When it comes to designing visually appealing web pages, borders play a crucial role in defining elements, creating separation, and adding depth to layouts. CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) provides web developers with various options to style these borders. One key property that controls the appearance of borders is the border-style property.
But how many border styles are available in CSS, and how do they behave? In this blog, we’ll explore all the standard border styles supported in CSS and understand when and how to use them effectively.
Understanding border-style in CSS
The border-style property specifies what kind of border to display around an element. It can accept one to four values, corresponding to the top, right, bottom, and left borders respectively.
/* Syntax */
border-style: <style>;
You can apply it in shorthand:
/* All borders same style */
border-style: solid;
/* Different styles for each side */
border-style: solid dotted dashed double;
List of Border Styles in CSS
CSS defines eight different border styles. Here’s a quick overview of each:
1. none
- Description: No border is displayed.
- Use case: Often used to override default styles or remove existing borders.
border-style: none;
2. solid
- Description: A single, solid line.
- Use case: Commonly used for clean and professional-looking borders.
border-style: solid;
3. dashed
- Description: A series of short dashes.
- Use case: Suitable for informal designs or to indicate non-permanent sections.
border-style: dashed;
4. dotted
- Description: A series of dots.
- Use case: Ideal for subtle, decorative borders or inputs.
border-style: dotted;
5. double
- Description: Two parallel solid lines.
- Use case: Useful for emphasis or to mimic a boxed effect.
border-style: double;
6. groove
- Description: A 3D grooved border that appears carved into the page.
- Use case: Decorative elements or retro UI themes.
border-style: groove;
7. ridge
- Description: A 3D ridged border that appears raised from the page.
- Use case: Similar to
groove, but gives a raised look.
border-style: ridge;
8. inset
- Description: A 3D inset border, making the element appear embedded.
- Use case: Often used in UI components to simulate depth.
border-style: inset;
9. outset
- Description: A 3D outset border, making the element appear raised.
- Use case: Useful for buttons or interactive elements.
border-style: outset;
Summary Table
| Style | Visual Look | Use Case Example |
|---|---|---|
| none | No border | Resetting styles |
| solid | Single line | Common for boxes, containers |
| dashed | Dashed line | Informal sections or visual separation |
| dotted | Dotted line | Inputs or decorative UI |
| double | Double line | Emphasizing content blocks |
| groove | Carved look | Decorative containers |
| ridge | Raised look | Similar to groove, reverse shading |
| inset | Sunken appearance | Form fields, embedded boxes |
| outset | Raised appearance | Buttons, panels |
Browser Support
All major modern browsers fully support these border styles. However, the 3D effects (groove, ridge, inset, outset) depend on the border-color and may render slightly differently across browsers.
Final Thoughts
Borders are more than just lines—they define structure, hierarchy, and interactivity on a web page. With the nine standard CSS border styles, developers have the flexibility to craft visually distinct and functional designs. Whether you’re building a minimal form or a stylized interface, choosing the right border-style can significantly impact the user experience.
