border

The border CSS property is a shorthand property for setting the individual border property values in a single place in the style sheet. border can be used to set the values for one or more of: border-width, border-style, border-color.

border: 1px;
border: 2px dotted;
border: medium dashed green;

Like all shorthand properties, a missing value for one of the longhand properties is set to the corresponding initial value. Also note that border-image, though not settable using this shorthand, is reset to its initial value, that is, none. This allows to use border to reset any border settings set earlier in the cascade. As the W3C intends to preserve this property in future level of the spec, it is recommended to use this method to reset border settings.

Syntax

The border property is specified as one or more of the <br-width>, <br-style>, and <color> values listed below.

Values

<br-width>

Default value medium is used if absent. See border-width.

<br-style>

Default value none is used if absent. See border-style.

<color>

A <color> denoting the color of the border. If not set, its default value is the value of the element's color property (the text color, not the background color). See border-color.

Formal syntax

<br-width> || <br-style> || <color>
where 
<br-width> = <length> | thin | medium | thick
<br-style> = none | hidden | dotted | dashed | solid | double | groove | ridge | inset | outset
<color> = <rgb()> | <rgba()> | <hsl()> | <hsla()> | <hex-color> | <named-color> | currentcolor | <deprecated-system-color>
where 
<rgb()> = rgb( [ [ <percentage>{3} | <number>{3} ] [ / <alpha-value> ]? ] | [ [ <percentage>#{3} | <number>#{3} ] , <alpha-value>? ] )
<rgba()> = rgba( [ [ <percentage>{3} | <number>{3} ] [ / <alpha-value> ]? ] | [ [ <percentage>#{3} | <number>#{3} ] , <alpha-value>? ] )
<hsl()> = hsl( [ <hue> <percentage> <percentage> [ / <alpha-value> ]? ] | [ <hue>, <percentage>, <percentage>, <alpha-value>? ] )
<hsla()> = hsla( [ <hue> <percentage> <percentage> [ / <alpha-value> ]? ] | [ <hue>, <percentage>, <percentage>, <alpha-value>? ] )
<named-color> = transparent | aliceblue | antiquewhite | aqua | aquamarine | azure | beige | bisque | black | blanchedalmond | blue | blueviolet | brown | burlywood | cadetblue | chartreuse | chocolate | coral | cornflowerblue | cornsilk | crimson | cyan | darkblue | darkcyan | darkgoldenrod | darkgray | darkgreen | darkgrey | darkkhaki | darkmagenta | darkolivegreen | darkorange | darkorchid | darkred | darksalmon | darkseagreen | darkslateblue | darkslategray | darkslategrey | darkturquoise | darkviolet | deeppink | deepskyblue | dimgray | dimgrey | dodgerblue | firebrick | floralwhite | forestgreen | fuchsia | gainsboro | ghostwhite | gold | goldenrod | gray | green | greenyellow | grey | honeydew | hotpink | indianred | indigo | ivory | khaki | lavender | lavenderblush | lawngreen | lemonchiffon | lightblue | lightcoral | lightcyan | lightgoldenrodyellow | lightgray | lightgreen | lightgrey | lightpink | lightsalmon | lightseagreen | lightskyblue | lightslategray | lightslategrey | lightsteelblue | lightyellow | lime | limegreen | linen | magenta | maroon | mediumaquamarine | mediumblue | mediumorchid | mediumpurple | mediumseagreen | mediumslateblue | mediumspringgreen | mediumturquoise | mediumvioletred | midnightblue | mintcream | mistyrose | moccasin | navajowhite | navy | oldlace | olive | olivedrab | orange | orangered | orchid | palegoldenrod | palegreen | paleturquoise | palevioletred | papayawhip | peachpuff | peru | pink | plum | powderblue | purple | rebeccapurple | red | rosybrown | royalblue | saddlebrown | salmon | sandybrown | seagreen | seashell | sienna | silver | skyblue | slateblue | slategray | slategrey | snow | springgreen | steelblue | tan | teal | thistle | tomato | turquoise | violet | wheat | white | whitesmoke | yellow | yellowgreen
<deprecated-system-color> = ActiveBorder | ActiveCaption | AppWorkspace | Background | ButtonFace | ButtonHighlight | ButtonShadow | ButtonText | CaptionText | GrayText | Highlight | HighlightText | InactiveBorder | InactiveCaption | InactiveCaptionText | InfoBackground | InfoText | Menu | MenuText | Scrollbar | ThreeDDarkShadow | ThreeDFace | ThreeDHighlight | ThreeDLightShadow | ThreeDShadow | Window | WindowFrame | WindowText
where 
<alpha-value> = <number> | <percentage>
<hue> = <number> | <angle>

Examples

HTML

<div class="brd"> look at my borders </div>
<p>you can play with the css below to test properties changes</p>
<style contenteditable>
  .brd { border: 1px solid black;}
</style>

CSS

.brd { 
  border: 1px solid black;
}
style { 
  border: 1px dashed black;
  display:block;
}

Result

Specifications

Browser compatibility

See also

• border-radius-related CSS properties: border-top-left-radius, border-top-right-radius, border-bottom-right-radius, border-bottom-left-radius