Position & Z-Index Playground
Visual playground for CSS positioning (absolute, relative, fixed, sticky) and z-index stacking contexts.
Parent (relative)
Sibling A
z-index: 5
Sibling B
z-index: 15
(Lower down)
Target
z: 10
Parent Bottom
Scroll for Fixed/Sticky
Positioning Mode
Z-Index Level 10
0 5 (A) 15 (B) 20
Coordinates
Presets
CSS Output
/* Target Element */
.element {
position: relative;
z-index: 10;
top: 40px;
left: 40px;
}Features
- Interactive positioning playground
- Visualize Relative, Absolute, Fixed, Sticky
- Z-index stacking context simulator
- Parent/Child relationship visualization
- Coordinate controls (top, right, bottom, left)
- Generate positioning code
Common Use Cases
- Understand how "absolute" relates to "relative" parents
- Debug z-index wars
- Create sticky headers
- Center modals or overlays
- Create floating action buttons
CSS Positioning
The position property specifies how an element is positioned in a document. The top, right, bottom, and left properties determine the final location of positioned elements.
- static: Default. Normal flow. Top/left properties have no effect.
- relative: Positioned relative to its normal position. Creates a reference for children.
- absolute: Positioned relative to the nearest positioned ancestor (non-static).
- fixed: Positioned relative to the viewport. Stays in place when scrolling.
- sticky: Toggles between relative and fixed based on scroll position.
Examples
Valid - Absolute Center
position: absolute;
top: 50%;
left: 50%;
transform: translate(-50%, -50%); Valid - Sticky Header
position: sticky;
top: 0;
z-index: 100; Valid - Full Cover
position: absolute;
inset: 0;Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my absolute element misplaced?
It needs a reference point. Ensure a parent element has `position: relative` (or fixed/sticky). otherwise, it will position itself relative to the ``.
Why doesn't z-index work?
`z-index` only works on positioned elements (relative, absolute, fixed, sticky) or flex/grid children. It won't work on `position: static`.
What is a Stacking Context?
A new layer in the render tree. Elements like opacity < 1, transform, filter, or z-index create new stacking contexts, trapping their children's z-index within them.
💡 Tips
- Use <code>inset: 0</code> as a modern shorthand for <code>top: 0; right: 0; bottom: 0; left: 0;</code>.
- Avoid using z-index like `99999`. Use a structured system like 10, 20, 30, 100(modal), 1000(tooltip).
- Use `position: sticky` for headers or sidebar navigation.