Understanding CSS padding-block-end for Better Web Design

Learn about the CSS padding-block-end property, which controls the padding at the logical end of a block element.

Use cases include responsive designs and varied text orientations.

Options available are length, percentage, and global CSS values.

Introduction

The padding-block-end property in CSS is a handy tool for web developers and designers. It lets you set the padding at the logical end of a block element, which can change based on the text’s direction and writing mode. This property became widely available in September 2021 and helps create flexible and responsive layouts, especially for multilingual sites.

Specification

The padding-block-end property is part of the CSS Logical Properties and Values Level 1 specification. This specification helps create more adaptable designs, especially in environments with different text orientations and writing modes.

Description

The padding-block-end property in CSS defines the padding at the logical end of a block element. Unlike traditional padding properties that use physical directions, padding-block-end adapts to the flow of text and layout. This makes it perfect for responsive and adaptable designs.

Syntax

padding-block-end: <length> | <percentage> | inherit | initial | revert | revert-layer | unset;

<length>: A fixed length value, like px (pixels) or em (relative to text size).
<percentage>: A percentage of the inline size of the containing block.
Global values: Common CSS values like inherit, initial, revert, revert-layer, and unset.

Values

<length>: A fixed length value (e.g., 10px, 1em).
<percentage>: A percentage of the inline size of the containing block (e.g., 5%).
Global values: inherit, initial, revert, revert-layer, unset.

Formal Definition

Initial Value: 0
Applies To: All elements except table-related elements
Inherited: No
Percentages: Relative to the logical width of the containing block
Computed Value: As a <length>
Animation Type: A length

Examples

Example 1: Setting Block End Padding for Horizontal Text

HTML:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
  <title>CSS | padding-block-end Property</title>
  <style>
    h1 {
      color: green;
    }
    div {
      background-color: yellow;
      width: 110px;
      height: 80px;
    }
    .example {
      padding-block-end: 20px;
      background-color: purple;
    }
  </style>
</head>
<body>
  <center>
    <h1>Website</h1>
    <b>CSS | padding-block-end Property</b>
    <br><br>
    <div class="example">Example Text</div>
  </center>
</body>
</html>

Example 2: Setting Block End Padding for Vertical Text

HTML:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
  <title>CSS | padding-block-end Property</title>
  <style>
    h1 {
      color: green;
    }
    div {
      background-color: yellow;
      width: 110px;
      height: 80px;
    }
    .example {
      padding-block-end: 20px;
      writing-mode: vertical-lr;
      background-color: purple;
    }
  </style>
</head>
<body>
  <center>
    <h1>Website</h1>
    <b>CSS | padding-block-end Property</b>
    <br><br>
    <div class="example">Example Text</div>
  </center>
</body>
</html>

Browser Compatibility

The padding-block-end property is supported by:

Google Chrome 87
Edge 87
Firefox 41
Opera 73
Safari 12.1

Supported Browsers

The padding-block-end property is supported by:

Google Chrome 87
Edge 87
Firefox 41
Opera 73
Safari 12.1

This wide compatibility ensures that your designs will work consistently across various platforms and devices, providing a seamless user experience. By using padding-block-end, you can create more flexible and adaptable web designs that cater to different text orientations and writing modes.

For the most up-to-date information on browser compatibility, you can refer to the [Browser Compatibility Data (BCD)]WebsiteUrl on MDN Web Docs. This resource provides detailed compatibility tables and allows you to verify the support for padding-block-end across different browser versions.

By leveraging the padding-block-end property, you can enhance the overall user experience and make your web content more accessible and visually appealing.