Understanding HTML background coding is crucial for creating visually appealing websites. HTML provides several attributes to set a background image or color.
You can use the `background-image` attribute in HTML to set a background image, but you'll also need to use CSS to specify the image's size and positioning.
The `background-size` property in CSS allows you to control the size of the background image, with options like `cover` and `contain`.
Expand your knowledge: How to Use Notepadd for Html Coding
Creating a Gradient Background
Creating a Gradient Background is a great way to add some visual interest to your HTML pages. You can create smooth transitions between two or more specified colors using gradient backgrounds.
There are two types of gradient backgrounds: linear-gradient and radial-gradient. Linear-gradient backgrounds let you set a starting point for the colors, which will automatically default to "top to bottom" if not specified.
You can use a linear-gradient background to create a smooth transition from blue to green, starting from the left.
For another approach, see: Html Coding Background Image
Gradients
Gradients are a great way to add some visual interest to your background. You can create smooth transitions between two or more specified colors.
There are two types of gradient backgrounds: linear-gradient and radial-gradient. I've found that linear-gradient backgrounds are particularly useful for creating a sense of movement or direction.
Linear-gradient backgrounds let you set a starting point for the colors. If you don't mention a starting point, it will automatically set "top to bottom" by default. This can be a nice default, but you can also specify a custom starting point to create a more unique effect.
You can also use a radial gradient background, where the starting point is defined by its center. This can create a nice, circular gradient effect.
If you want to create a linear gradient that starts from the left, for example, you can specify the starting point and colors to achieve a smooth transition from blue to green. The possibilities are endless, and you can experiment with different colors and starting points to find the perfect look for your design.
For another approach, see: Html Coding for Background Color
Basic Background Examples
Adding a background image to your HTML document is a great way to enhance its visual appeal. You can add a background image via inline CSS, and define its height using viewport height units, such as 100vh.
To make the image scale properly and enable responsiveness, add the .bg-image class. For example, if you want to use an image from your computer, the path should look like this: url("/images/my_background.png").
You can also use the background-size property to resize background images in three ways: using the keywords cover or contain, by specifying a width value alone, or by specifying width and height values together. This will help you position your background image relative to the container, which could be the page (if used in the body tag), or any other container.
Cards
Creating cards with a background image is a breeze in Bootstrap 5. You can use the same technique as with the jumbotron to achieve this.
In fact, it's not even necessary to create a separate card component with a background image. By using available classes, you can easily style your existing cards to have an image in the background.
Repeat and Position
You can set an image as the background using just HTML, but to control its behavior, like repeating and positioning, you need to use CSS. CSS offers options for controlling how background images repeat and their positioning.
The background-repeat property specifies whether the image should repeat horizontally, vertically, both, or neither. You can use the no-repeat value to stop the image from repeating itself from all directions.
To stop a background image from repeating, use the no-repeat value. This will show the image only once. Alternatively, you can use the repeat-x or repeat-y values to repeat the image only horizontally or vertically.
The background-position property empowers developers to determine where the background image should be positioned within the element. You can use units, like pixels, or keywords like right, left, top, down, or center to place the image at the desired position.
Here's a summary of the background-repeat values:
- no-repeat: shows the image only once
- repeat-x: repeats the image only horizontally
- repeat-y: repeats the image only vertically
Background Size and Attachment
The background-size property is a powerful tool in HTML background coding. It allows us to control the size of the background image.
Discover more: How Do You Make Text Bigger in Html
We can specify the horizontal and vertical size of the image using pixels, or use specific values like background-size: cover; or background-size: contain;. The cover value resizes the image to cover the entire background space, while the contain value ensures the whole image is shown without cropping.
The background-size: cover; rule can result in the image being stretched and cropped at its edges, especially if the image has a larger ratio to the tag it's in. On the other hand, background-size: contain; will make sure the image is shrunk to fit the tag without leaving empty space.
Here are the two main values for the background-size property:
- background-size: cover;
- background-size: contain;
How to Resize
Resizing a background image can be a bit tricky, but don't worry, I've got you covered.
To control the size of a background image, you can use the background-size property, which takes two values: one for the horizontal (x) size and one for the vertical (y) size.
You can use pixels to specify the size, but if you don't know the exact width of the container, there are some specific values you can use.
If you want the image to cover the whole background space, regardless of the width of the container, you can use background-size: cover. This will resize the image so it fits, but if the image is too big, it will get stretched and cropped at the edges.
If you want to contain the image, so it doesn't get cropped, you can use background-size: contain. This will make sure the whole image is shown in the background, but if the image is much smaller than the container, there will be empty space left.
Here are the specific values you can use for background-size:
- background-size: cover; resizes the background image to cover the whole background space, potentially cropping the image if it's too big.
- background-size: contain; contains the image, showing the whole image without cropping, but potentially leaving empty space if the image is too small.
Remember, if you use background-size: cover, the image will be cropped if it's too big, but if you use background-size: contain, the image will be shrunk to fit the container.
Using the Attachment Property
The background-attachment property is a game-changer for web design. It allows us to control where the background image is attached, meaning if it's fixed or not to the browser.
The default value of background-attachment is scroll, which means the background image stays with its tag and follows the natural flow of the page. This is the default behavior you'll see on most websites.
With background-attachment set to fixed, the background image stays in the same position, fixed to the page and fixed on the browser's viewport. This creates a parallax effect, which can add a lot of visual interest to your design.
I've seen this effect used to great effect on websites that want to create a sense of depth or movement. It's a simple but powerful technique that can elevate your design.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you write the HTML code to set the background color?
To set the background color, add the attribute "style=“background-color: yourcolorhere;”" to the opening tag of the element you want to target. This simple inline CSS code change can instantly refresh your webpage's look.
What are the two types of HTML backgrounds?
HTML backgrounds come in two forms: solid colors and images, which can be used to add visual interest and depth to your web pages
Sources
- How to Set Background Color with HTML and CSS (w3docs.com)
- Bootstrap 5 Background Image - free examples & tutorial (mdbootstrap.com)
- HTML - Backgrounds (tutorialspoint.com)
- CSS Background Image – With HTML Example Code (freecodecamp.org)
- https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/CSS/background-position (mozilla.org)
- https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/CSS/background-size (mozilla.org)
- https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/CSS/background-attachment (mozilla.org)
- https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/CSS/background-repeat (mozilla.org)
Featured Images: pexels.com