The Essential CSS3 Properties Cheat Sheet

Cascading Style Sheets or CSS define the look and feel of the web as we know it. While HTML and JavaScript focus on the functional side of the web, CSS deals with the visual aspects of it.

After you've learned how to build static webpages with HTML, it's time to discover how to style them and make them presentable with CSS. And our CSS3 properties cheat sheet below can help you with that! It covers the essential syntax you need to know about in CSS3, which is the latest version of CSS.

A working knowledge of CSS helps you customize colors, fonts, borders, backgrounds, layouts, and much more on webpages in a streamlined manner. What's more, it comes in handy while designing web and mobile applications too.

FREE DOWNLOAD: This cheat sheet is available as a downloadable PDF from our distribution partner, TradePub. You will have to complete a short form to access it for the first time only. Download Essential CSS3 Properties Cheat Sheet.

The Essential CSS3 Properties Cheat Sheet

Shortcut	Action
Background Properties
background	Defines a variety of background properties within one declaration.
background-attachment	Specifies whether the background image is fixed or scrolls with the webpage.
background-color	Defines the background color of an element on the webpage.
background-image	Defines an element’s background image.
background-clip	Specifies how far the background images or color extends for an element.
background-origin	Specifies the positioning area of the background images.
background-position	Defines the origin of a background image.
background-repeat	Specifies how the background image is tiled.
background-size	Specifies the size of the background images.
Border Properties
border	Sets the border width, style, and color for all four sides of an element.
border-bottom	Sets the width, style, and color for the bottom border of an element.
border-bottom-color	Sets the color of the bottom border of an element.
border-bottom-left-radius	Defines the shape of the bottom-left border corner of an element.
border-bottom-right-radius	Defines the shape of the bottom-right border corner of an element.
border-bottom-style	Sets the style of the bottom border of an element.
border-bottom-width	Sets the width of the bottom border of an element.
border-color	Sets the color of the border on all the four sides of an element.
border-image	Specifies how an image is to be used in place of the border styles.
border-image-outset	Specifies the amount by which the border image area extends beyond the border box.
border-image-repeat	Specifies how the border image is tiled.
border-image-slice	Specifies the inward offsets of the image-border.
border-image-source	Specifies the location of the image to be used as a border.
border-image-width	Specifies the width of the image-border.
border-left	Sets the width, style, and color of the left border of an element.
border-left-color	Sets the color of the left border of an element.
border-left-style	Sets the style of the left border of an element.
border-left-width	Sets the width of the left border of an element.
border-radius	Defines the shape of the border corners of an element.
border-right	Sets the width, style, and color of the right border of an element.
border-right-color	Sets the color of the right border of an element.
border-right-style	Sets the style of the right border of an element.
border-right-width	Sets the width of the right border of an element.
border-style	Sets the style of the border on all the four sides of an element.
border-top	Sets the width, style, and color of the top border of an element.
border-top-color	Sets the color of the top border of an element.
border-top-left-radius	Defines the shape of the top-left border corner of an element.
border-top-right-radius	Defines the shape of the top-right border corner of an element.
border-top-style	Sets the style of the top border of an element.
border-top-width	Sets the width of the top border of an element.
border-width	Sets the width of the border on all the four sides of an element.
Color Properties
color	Defines and sets the color for text.
opacity	Defines the transparency of an element.
Dimension Properties
height	Defines the height of an element.
max-height	Defines the maximum height of an element.
max-width	Defines the maximum width of an element.
min-height	Defines the minimum height of an element.
min-width	Defines the minimum width of an element.
width	Specify the width of an element.
Generated Content Properties
content	Inserts generated content.
quotes	Specifies quotation marks for embedded quotations.
counter-reset	Creates or resets one or more counters.
counter-increment	Increments one or more counter values.
Flexible Box Layout
align-content	Specifies the alignment of flexible container's items.
align-items	Specifies the default alignment for items.
align-self	Specifies the alignment for selected items.
flex	Specifies the components of a flexible length.
flex-basis	Specifies the initial main size of the flex item.
flex-direction	Specifies the direction of the flexible items.
flex-flow	A shorthand property for the flex-direction and the flex-wrap properties.
flex-grow	Specifies how the flex item will grow relative to the other items inside the flex container.
flex-shrink	Specifies how the flex item will shrink relative to the other items inside the flex container.
flex-wrap	Specifies whether the flexible items should wrap or not.
justify-content	Specifies how flex items are aligned along the main axis of the flex container after any flexible lengths and auto margins have been resolved.
order	Specifies the order in which a flex items are displayed and laid out within a flex container.
Font Properties
font	Defines a variety of font properties within one declaration like the font-style, font-variant, font-weight, font-size/line-height, and the font-family.
font-family	Defines a list of fonts for element.
font-size	Defines the font size for the text.
font-size-adjust	Preserves the readability of text when font fallback occurs.
font-stretch	Selects a normal, condensed, or expanded face from a font.
font-style	Defines the font style for the text.
font-variant	Specifies the font variant.
font-weight	Specifies the font weight of the text.
List Properties
list-style	Defines the display style for a list and list elements.
list-style-image	Specifies the image to be used as a list-item marker.
list-style-position	Specifies the position of the list-item marker.
list-style-type	Specifies the marker style for a list-item.
Margin Properties
margin	Sets the margin on all four sides of the element.
margin-bottom	Sets the bottom margin of the element.
margin-left	Sets the left margin of the element.
margin-right	Sets the right margin of the element.
margin-top	Sets the top margin of the element.
Multi-Column Layout Properties
column-count	Specifies the number of columns in a multi-column element.
column-fill	Specifies how columns will be filled.
column-gap	Specifies the gap between the columns in a multi-column element.
column-rule	Specifies a straight line, or "rule", to be drawn between each column in a multi-column element.
column-rule-color	Specifies the color of the rules drawn between columns in a multi-column layout.
column-rule-style	Specifies the style of the rule drawn between the columns in a multi-column layout.
column-rule-width	Specifies the width of the rule drawn between the columns in a multi-column layout.
column-span	Specifies how many columns an element spans across in a multi-column layout.
column-width	Specifies the optimal width of the columns in a multi-column element.
columns	A shorthand property for setting column-width and column-count properties.
column-count	Specifies the number of columns in a multi-column element.
Outline Properties
outline	Sets the width, style, and color for all four sides of an element's outline.
outline-color	Sets the color of the outline.
outline-offset	Set the space between an outline and the border edge of an element.
outline-style	Sets a style for an outline.
outline-width	Sets the width of the outline.
Padding Properties
padding	Sets the padding on all four sides of the element.
padding-bottom	Sets the padding to the bottom side of an element.
padding-left	Sets the padding to the left side of an element.
padding-right	Sets the padding to the right side of an element.
padding-top	Sets the padding to the top side of an element.
Print Properties
page-break-after	Inserts a page break after an element.
page-break-before	Inserts a page break before an element.
page-break-inside	Inserts a page break inside an element.
Table Properties
border-collapse	Specifies whether table cell borders are connected or separated.
border-spacing	Sets the spacing between the borders of adjacent table cells.
caption-side	Specifies the position of table's caption.
empty-cells	Shows or hides borders and backgrounds of empty table cells.
table-layout	Specifies a table layout algorithm.
border-collapse	Specifies whether table cell borders are connected or separated.
Text Properties
direction	Defines the text direction/writing direction.
tab-size	Specifies the length of the tab character.
text-align	Sets the horizontal alignment of inline content.
text-align-last	Specifies how the last line of a block or a line right before a forced line break is aligned when text-align is justify.
text-decoration	Specifies the decoration added to text.
text-decoration-color	Specifies the color of the text-decoration-line.
text-decoration-line	Specifies what kind of line decorations are added to the element.
text-decoration-style	Specifies the style of the lines specified by the text-decoration-line property
text-indent	Indents the first line of text.
text-justify	Specifies the justification method to use when the text-align property is set to justify.
text-overflow	Specifies how the text content will be displayed, when it overflows the block containers.
text-shadow	Applies one or more shadows to the text content of an element.
text-transform	Transforms the case of the text.
line-height	Sets the height between lines of text.
vertical-align	Sets the vertical positioning of an element relative to the current text baseline.
letter-spacing	Sets the extra spacing between letters.
word-spacing	Sets the spacing between words.
white-space	Specifies how white space inside the element is handled.
word-break	Specifies how to break lines within words.
word-wrap	Specifies whether to break words when the content overflows the boundaries of its container.
Transform Properties
backface-visibility	Specifies whether or not the "back" side of a transformed element is visible when facing the user.
perspective	Defines the perspective from which all child elements of the object are viewed.
perspective-origin	Defines the origin (the vanishing point for the 3D space) for the perspective property.
transform	Applies a 2D or 3D transformation to an element.
transform-origin	Defines the origin of transformation for an element.
transform-style	Specifies how nested elements are rendered in 3D space.
Transition Properties
transition	Defines the transition between two states of an element.
transition-delay	Specifies when the transition effect will start.
transition-duration	Specifies the number of seconds or milliseconds a transition effect should take to complete.
transition-property	Specifies the names of the CSS properties to which a transition effect should be applied.
transition-timing-function	Specifies the speed curve of the transition effect.
Visual Formatting Properties
display	Specifies how an element is displayed onscreen.
position	Specifies how an element is positioned.
top	Specifies the location of the top edge of the positioned element.
right	Specifies the location of the right edge of the positioned element.
bottom	Specifies the location of the bottom edge of the positioned element.
left	Specifies the location of the left edge of the positioned element.
float	Specifies whether or not a box should float.
clear	Specifies the placement of an element in relation to floating elements.
z-index	Specifies a layering or stacking order for positioned elements.
overflow	Specifies the treatment of content that overflows the element's box.
overflow-x	Specifies how to manage the content when it overflows the width of the element's content area.
overflow-y	Specifies how to manage the content when it overflows the height of the element's content area.
resize	Specifies whether or not an element is resizable by the user.
clip	Defines the clipping region.
visibility	Specifies whether or not an element is visible.
cursor	Specifies the type of cursor.
box-shadow	Applies one or more drop-shadows to the element's box.
box-sizing	Alters the default CSS box model.
Animation Properties
animation	Specifies the behavior of all animations.
animation-delay	Specifies when the animation will start with a delay.
animation-direction	Specifies whether the animation should play forward, backward, or in alternate cycles.
animation-duration	Specifies the number of seconds or milliseconds an animation should take to complete one cycle.
animation-fill-mode	Specifies how a CSS animation should apply styles to its target before and after it is executing.
animation-iteration-count	Specifies the number of times an animation cycle should be played before stopping.
animation-name	Specifies the name of @keyframes defined animations that should be applied to the selected element.
animation-play-state	Specifies whether the animation is running or paused.
animation-timing-function	Specifies how a CSS animation should progress over the duration of each cycle.