CSS left

<!doctype html>
<title>Example</title>
<style>
div.inner {
  width: 200px;
  height: 100px;
  padding: 20px;
  border: 1px solid orange;
  position: relative;
  left: 20%;
  }
</style>
<div class="inner">This 'div' is positioned using the CSS 'left' property. Try changing the values to see the effect it has on the position of the div.</div>

The CSS left property specifies how far a box's left margin edge is offset from the left edge of the box's containing block.

The property allows you to specify how far the element is offset from the left edge of its containing block (for absolute positioning), or from where the positioned element's left edge would normally have been (for relative positioning). If it's a stickily positioned box, the left property's value is used to compute the sticky-constraint rectangle.

The left property is used in conjunction with the position property when its value is anything other than static.

Also see the top, bottom, and right properties.

Syntax

These values are explained below.

Possible Values

auto

Specifies the following:

for absolutely positioned elements, the position of the element is based on the right property, and width: auto will be treated as a width based on the content.
for relatively positioned elements, the offset the element from its original position is based on the right property, or if the value of right is also auto, no offset occurs at all.

percentage

Specifies the offset as a percentage. The offset is a percentage of the containing block's width. For stickily positioned elements, the offset is a percentage of the flow root's width. Negative values are allowed.

length

Specifies the offset as a length. The offset is a fixed distance from the reference edge. Negative values are allowed.

In addition, all CSS properties also accept the following CSS-wide keyword values as the sole component of their property value:

initial: Represents the value specified as the property's initial value.
inherit: Represents the computed value of the property on the element's parent.
unset: This value acts as either inherit or initial, depending on whether the property is inherited or not. In other words, it sets all properties to their parent value if they are inheritable or to their initial value if not inheritable.

General Information

Initial Value: auto
Applies To: Positioned elements.
Inherited?: No
Media: Visual
Animatable: Yes (see example)

Example Code

Official Specifications

CSS Positioned Layout Module Level 3 (W3C Working Draft)
CSS Level 2.1 (W3C Recommendation 07 June 2011)

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