioning.
Understand Writing Modes: Find how logical properties respond to different writing modes.
Responsive Design: Use logical properties for responsive layouts based on block and inline axes.
Progressive Enhancement: Mix logical and traditional properties for browsers not offering full support.
Test Across Browsers: Ensure consistent performance across various browsers and devices.
Stay informed about updates: Keep yourself updated on any changes or improved features related to the inset property in CSS specifications.

The suggested practices will optimise the use of CSS inset logical properties. This practice will help to improve the user experience and maintain consistent quality across different platforms.

New feature update in CSS 2024

As a perfectionist, you must always be aware of new and upcoming technological trends in CSS. Your self-upgrading makes you perfect and helps you become a master in your field. Here are new CSS snippets which you have to know about.

1. The ":has() Selector": Dynamically styling elements based on their content, such as adding a gap to a button only if it contains a specific icon.

/* Add a gap to a button if it contains an element with a class of .icon */
button:has(.icon) {
  gap: 1ch;
}
/* Change card orientation if it contains an image */
.card:has(img) {
  grid-auto-flow: row;
}

2. Subgrid Implementation: Creating flexible grid structures, especially useful for complex layouts with nested grid items.

/* Implement subgrid to create a flexible grid structure */
body {
  display: grid;
  grid-template-columns: repeat(auto-fill, minmax(30ch, 1fr));
  > article {
    display: grid;
    grid-row: span 4; 
    grid-template-rows: subgrid;
  }
}

3. Built-in CSS Nesting: Simplifying the stylesheet structure with nesting, making the code more readable and concise.

/* Example of CSS nesting syntax */
.you {
  .can-totally-ship-this {
    &.if-you-wanted {
      &:is(:hover, :focus-visible) {
        /* Put a bird on it */
      }
    }
  }
}

4. Text Wrap Pretty: Ensuring visually appealing and cohesive text layouts without the need for manual line break hints.

/* Use text-wrap: balance to ensure visually appealing text layouts */
.your-text {
  text-wrap: balance;
}

5. Container Query Units: Implementing responsive typography and adaptive images that adjust based on the dimensions of their container.

/* Implement container query units for responsive typography and image adaptation */
.card {
  :is(h2, h3) {
    font-size: clamp(1.5rem, 5cqi, 4rem);
  }
  img {
    inline-size: 100cqi;
    @container (orientation: landscape) {
      inline-size: 50cqi;
    }
  }
}

6. Balanced Headlines: Allowing the browser to handle line breaks gracefully ensures an aesthetically pleasing text presentation.

/* Use text-wrap: balance to handle line breaks gracefully */
.headline {
  text-wrap: balance;
}

Conclusion:

From the basics to the latest phase, we cover everything in a simple, user-friendly voice that any smart or beginner developer can understand. Learning with a core of detailed knowledge makes you a good grasper in the technological field and drives your vision clear for use. Now you have proper data and examples of CSS inset properties.

Team Elightwalk is always happy to share technical knowledge on any possible platform. Please stay connected with us for more technological information in the future. Our frontend developers at Elightwalk are familiar with the latest technologies and possess a strong foundation in core concepts. Feel free to Contact us anytime for hire frontend developer related inquiries or further assistance with your projects.

Table of contents

FAQs about inset property

What is the use of the inset() function?

What is the opposite of the CSS Inset property?

What is the difference between inset and Outset in CSS?

What is the difference between margin and inset?

What is inset in layout?

Ravi Baghel

Frontend Developer

A professional frontend developer with 5 years of experience who excels in tackling complex challenges. Their expertise focuses on creating SEO- and mobile-friendly products that fit customer needs. He works closely with fellow front-end engineers, helping to adopt best practices and stay abreast of new technologies.