CSS Outline

An outline is a line that is drawn around elements, OUTSIDE the borders, to make the element "stand out".

This element has a black border and a green outline with a width of 5px.

Note: Outline differs from borders! The outline is drawn outside the element's border, and may overlap other content. Also, the outline is NOT a part of the element's dimensions; the element's total width and height is not affected by the width of the outline.

CSS has the following outline properties:

• outline-style - Specifies the style of the outline

• outline-color - Specifies the color of the outline

• outline-width - Specifies the width of the outline

• outline-offset - Adds space between the outline and the edge/border of an element

• outline - A shorthand property

CSS The outline-style Property

The outline-style property specifies the style of the outline, and can have one of the following values:

• dotted - Defines a dotted outline

• dashed - Defines a dashed outline

• solid - Defines a solid outline

• double - Defines a double outline

• groove - Defines a 3D grooved outline

• ridge - Defines a 3D ridged outline

• inset - Defines a 3D inset outline

• outset - Defines a 3D outset outline

• none - Defines no outline

• hidden - Defines a hidden outline

The following example shows the different outline-style values:

Example

p.dotted {outline-style: dotted;}

p.dashed {outline-style: dashed;}
p.solid {outline-style: solid;}

p.double {outline-style: double;}
p.groove {outline-style: groove;}

p.ridge {outline-style: ridge;}
p.inset {outline-style: inset;}

p.outset {outline-style: outset;}

Note: None of the other outline properties (which you will learn more about in the next chapters) will have ANY effect unless the outline-style property is set!