Introduction
In web design, shadows can significantly enhance the visual appeal of your elements. Two popular CSS properties, text-shadow
and box-shadow
, allow you to create shadow effects, but they serve different purposes. In this blog, we’ll explore the differences between box-shadow
and text-shadow
, their syntax, and how to use them effectively in your projects.
In CSS, both text-shadow
and box-shadow
add shadow effects but are applied to different elements. Here’s the difference between the two:
1. Text Shadow (text-shadow
)
- Applies to: Text only
- Effect: Adds a shadow around the text.
- Syntax
text-shadow: h-offset v-offset blur-radius color;
h-offset
: Horizontal offset of the shadow (positive value moves it right, negative moves it left).v-offset
: Vertical offset of the shadow (positive value moves it down, negative moves it up).blur-radius
(optional): Controls how blurred the shadow is.color
: The color of the shadow.
2. Box Shadow (box-shadow
)
- Applies to: Entire elements (boxes)
- Effect: Adds a shadow around the border of an element (such as div, buttons, etc.).
- Syntax:
box-shadow: h-offset v-offset blur-radius spread-radius color;
h-offset
: Horizontal offset of the shadow (positive moves it right, negative moves it left).v-offset
: Vertical offset of the shadow (positive moves it down, negative moves it up).blur-radius
(optional): Controls how blurred the shadow is.spread-radius
(optional): Controls the size of the shadow. Positive values expand the shadow, while negative values shrink it.color
: The color of the shadow.
Key Differences:
- Element Type:
text-shadow
affects only text, whilebox-shadow
affects any HTML element (div, section, button, etc.). - Spread Effect:
box-shadow
allows aspread-radius
to control the shadow size, buttext-shadow
does not. - Usage:
text-shadow
creates effects like glowing or 3D-like text, whereasbox-shadow
gives elements depth or raised appearance.
Each shadow type is used for different aesthetic purposes depending on what you’re trying to highlight—text content or entire elements.
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
<title>Document</title>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="./style.css">
</head>
<body>
<div class="container">
<h1 class="boxShadow">Follow Me</h1>
<h1 class="textShadow">Follow Me</h1>
</div>
</body>
</html>
.container{
font-family:Poppins,sans-serif;
color: blueviolet;
display: flex;
justify-content: space-between;
}
.boxShadow{
box-shadow: 4px 4px 3px red;
}
.textShadow{
text-shadow: 4px 4px 2px blue;
}
Key Differences Between Box Shadow and Text Shadow
Feature | text-shadow | box-shadow |
---|---|---|
Element Type | Affects only text | Affects any HTML element |
Spread Effect | Does not support spread-radius | Supports spread-radius |
Usage | Creates glowing or 3D-like text | Gives elements depth or a raised appearance |
Usage Scenarios
- Text Shadow: Ideal for creating text effects such as glowing text or subtle highlights. Use it when you want to emphasize the text itself.
- Box Shadow: Best for adding depth to buttons, cards, or other container elements. Use it to create a layered effect in your design.