transform

SummaryEdit

The CSS transform property lets you modify the coordinate space of the CSS visual formatting model. Using it, elements can be translated, rotated, scaled, and skewed.

If the property has a value different than none, a stacking context will be created. In that case the object will act as a containing block for position: fixed elements that it contains.

SyntaxEdit

/* Keyword values */
transform: none;

/* Function values */
transform: matrix(1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0, 5.0, 6.0);
transform: translate(12px, 50%);
transform: translateX(2em);
transform: translateY(3in);
transform: scale(2, 0.5);
transform: scaleX(2);
transform: scaleY(0.5);
transform: rotate(0.5turn);
transform: skew(30deg, 20deg);
transform: skewX(30deg);
transform: skewY(1.07rad);
transform: matrix3d(1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0, 5.0, 6.0, 7.0, 8.0, 9.0, 10.0, 11.0, 12.0, 13.0, 14.0, 15.0, 16.0);
transform: translate3d(12px, 50%, 3em);
transform: translateZ(2px);
transform: scale3d(2.5, 1.2, 0.3);
transform: scaleZ(0.3);
transform: rotate3d(1, 2.0, 3.0, 10deg);
transform: rotateX(10deg);
transform: rotateY(10deg);
transform: rotateZ(10deg);
transform: perspective(17px);

/* Multiple function values */
transform: translateX(10px) rotate(10deg) translateY(5px);

/* Global values */
transform: inherit;
transform: initial;
transform: unset;

Values

<transform-function>

One or more of the CSS transform functions to be applied, see below.

none

Specifies that no transform should be applied.

Formal syntax

none | <transform-list>
where 
<transform-list> = <transform-function>+
where 
<transform-function> = [ <matrix()> || <translate()> || <translateX()> || <translateY()> || <scale()> || <scaleX()> || <scaleY()> || <rotate()> || <skew()> || <skewX()> || <skewY()> || <matrix3d()> || <translate3d()> || <translateZ()> || <scale3d()> || <scaleZ()> || <rotate3d()> || <rotateX()> || <rotateY()> || <rotateZ()> || <perspective()> ]+
where 
<matrix()> = matrix( <number> [, <number> ]{5,5} )
<translate()> = translate( <length> | <percentage> [, <length> | <percentage> ]? )
<translateX()> = translateX( <length> | <percentage> )
<translateY()> = translateY( <length> | <percentage> )
<scale()> = scale( <number> [, <number> ]? )
<scaleX()> = scaleX( <number> )
<scaleY()> = scaleY( <number> )
<rotate()> = rotate( <angle> )
<skew()> = skew( <angle> [, <angle> ]? )
<skewX()> = skewX( <angle> )
<skewY()> = skewY( <angle> )
<matrix3d()> = matrix3d( <number> [, <number> ]{15,15} )
<translate3d()> = translate3d( <length> | <percentage> , <length> | <percentage> , <length> )
<translateZ()> = translateZ( <length> )
<scale3d()> = scale3d( <number> , <number>, <number> )
<scaleZ()> = scaleZ( <number> )
<rotate3d()> = rotate3d( <number> , <number> , <number> , <angle> )
<rotateX()> = rotateX( <angle> )
<rotateY()> = rotateY( <angle> )
<rotateZ()> = rotateZ( <angle> )
<perspective()> = perspective( <length> )

ExamplesEdit

See Using CSS transforms.

Live exampleEdit

HTML Content

<p>Transformed element</p>

CSS Content

p {
  border: solid red;

  -webkit-transform: translate(100px) rotate(20deg);
  -webkit-transform-origin: 0 -250px;

  transform: translate(100px) rotate(20deg);
  transform-origin: 0 -250px;
}

SpecificationsEdit

Browser compatibilityEdit

[1] Gecko 14.0 removed the experimental support for skew(), but it was reintroduced in Gecko 15.0 for compatibility reasons. As it is non-standard and will likely be removed in the future, do not use it.

[2] Before Firefox 16, the translation values of matrix() and matrix3d() could be <length>, in addition to the standard <number>.

[3] Internet Explorer 5.5 or later supports a proprietary Matrix Filter which can be used to achieve a similar effect.

Internet Explorer 9.0 or earlier has no support for 3D transforms. Mixing 3D and 2D transform functions, such as -ms-transform:rotate(10deg) translateZ(0);, will prevent the entire property from being applied.

[4] Android 2.3 has a bug where input forms will "jump" when typing, if any container element has a -webkit-transform.

[5] Internet Explorer 11.0 supports the -webkit prefixed variant as an alias for the default one.

See alsoEdit

• Using CSS Transforms
• <translation-function> data type
• More info on CSS3 Rotation / Matrix Filter issues in the comments on Paul Irish's blog.
• A cross-browser 2D transform plugin for jQuery