Tailwind CSS Z-index

Introduction

In Tailwind CSS, the z-index utility class is used to control the stacking order of elements on a webpage. It allows you to specify the stacking level of an element relative to other elements in the document.

Usage

The z-index utility class in Tailwind CSS follows a numerical scale, starting from 0 and going up to 50 by default. The higher the value, the closer it is to the top of the stacking order.

To use the z-index utility class, add the z-{index} class to the desired HTML element, where {index} represents a value from 0 to 50.

<div class="z-10">
  This element has a z-index of 10.
</div>

Customization

Tailwind CSS allows you to customize the default z-index scale or add new values. You can modify the theme configuration in your tailwind.config.js file.

module.exports = {
  theme: {
    zIndex: {
      '0': 0,
      '10': 10,
      '20': 20,
      '30': 30,
      '40': 40,
      '50': 50,
      'auto': 'auto',
    },
  },
  variants: {},
  plugins: [],
};

In the above example, we have customized the z-index scale to include only the values from 0 to 50 and added an 'auto' value for auto-generated z-index.

Positioning Context

The z-index utility class relies on the elements' positioning context to determine the stacking order. By default, elements are positioned in the order they appear in the HTML document flow, and stacking is applied accordingly.

However, if you need to create a new stacking context for a group of elements, you can use the relative, absolute, or fixed position utilities along with the z-index utility. This will establish a new positioning context and allow you to control the stacking order within that specific context.

<div class="relative">
  <div class="z-10">
    This element has a z-index of 10 within its parent.
  </div>
</div>

Conclusion

The z-index utility class in Tailwind CSS provides a convenient way to control the stacking order of elements on a webpage. By specifying the desired z-index value, you can control which elements appear on top of others. Customize the z-index scale to fit your specific needs and create new positioning contexts when necessary.