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CSS Caption-Side Control Table Captions Effortlessly

Learn how to use the CSS caption-side property to control table captions.

Position captions above or below tables with ease.

Discover options like top, bottom, inherit, and more.
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Introduction

The caption-side CSS property lets you set where a table’s caption is shown. You can put it above or below the table, which is handy for making tables look neat and organized.

You can use caption-side with top or bottom values. There are also global values like inherit, initial, revert, and revert-layer for more control. This property makes it easy to manage how captions appear in your tables.

Syntax

You can use the caption-side property like this:

/* Directional values */
caption-side: top;
caption-side: bottom;
/* Global values */
caption-side: inherit;
caption-side: initial;
caption-side: revert;
caption-side: revert-layer;
caption-side: unset;

Values

Here are the values you can use with caption-side:

top

Puts the caption at the top of the table. This is the default.

bottom

Puts the caption at the bottom of the table.

inherit

Copies the caption-side value from the parent element.

initial

Sets caption-side to its default value, which is top.

revert

Resets caption-side to the browser’s default stylesheet value.

revert-layer

Rolls back the cascade to the user-agent level.

unset

Resets caption-side to its inherited value if it inherits, or to its initial value if not.

Note: There are logical values like inline-start and inline-end defined in the CSS logical properties and values module, but these aren’t supported in any browsers yet.

Formal Definition

The caption-side property is formally defined to set where a table’s caption goes. Here are the key details:

  • Initial Value: The default is top.
  • Applies To: This property works with <caption> elements in tables.
  • Inherited: Yes, it inherits from the parent element.
  • Computed Value: The value is as specified.
  • Animation Type: Discrete, meaning it can’t be animated smoothly.

Examples

Setting Captions Above and Below

HTML:

<table class="top">
<caption>Caption ABOVE the table</caption>
<tr>
<td>Some data</td>
<td>Some more data</td>
</tr>
</table>
<br />
<table class="bottom">
<caption>Caption BELOW the table</caption>
<tr>
<td>Some data</td>
<td>Some more data</td>
</tr>
</table>

CSS:

.top caption {
caption-side: top;
}
.bottom caption {
caption-side: bottom;
}
table {
border: 1px solid red;
}
td {
border: 1px solid blue;
}

Result:

The first table has a caption above it, and the second table has a caption below it.

Additional Examples

HTML:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<title>caption-side property</title>
<style>
.geeks {
caption-side: top;
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<center>
<h1 style="color:green;">Website</h1>
<h2>caption-side: top:</h2>
<table class="geeks" border="1">
<caption>Table 4.1 Student Details</caption>
<tr>
<th>Student Name</th>
<th>Enroll_no.</th>
<th>Address</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Hritik Bhatnagar</td>
<td>234</td>
<td>Delhi</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Govind madan</td>
<td>235</td>
<td>Kolkata</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Suraj Roy</td>
<td>236</td>
<td>Mumbai</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Dhruv Mishra</td>
<td>237</td>
<td>Dehradun</td>
</tr>
</table>
</center>
</body>
</html>

Result:

![Example of caption-side: top]WebsiteUrl

HTML:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<title>caption-side property</title>
<style>
.geeks {
caption-side: bottom;
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<center>
<h1 style="color:green;">Website</h1>
<h2>caption-side: bottom:</h2>
<table class="geeks" border="1">
<caption>Table 4.1 Student Details</caption>
<tr>
<th>Student Name</th>
<th>Enroll_no.</th>
<th>Address</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Hritik Bhatnagar</td>
<td>234</td>
<td>Delhi</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Govind madan</td>
<td>235</td>
<td>Kolkata</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Suraj Roy</td>
<td>236</td>
<td>Mumbai</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Dhruv Mishra</td>
<td>237</td>
<td>Dehradun</td>
</tr>
</table>
</center>
</body>
</html>

Result:

![Example of caption-side: bottom]WebsiteUrl

HTML:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<style>
.geeks {
caption-side: initial;
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<center>
<h1 style="color:green;">Website</h1>
<h2>caption-side: initial:</h2>
<table class="geeks" border="1">
<caption>Table 4.1 Student Details</caption>
<tr>
<th>Student Name</th>
<th>Enroll_no.</th>
<th>Address</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Hritik Bhatnagar</td>
<td>234</td>
<td>Delhi</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Govind madan</td>
<td>235</td>
<td>Kolkata</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Suraj Roy</td>
<td>236</td>
<td>Mumbai</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Dhruv Mishra</td>
<td>237</td>
<td>Dehradun</td>
</tr>
</table>
</center>
</body>
</html>

Result:

![Example of caption-side: initial]WebsiteUrl

Specifications

The caption-side property is defined in these specifications:

Browser Compatibility

The caption-side property works in all modern browsers:

BrowserSupport
Google Chrome1.0
Edge12.0
Internet Explorer8.0
Firefox1.0
Opera4.0
Safari1.0

FAQs

What does the caption-side property do in CSS?

The caption-side property sets where a table’s caption is shown, either above or below the table.

What values can be used with caption-side?

You can use top, bottom, and global values like inherit, initial, revert, and revert-layer.

Can I position a caption on the left or right of a table?

No, caption-side only controls the placement at the top or bottom of the table.

Does caption-side affect the table layout?

Yes, changing the caption position can affect the overall table layout, especially when using margin or padding.

What is the default value for caption-side?

The default value for caption-side is top.

Is caption-side widely supported in web browsers?

Yes, caption-side is widely supported in modern browsers like Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Internet Explorer, Opera, and Safari.

Can I use logical values like inline-start and inline-end with caption-side?

No, logical values like inline-start and inline-end are not supported by any browsers for caption-side.

How can I reset the caption-side property to its default value?

You can reset caption-side to its default value by using the initial value. This sets the property to top.

What does the inherit value do in caption-side?

The inherit value makes the caption-side property inherit its value from its parent element. This helps maintain consistent styling.

Can I animate the caption-side property?

No, the caption-side property is discrete and can’t be animated smoothly. It can only be set to specific states like top or bottom.

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