Extensible HyperText Markup Language

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margin

Definition

The margin property is a shorthand method of setting margin-top, margin-right, margin-bottom and/or margin-left. The margin is the space between the element's border and the element's outer edge, represented by the yellow highlighted area in the illustration below.

Illustration of the CSS box model. The area between border and the outer edge is highlighted in yellow.

Example

  1. p {margin: 2em}
  2. p {margin: 2em 1em}

Characteristics

Possible values

  • One, two, three or four of the following values: a specific length, a percentage of the parent element's width or the keyword auto. If there is only one value, it applies to all sides. If there are two values, the first value is applied to the top and bottom sides, and the second value is applied to the right and left sides. If there are three values, the first value is applied to the top side, the second value is applied to right and left sides, and the third value is applied to the bottom side. If there are four values, the first value is applied to the top side, the second value is applied to the right side, the third value is applied to the bottom side and the forth value is applied to the left side.
  • inherit
    Use the same computed value as the parent element for this property.

Default value

See individual properties

Applies to

Most elements

Inherited

No

See also