Top 30 Must-Know CSS Snippets for Web Designers or Developers

Whether you’re a beginner or an expert, these powerful CSS tricks will help you create responsive layouts, stunning effects, and interactive elements in no time!

1. Centering an Element (Flexbox)

.center {
  display: flex;
  justify-content: center;
  align-items: center;
  height: 100vh;
}

2. Responsive Grid Layout

.grid-container {
  display: grid;
  grid-template-columns: repeat(auto-fill, minmax(200px, 1fr));
  gap: 10px;
}

3. CSS Variables (Custom Properties)

:root {
  --primary-color: #3498db;
}

.button {
  background-color: var(--primary-color);
}

4. Text Ellipsis (Truncate Text)

.truncate {
  white-space: nowrap;
  overflow: hidden;
  text-overflow: ellipsis;
}

5. Sticky Footer

html, body {
  height: 100%;
}

.wrapper {
  min-height: 100%;
  display: flex;
  flex-direction: column;
}

.footer {
  margin-top: auto;
}

6. Centering an Element (Positioning)

.center-positioned {
  position: absolute;
  top: 50%;
  left: 50%;
  transform: translate(-50%, -50%);
}

7. Flexbox for Responsive Navbar

.navbar {
  display: flex;
  justify-content: space-between;
  align-items: center;
}

8. Smooth Scroll

html {
  scroll-behavior: smooth;
}

9. Custom Scrollbar

::-webkit-scrollbar {
  width: 8px;
}

::-webkit-scrollbar-thumb {
  background-color: #888;
  border-radius: 10px;
}

10. Gradient Background

.gradient-bg {
  background: linear-gradient(45deg, #f06, #ffcc00);
}

11. Hover Effect for Buttons

.button:hover {
  background-color: #2980b9;
  transform: scale(1.05);
}

12. Box Shadow

.card {
  box-shadow: 0 4px 8px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2);
}

13. Full-Width Image

.full-width-image {
  width: 100%;
  height: auto;
}

14. CSS Grid Auto-Fit Columns

.grid {
  display: grid;
  grid-template-columns: repeat(auto-fit, minmax(250px, 1fr));
  gap: 10px;
}

15. Fixed Background Image

.fixed-bg {
  background-image: url('image.jpg');
  background-attachment: fixed;
  background-size: cover;
}

16. CSS Animation (Keyframes)

@keyframes fadeIn {
  from {
    opacity: 0;
  }
  to {
    opacity: 1;
  }
}

.element {
  animation: fadeIn 2s ease-in;
}

17. Responsive Font Size

.responsive-text {
  font-size: calc(16px + 1vw);
}

18. Overlay Effect

.overlay {
  position: relative;
}

.overlay::after {
  content: '';
  position: absolute;
  top: 0;
  left: 0;
  width: 100%;
  height: 100%;
  background: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5);
}

19. Media Queries for Responsive Design

@media (max-width: 768px) {
  .container {
    flex-direction: column;
  }
}

20. CSS Variables for Responsive Breakpoints

:root {
  --small-screen: 768px;
}

@media (max-width: var(--small-screen)) {
  .container {
    flex-direction: column;
  }
}

21. Responsive Image with Aspect Ratio

.responsive-img {
  width: 100%;
  height: auto;
  aspect-ratio: 16 / 9;
}

22. Button with Ripple Effect

.button {
  position: relative;
  overflow: hidden;
}

.button::after {
  content: '';
  position: absolute;
  width: 300%;
  height: 300%;
  top: 50%;
  left: 50%;
  background: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.3);
  transform: translate(-50%, -50%) scale(0);
  border-radius: 50%;
  transition: transform 0.5s ease-out;
}

.button:hover::after {
  transform: translate(-50%, -50%) scale(1);
}

23. CSS Transition on Hover

.button {
  background-color: #3498db;
  transition: background-color 0.3s ease;
}

.button:hover {
  background-color: #2ecc71;
}

24. CSS Flexbox Equal Height Columns

.columns {
  display: flex;
  justify-content: space-around;
  align-items: stretch;
}

25. CSS for Loading Spinner

.spinner {
  border: 4px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1);
  border-left-color: #3498db;
  border-radius: 50%;
  width: 40px;
  height: 40px;
  animation: spin 1s linear infinite;
}

@keyframes spin {
  to {
    transform: rotate(360deg);
  }
}

26. Floating Action Button

.fab {
  position: fixed;
  bottom: 20px;
  right: 20px;
  background-color: #3498db;
  border-radius: 50%;
  width: 50px;
  height: 50px;
  display: flex;
  justify-content: center;
  align-items: center;
}

27. Sticky Header

.sticky-header {
  position: sticky;
  top: 0;
  background-color: #fff;
  z-index: 100;
}

28. Tooltip on Hover

.tooltip {
  position: relative;
}

.tooltip::after {
  content: 'Tooltip Text';
  position: absolute;
  background: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8);
  color: #fff;
  padding: 5px;
  border-radius: 5px;
  top: -30px;
  left: 50%;
  transform: translateX(-50%);
  opacity: 0;
  transition: opacity 0.3s ease;
}

.tooltip:hover::after {
  opacity: 1;
}

29. Circular Avatar

.avatar {
  width: 100px;
  height: 100px;
  border-radius: 50%;
  object-fit: cover;
}

30. Full-Screen Background

.fullscreen-bg {
  background-image: url('background.jpg');
  background-size: cover;
  background-position: center;
  width: 100vw;
  height: 100vh;
}

These 30 must-know CSS snippets cover essential layouts, styling patterns, and interactive elements that every developer can use to create responsive, modern web designs. Learn more.