What sets apart auto, 0, and no z-index values?

Can you explain the distinctions between the following:

  1. z-index: auto
  2. z-index: 0
  3. the absence of z-index

In all scenarios mentioned, we have a container div that contains two inner divs, named div1 and div2, with respective z-index values of 9 and 10.

This encompassing div is within the stacking context of HTML.

Answer №1

Failure to specify z-index results in the same outcome as setting it to auto; this is its default value.

auto and 0 are equivalent if the element does not establish its own stacking context, such as by being positioned relatively, absolutely, or fixedly.

If the parent div is not positioned, then the specific z-index assigned to it becomes irrelevant; both the div itself and all of its contents will be part of the stacking context of the html, with any child elements always appearing in front of it.

Answer №2

What @BoltClock mentioned is absolutely correct.

If you don't specify z-index, it defaults to z-index: auto; which is its initial value.

When it comes to z-index: 0, it's crucial to understand the following:

z-index: 0 creates a stacking context while z-index: auto does not. For more details on this, refer to MDN.

In most scenarios, this distinction will have no impact on the displayed elements.

However, there are cases where it does matter. As illustrated in the example below:

.box {
  position: relative;
  width: 64px;
  height: 64px;
  top: 32px;
  left: 32px;
}

.red {
  background: red;
}

.green {
  background: green;
}

.blue {
  background: blue;
}

#example-auto {
  display: inline-block;
}

#example-0 {
  display: inline-block;
  margin-left: 64px;
}
<div id="example-auto">
  <div class="box red">
    <div class="box green" style="z-index: 1"></div>
  </div>
  <div class="box blue"></div>
</div>

<div id="example-0">
  <div class="box red" style="z-index: 0">
    <div class="box green" style="z-index: 1"></div>
  </div>
  <div class="box blue"></div>
</div>

In both instances, red and blue are siblings with a position: relative, while green is a child of red with position: relative and z-index: 1:

  • Root
    • Red: position: relative
      • Green: position: relative; z-index: 1
    • Blue: position: relative

In the first scenario, green will be placed above red and blue due to having z-index: 1, creating a stacking context that places it above the root context.

Conversely, in the second situation, green sits above red but beneath blue. This occurs because red has z-index: 0, establishing a stacking context at the same level as blue. Therefore, green is positioned above red (given green also establishes a stacking context) but below blue since it remains within the context of red.


Consider a practical case. Suppose we have an object enclosed within an a element. When hovering over the svg content, the anchor may be disregarded. To resolve this issue, utilize z-index: 0 for a and z-index: -1 for object.

<a href="#test1" style="display: inline-block; width: 100px">
  <object type="image/svg+xml" data="https://dev.w3.org/SVG/tools/svgweb/samples/svg-files/star.svg"></object>
</a>

<a href="#test2" style="display: inline-block; width: 100px; position: relative; z-index: 0">
  <object type="image/svg+xml" data="https://dev.w3.org/SVG/tools/svgweb/samples/svg-files/star.svg" style="position: relative; z-index: -1"></object>
</a>

Answer №3

z-index:0 serves as the default layer, housing elements without a specified z-index. On the other hand, z-index:auto indicates that the stack order aligns with its parent's stacking order. When children elements of a parent initially start in "z-layer 0," in relation to their parent, both z-index:auto and z-index:0 essentially mean the same thing - they will occupy the same layer and adhere to the default stacking rules outlined here.

Answer №4

Understanding z-index in CSS

The z-index property determines the stack order of elements on a webpage. When set to "auto," an element's stacking context is equal to its parent element.

When z-index is set to 0

No stacking order change occurs, as it does nothing in terms of layering.

Using z-index:not

This value sets the stack order to that of its parent element, similar to how it behaves when set to "auto."

Inheriting z-index values

By setting z-index to "inherit," the element will inherit the stacking order from its parent.

For more information and experimentation with z-index:

Explore here

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