CSS - Overlapping and Layering with z-index

Overlapping and Layering with z-index in CSS

A CSS feature called z-index regulates the stack order of particular items that overlap one another. Generally speaking, an element with a higher z-index covers an element with a lower one.

Code

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
    <meta charset="UTF-8">
    <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
    <title>Overlapping and Layering</title>
    <style>
        .box {
            position: absolute;
            width: 100px;
            height: 100px;
            padding: 10px;
            text-align: center;
            color: white;
        }
        .box1 { background-color: red; left: 50px; top: 50px; z-index: 2; }
        .box2 { background-color: blue; left: 100px; top: 100px; z-index: 1; }
    </style>
</head>
<body>
    <div class="box box1">Box 1</div>
    <div class="box box2">Box 2</div>
</body>
</html>

Two boxes are positioned absolutely, which means they are moved to the top and left properties and out of the regular flow.

Box 1 overlaps Box 2 because it has a greater z-index, illustrating how the z-index affects how items are stacked vertically.

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CSS

Beginner 5 Hours

Overlapping and Layering with z-index in CSS

A CSS feature called z-index regulates the stack order of particular items that overlap one another. Generally speaking, an element with a higher z-index covers an element with a lower one.

Code

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
    <meta charset="UTF-8">
    <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
    <title>Overlapping and Layering</title>
    <style>
        .box {
            position: absolute;
            width: 100px;
            height: 100px;
            padding: 10px;
            text-align: center;
            color: white;
        }
        .box1 { background-color: red; left: 50px; top: 50px; z-index: 2; }
        .box2 { background-color: blue; left: 100px; top: 100px; z-index: 1; }
    </style>
</head>
<body>
    <div class="box box1">Box 1</div>
    <div class="box box2">Box 2</div>
</body>
</html>

Two boxes are positioned absolutely, which means they are moved to the top and left properties and out of the regular flow.

Box 1 overlaps Box 2 because it has a greater z-index, illustrating how the z-index affects how items are stacked vertically.

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Frequently Asked Questions for CSS

Content, padding, border, and margin make up the box model.

Relative moves from original position; absolute positions relative to nearest positioned ancestor.

id is unique; class can be reused.

visibility hides but keeps space; display removes element from layout.

Minify files, reduce specificity, and remove unused styles.

Overrides all other declarations, regardless of specificity.

Use margin: auto or flexbox/grid techniques.

Allow responsive design by applying styles based on screen size or device.

Define relationships between selectors: descendant ( ), child (>), adjacent (+), sibling (~).

Tools like SASS or LESS add features like variables and nesting to CSS.

Targets part of an element, like ::before or ::after.

Use @import "filename.css"; at the top of the file.

Controls stacking order of overlapping elements.

Forces a property to inherit value from parent.

Static — not affected by top, bottom, left, or right.

Use universal selector * or define styles in body/root.

em is relative to parent; rem is relative to root element.

Inline, internal (embedded), and external CSS.

A layout model for arranging elements in rows or columns with flexible sizing.

Targets elements in a specific state, like :hover or :nth-child().

Use fluid layouts, media queries, and relative units.

CSS styles HTML elements to control layout, color, fonts, and responsiveness.

Reusable custom property values, declared with --var-name.

Determines which rule applies when multiple rules target the same element.

Performs calculations to dynamically set CSS property values.

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