CSS3 gradients let you display smooth transitions between two or more specified colors.
Earlier, you had to use images for these effects. However, by using CSS3 gradients you can reduce download time and bandwidth usage. In addition, elements with gradients look better when zoomed, because the gradient is generated by the browser.
CSS3 defines two types of gradients:
- Linear Gradients (goes down/up/left/right/diagonally)
- Radial Gradients (defined by their center)
Browser Support
The numbers in the table specify the first browser version that fully supports the property.
Numbers followed by -webkit-, -moz-, or -o- specify the first version that worked with a prefix.
| Property | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| linear-gradient | 26.0 10.0 -webkit- |
10.0 | 16.0 3.6 -moz- |
6.1 5.1 -webkit- |
12.1 11.1 -o- |
| radial-gradient | 26.0 10.0 -webkit- |
10.0 | 16.0 3.6 -moz- |
6.1 5.1 -webkit- |
12.1 11.6 -o- |
| repeating-linear-gradient | 26.0 10.0 -webkit- |
10.0 | 16.0 3.6 -moz- |
6.1 5.1 -webkit- |
12.1 11.1 -o- |
| repeating-radial-gradient | 26.0 10.0 -webkit- |
10.0 | 16.0 3.6 -moz- |
6.1 5.1 -webkit- |
12.1 11.6 -o- |
CSS3 Linear Gradients
To create a linear gradient you must define at least two color stops. Color stops are the colors you want to render smooth transitions among. You can also set a starting point and a direction (or an angle) along with the gradient effect.
Syntax
background: linear-gradient(direction, color-stop1,
color-stop2, ...);
Linear Gradient - Top to Bottom (this is default)
The following example shows a linear gradient that starts at the top. It starts red, transitioning to yellow:
Example
#grad {
background: red; /* For browsers that do not
support gradients */
background: -webkit-linear-gradient(red,
yellow); /* For Safari 5.1 to 6.0 */
background: -o-linear-gradient(red,
yellow); /* For
Opera 11.1 to 12.0 */
background: -moz-linear-gradient(red, yellow); /* For
Firefox 3.6 to 15 */
background: linear-gradient(red, yellow); /* Standard
syntax */
}
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Linear Gradient - Left to Right
The following example shows a linear gradient that starts from the left. It starts red, transitioning to yellow:
Example
#grad {
background: red; /* For browsers that do not
support gradients */
background: -webkit-linear-gradient(left,
red , yellow); /* For Safari 5.1 to 6.0 */
background: -o-linear-gradient(right, red,
yellow); /* For Opera 11.1 to 12.0 */
background: -moz-linear-gradient(right,
red, yellow); /* For Firefox 3.6 to 15 */
background: linear-gradient(to
right, red , yellow); /* Standard syntax */
}
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Linear Gradient - Diagonal
You can make a gradient diagonally by specifying both the horizontal and vertical starting positions.
The following example shows a linear gradient that starts at top left (and goes to bottom right). It starts red, transitioning to yellow:
Example
#grad {
background: red; /* For browsers that do not
support gradients */
background: -webkit-linear-gradient(left
top, red, yellow); /* For Safari 5.1 to 6.0 */
background: -o-linear-gradient(bottom
right, red, yellow); /* For Opera 11.1 to 12.0 */
background: -moz-linear-gradient(bottom
right, red, yellow); /* For Firefox 3.6 to 15 */
background:
linear-gradient(to bottom right, red, yellow); /* Standard syntax */
}
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Using Angles
If you want more control over the direction of the gradient, you can define an angle, instead of the predefined directions (to bottom, to top, to right, to left, to bottom right, etc.).
Syntax
background: linear-gradient(angle, color-stop1,
color-stop2);
The angle is specified as an angle between a horizontal line and the gradient line.
The following example shows how to use angles on linear gradients:
Example
#grad {
background: red; /* For browsers that do not
support gradients */
background: -webkit-linear-gradient(-90deg,
red, yellow); /* For Safari 5.1 to 6.0 */
background: -o-linear-gradient(-90deg,
red, yellow); /* For Opera 11.1 to 12.0 */
background: -moz-linear-gradient(-90deg,
red, yellow); /* For Firefox 3.6 to 15 */
background:
linear-gradient(-90deg,
red, yellow); /* Standard syntax */
}
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Using Multiple Color Stops
The following example shows a linear gradient (from top to bottom) with multiple color stops:
Example
#grad {
background: red; /* For browsers that do not
support gradients */
background: -webkit-linear-gradient(red,
yellow, green); /* For Safari 5.1 to 6.0 */
background: -o-linear-gradient(red,
yellow, green); /* For Opera 11.1 to 12.0 */
background: -moz-linear-gradient(red,
yellow, green); /* For Firefox 3.6 to 15 */
background:
linear-gradient(red, yellow, green); /* Standard syntax */
}
Try it Yourself »
The following example shows how to create a linear gradient (from left to right) with the color of the rainbow and some text:
Example
#grad {
background: red; /* For browsers that do not
support gradients */
/* For Safari 5.1 to 6.0 */
background: -webkit-linear-gradient(left,red,orange,yellow,green,blue,indigo,violet);
/* For Opera 11.1 to 12.0 */
background:
-o-linear-gradient(left,red,orange,yellow,green,blue,indigo,violet);
/*
For Fx 3.6 to 15 */
background: -moz-linear-gradient(left,red,orange,yellow,green,blue,indigo,violet);
/* Standard syntax */
background: linear-gradient(to right,
red,orange,yellow,green,blue,indigo,violet);
}
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Using Transparency
CSS3 gradients also support transparency, which can be used to create fading effects.
To add transparency, we use the rgba() function to define the color stops. The last parameter in the rgba() function can be a value from 0 to 1, and it defines the transparency of the color: 0 indicates full transparency, 1 indicates full color (no transparency).
The following example shows a linear gradient that starts from the left. It starts fully transparent, transitioning to full color red:
Example
#grad {
background: red; /* For browsers that do not
support gradients */
background: -webkit-linear-gradient(left,rgba(255,0,0,0),rgba(255,0,0,1)); /*Safari
5.1-6*/
background:
-o-linear-gradient(right,rgba(255,0,0,0),rgba(255,0,0,1)); /*Opera 11.1-12*/
background: -moz-linear-gradient(right,rgba(255,0,0,0),rgba(255,0,0,1));
/*Fx 3.6-15*/
background: linear-gradient(to right, rgba(255,0,0,0),
rgba(255,0,0,1)); /*Standard*/
}
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Repeating a linear-gradient
The repeating-linear-gradient() function is used to repeat linear gradients:
Example
A repeating linear gradient:
#grad {
background: red; /* For browsers that do not
support gradients */
/* Safari 5.1 to 6.0 */
background: -webkit-repeating-linear-gradient(red,
yellow 10%, green 20%);
/* Opera 11.1 to 12.0 */
background:
-o-repeating-linear-gradient(red, yellow 10%, green 20%);
/* Firefox 3.6
to 15 */
background: -moz-repeating-linear-gradient(red, yellow 10%,
green 20%);
/* Standard syntax */
background:
repeating-linear-gradient(red, yellow 10%, green 20%);
}
Try it Yourself »
CSS3 Radial Gradients
A radial gradient is defined by its center.
To create a radial gradient you must also define at least two color stops.
Syntax
background: radial-gradient(shape size at position, start-color, ..., last-color);
By default, shape is ellipse, size is farthest-corner, and position is center.
Radial Gradient - Evenly Spaced Color Stops (this is default)
The following example shows a radial gradient with evenly spaced color stops:
Example
#grad {
background: red; /* For browsers that do not
support gradients */
background: -webkit-radial-gradient(red, yellow, green); /*
Safari 5.1 to 6.0 */
background: -o-radial-gradient(red, yellow, green); /* For Opera
11.6 to 12.0 */
background: -moz-radial-gradient(red, yellow, green); /*
For Firefox 3.6 to 15 */
background: radial-gradient(red, yellow, green);
/* Standard syntax */
}
Try it Yourself »
Radial Gradient - Differently Spaced Color Stops
The following example shows a radial gradient with differently spaced color stops:
Example
#grad {
background: red; /* For browsers that do not
support gradients */
background: -webkit-radial-gradient(red 5%,
yellow 15%, green 60%); /*
Safari 5.1-6.0 */
background: -o-radial-gradient(red 5%, yellow
15%, green 60%); /* For Opera
11.6-12.0 */
background: -moz-radial-gradient(red 5%, yellow 15%,
green 60%); /*
For Firefox 3.6-15 */
background: radial-gradient(red 5%, yellow
15%, green 60%);
/* Standard syntax */
}
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Set Shape
The shape parameter defines the shape. It can take the value circle or ellipse. The default value is ellipse.
The following example shows a radial gradient with the shape of a circle:
Example
#grad {
background: red; /* For browsers that do not
support gradients */
background: -webkit-radial-gradient(circle, red, yellow, green); /*
Safari */
background: -o-radial-gradient(circle, red, yellow, green); /* Opera
11.6 to 12.0 */
background: -moz-radial-gradient(circle, red, yellow,
green); /* Firefox 3.6 to 15 */
background: radial-gradient(circle, red,
yellow, green);
/* Standard syntax */
}
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Use of Different Size Keywords
The size parameter defines the size of the gradient. It can take four values:
- closest-side
- farthest-side
- closest-corner
- farthest-corner
Example
A radial gradient with different size keywords:
#grad1 {
background: red; /* For browsers that do not
support gradients */
/* Safari 5.1 to 6.0 */
background: -webkit-radial-gradient(60%
55%, closest-side, red, yellow, black);
/* For Opera 11.6 to 12.0 */
background: -o-radial-gradient(60% 55%, closest-side, red, yellow, black);
/* For Firefox 3.6 to 15 */
background: -moz-radial-gradient(60% 55%,
closest-side, red, yellow, black);
/* Standard syntax */
background: radial-gradient(closest-side at 60% 55%, red, yellow,
black);
}
#grad2 {
/* Safari 5.1 to 6.0 */
background: -webkit-radial-gradient(60% 55%, farthest-side,
red, yellow, black);
/* Opera 11.6 to 12.0 */
background: -o-radial-gradient(60% 55%,
farthest-side, red, yellow, black);
/* For Firefox 3.6 to 15 */
background: -moz-radial-gradient(60% 55%, farthest-side, red, yellow, black);
/* Standard syntax */
background: radial-gradient(farthest-side at 60%
55%, red, yellow, black);
}
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Repeating a radial-gradient
The repeating-radial-gradient() function is used to repeat radial gradients:
Example
A repeating radial gradient:
#grad {
background: red; /* For browsers that do not
support gradients */
/* For Safari 5.1 to 6.0 */
background: -webkit-repeating-radial-gradient(red,
yellow 10%, green 15%);
/* For Opera 11.6 to 12.0 */
background:
-o-repeating-radial-gradient(red, yellow 10%, green 15%);
/* For Firefox
3.6 to 15 */
background: -moz-repeating-radial-gradient(red, yellow 10%,
green 15%);
/* Standard syntax */
background:
repeating-radial-gradient(red, yellow 10%, green 15%);
}
Try it Yourself »
Test Yourself with Exercises!
Exercise 1 » Exercise 2 » Exercise 3 » Exercise 4 » Exercise 5 » Exercise 6 » Exercise 7 »