Web/CSS/border-left

The border-left shorthand CSS property sets all the properties of an element's left border.

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As with all shorthand properties, border-left always sets the values of all of the properties that it can set, even if they are not specified. It sets those that are not specified to their default values. This means that ...

border-left-style: dotted;
border-left: thick green;

... is actually the same as ...

border-left-style: dotted;
border-left: none thick green;

... and the value of border-left-style given before border-left is ignored. Since the default value of border-left-style is none, not specifying the border-style part results in no border.

Constituent properties

This property is a shorthand for the following CSS properties:

Syntax

border-left: 1px;
border-left: 2px dotted;
border-left: medium dashed blue;

The three values of the shorthand property can be specified in any order, and one or two of them may be omitted.

Values

<br-width>: See border-left-width.
<br-style>: See border-left-style.
<color>: See border-left-color.

Formal definition

Initial value	as each of the properties of the shorthand: `border-left-width`: `medium` `border-left-style`: `none` `border-left-color`: `currentcolor`
Applies to	all elements. It also applies to `::first-letter`.
Inherited	no
Computed value	as each of the properties of the shorthand: `border-left-width`: the absolute length or `0` if `border-left-style` is `none` or `hidden` `border-left-style`: as specified `border-left-color`: computed color
Animation type	as each of the properties of the shorthand: `border-left-color`: a color `border-left-style`: discrete `border-left-width`: a length

Formal syntax

<line-width> || <line-style> || <color>where <line-width> = <length> | thin | medium | thick<line-style> = none | hidden | dotted | dashed | solid | double | groove | ridge | inset | outset<color> = <rgb()> | <rgba()> | <hsl()> | <hsla()> | <hex-color> | <named-color> | currentcolor | <deprecated-system-color>where <rgb()> = rgb( <percentage>{3} [ / <alpha-value> ]? ) | rgb( <number>{3} [ / <alpha-value> ]? ) | rgb( <percentage>#{3} , <alpha-value>? ) | rgb( <number>#{3} , <alpha-value>? )<rgba()> = rgba( <percentage>{3} [ / <alpha-value> ]? ) | rgba( <number>{3} [ / <alpha-value> ]? ) | rgba( <percentage>#{3} , <alpha-value>? ) | rgba( <number>#{3} , <alpha-value>? )<hsl()> = hsl( <hue> <percentage> <percentage> [ / <alpha-value> ]? ) | hsl( <hue>, <percentage>, <percentage>, <alpha-value>? )<hsla()> = hsla( <hue> <percentage> <percentage> [ / <alpha-value> ]? ) | hsla( <hue>, <percentage>, <percentage>, <alpha-value>? )where <alpha-value> = <number> | <percentage><hue> = <number> | <angle>

Examples

Applying a left border

HTML

<div>
  This box has a border on the left side.
</div>

CSS

div {
  border-left: 4px dashed blue;
  background-color: gold;
  height: 100px;
  width: 100px;
  font-weight: bold;
  text-align: center;
}

Results

Specifications

Specification	Status	Comment
CSS Backgrounds and Borders Module Level 3The definition of 'border-left' in that specification.	Candidate Recommendation	No direct changes, though the modification of values for the `border-left-color` do apply to it.
CSS Level 2 (Revision 1)The definition of 'border-left' in that specification.	Recommendation	No significant changes.
CSS Level 1The definition of 'border-left' in that specification.	Recommendation	Initial definition

Browser compatibility

Update compatibility data on GitHub

	Desktop						Mobile
	Chrome	Edge	Firefox	Internet Explorer	Opera	Safari	Android webview	Chrome for Android	Firefox for Android	Opera for Android	Safari on iOS	Samsung Internet
`border-left`	Chrome Full support 1	Edge Full support 12	Firefox Full support 1	IE Full support 4	Opera Full support 3.5	Safari Full support 1	WebView Android Full support 1	Chrome Android Full support 18	Firefox Android Full support 4	Opera Android Full support 14	Safari iOS Full support 1	Samsung Internet Android Full support 1.0

Legend

Full support: Full support