<gradient>

The <gradient> CSS data type is a special type of <image> that consists of a progressive transition between two or more colors.

A CSS gradient has no intrinsic dimensions; i.e., it has no natural or preferred size, nor a preferred ratio. Its concrete size will match the size of the element to which it applies.

Syntax

The <gradient> data type is defined with one of the function types listed below.

Linear gradient

Linear gradients transition colors progressively along an imaginary line. They are generated with the linear-gradient() function.

Radial gradient

Radial gradients transition colors progressively from a center point (origin). They are generated with the radial-gradient() function.

Repeating gradient

Repeating gradients duplicate a gradient as much as necessary to fill a given area. They are generated with the repeating-linear-gradient() and repeating-radial-gradient() functions.

Conic gradient

Conic gradients transition colors progressively around a circle. They are generated with the conic-gradient() function.

Interpolation

As with any interpolation involving colors, gradients are calculated in the alpha-premultiplied color space. This prevents unexpected shades of gray from appearing when both the color and the opacity are changing. (Be aware that older browsers may not use this behavior when using the transparent keyword.)

Examples

Linear gradient example

A simple linear gradient.

.linear-gradient {
  background: linear-gradient(to right,
      red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet);
}

Radial gradient example

A simple radial gradient.

.radial-gradient {
  background: radial-gradient(red, yellow, rgb(30, 144, 255));
}

Repeating gradient examples

Simple repeating linear and radial gradient examples.

.linear-repeat {
  background: repeating-linear-gradient(to top left,
      lightpink, lightpink 5px, white 5px, white 10px);
}

.radial-repeat {
  background: repeating-radial-gradient(powderblue, powderblue 8px, white 8px, white 16px);
}

Conic gradient example

A simple conic gradient example. Note that this isn't supported widely across browser as of yet.

.conic-gradient {
  background: conic-gradient(lightpink, white, powderblue);
}

Specifications

Specification
CSS Image Values and Replaced Content Module Level 4 (CSS Images 4)
# gradients

Browser compatibility

Desktop Mobile
Chrome Edge Firefox Internet Explorer Opera Safari WebView Android Chrome Android Firefox for Android Opera Android Safari on IOS Samsung Internet
gradient
26
10
12
3.6
Gradients are limited to background-image, border-image, and mask-image.
10
12.1
11-15
15
7
5.1
≤37
≤37
26
18
4
Gradients are limited to background-image, border-image, and mask-image.
12.1
11-14
14
7
6
1.5
1.0
conic-gradient
69
79
83
75
No
56
12.1
69
69
83
79
48
12.2
10.0
linear-gradient
26
10
12
16
Before Firefox 36, gradients weren't applied on the pre-multiplied color space, leading to shades of grey unexpectedly appearing when used with transparency.
3.6
["Since Firefox 42, the prefixed version of gradients can be disabled by setting layout.css.prefixes.gradients to false.", "Considers <angle> to start to the right, instead of the top. I.e. it considered an angle of 0deg as a direction indicator pointing to the right."]
49
10
Internet Explorer 5.5 through 9.0 supported gradients via a proprietary filter: -ms-filter: progid:DXImageTransform.Microsoft.Gradient().
12.1
11-15
Considers <angle> to start to the right, instead of the top. I.e. it considered an angle of 0deg as a direction indicator pointing to the right.
15
Considers <angle> to start to the right, instead of the top. I.e. it considered an angle of 0deg as a direction indicator pointing to the right.
6.1
5.1
["Safari 4 was supporting an experimental -webkit-gradient(linear,…) function. It is more limited than the later standard version: you cannot specify both a position and an angle like in linear-gradient(). This old outdated syntax is still supported for compatibility purposes.", "Considers <angle> to start to the right, instead of the top. I.e. it considered an angle of 0deg as a direction indicator pointing to the right."]
≤37
≤37
26
18
16
Before Firefox 36, gradients weren't applied on the pre-multiplied color space, leading to shades of grey unexpectedly appearing when used with transparency.
4
["Since Firefox 42, the prefixed version of gradients can be disabled by setting layout.css.prefixes.gradients to false.", "Considers <angle> to start to the right, instead of the top. I.e. it considered an angle of 0deg as a direction indicator pointing to the right."]
49
12.1
11-14
Considers <angle> to start to the right, instead of the top. I.e. it considered an angle of 0deg as a direction indicator pointing to the right.
14
Considers <angle> to start to the right, instead of the top. I.e. it considered an angle of 0deg as a direction indicator pointing to the right.
6.1
6
["Safari 4 was supporting an experimental -webkit-gradient(linear,…) function. It is more limited than the later standard version: you cannot specify both a position and an angle like in linear-gradient(). This old outdated syntax is still supported for compatibility purposes.", "Considers <angle> to start to the right, instead of the top. I.e. it considered an angle of 0deg as a direction indicator pointing to the right."]
1.5
1.0
radial-gradient
26
13
12
16
Before Firefox 36, gradients weren't applied on the pre-multiplied color space, leading to shades of grey unexpectedly appearing when used with transparency.
3.6
Since Firefox 42, the prefixed version of gradients can be disabled by setting layout.css.prefixes.gradients to false.
49
10
Internet Explorer 5.5 through 9.0 supported gradients via a proprietary filter: -ms-filter: progid:DXImageTransform.Microsoft.Gradient().
12.1
11.6-15
15
6.1
5.1
Safari 4 was supporting an experimental -webkit-gradient(radial,…) function. This old outdated syntax is still supported for compatibility purposes.
≤37
≤37
26
18
16
Before Firefox 36, gradients weren't applied on the pre-multiplied color space, leading to shades of grey unexpectedly appearing when used with transparency.
4
Since Firefox 42, the prefixed version of gradients can be disabled by setting layout.css.prefixes.gradients to false.
49
12.1
12-14
14
6.1
6
Safari 4 was supporting an experimental -webkit-gradient(radial,…) function. This old outdated syntax is still supported for compatibility purposes.
1.5
1.0
repeating-conic-gradient
69
79
83
75
No
56
12.1
69
69
83
79
48
12.2
10.0
repeating-linear-gradient
26
10
12
16
Before Firefox 36, gradients weren't applied on the pre-multiplied color space, leading to shades of grey unexpectedly appearing when used with transparency.
3.6
["Since Firefox 42, the prefixed version of gradients can be disabled by setting layout.css.prefixes.gradients to false.", "Considers <angle> to start to the right, instead of the top. I.e. it considered an angle of 0deg as a direction indicator pointing to the right."]
49
10
Internet Explorer 5.5 through 9.0 supported gradients via a proprietary filter: -ms-filter: progid:DXImageTransform.Microsoft.Gradient().
12.1
15
Considers <angle> to start to the right, instead of the top. I.e. it considered an angle of 0deg as a direction indicator pointing to the right.
11-15
Considers <angle> to start to the right, instead of the top. I.e. it considered an angle of 0deg as a direction indicator pointing to the right.
6.1
5.1
["Safari 4 was supporting an experimental -webkit-gradient(linear,…) function. It is more limited than the later standard version: you cannot specify both a position and an angle like in repeating-linear-gradient(). This old outdated syntax is still supported for compatibility purposes.", "Considers <angle> to start to the right, instead of the top. I.e. it considered an angle of 0deg as a direction indicator pointing to the right."]
≤37
≤37
26
18
16
Before Firefox 36, gradients weren't applied on the pre-multiplied color space, leading to shades of grey unexpectedly appearing when used with transparency.
4
["Since Firefox 42, the prefixed version of gradients can be disabled by setting layout.css.prefixes.gradients to false.", "Considers <angle> to start to the right, instead of the top. I.e. it considered an angle of 0deg as a direction indicator pointing to the right."]
49
12.1
14
Considers <angle> to start to the right, instead of the top. I.e. it considered an angle of 0deg as a direction indicator pointing to the right.
11-14
Considers <angle> to start to the right, instead of the top. I.e. it considered an angle of 0deg as a direction indicator pointing to the right.
6.1
6
["Safari 4 was supporting an experimental -webkit-gradient(linear,…) function. It is more limited than the later standard version: you cannot specify both a position and an angle like in repeating-linear-gradient(). This old outdated syntax is still supported for compatibility purposes.", "Considers <angle> to start to the right, instead of the top. I.e. it considered an angle of 0deg as a direction indicator pointing to the right."]
1.5
1.0
repeating-radial-gradient
26
10
12
16
Before Firefox 36, gradients weren't applied on the pre-multiplied color space, leading to shades of grey unexpectedly appearing when used with transparency.
3.6
Since Firefox 42, the prefixed version of gradients can be disabled by setting layout.css.prefixes.gradients to false.
49
10
12.1
15
12-15
7
5.1
Safari 4 was supporting an experimental -webkit-gradient(radial,…) function. This old outdated syntax is still supported for compatibility purposes.
4.4
≤37
26
18
16
Before Firefox 36, gradients weren't applied on the pre-multiplied color space, leading to shades of grey unexpectedly appearing when used with transparency.
10
Since Firefox 42, the prefixed version of gradients can be disabled by setting layout.css.prefixes.gradients to false.
49
12.1
14
12-14
7
6
Safari 4 was supporting an experimental -webkit-gradient(radial,…) function. This old outdated syntax is still supported for compatibility purposes.
1.5
1.0

See also

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Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License v2.5 or later.
https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/CSS/gradient