CSS contain Property
Indicates that an element and its contents are independent from the rest of the document tree
Syntax
contain: none | strict | content | size | layout | style | paint;Values
| Value | Description |
|---|---|
| none | No containment (default) |
| strict | Equivalent to size layout paint style |
| content | Equivalent to layout paint style |
| layout | Contains layout effects |
| paint | Contains paint effects |
| size | Contains size effects |
Example
.widget {
contain: content;
}
.card {
contain: layout paint;
}Understanding CSS contain
The CSS contain property indicates that an element and its contents are independent from the rest of the document tree. As part of the Misc module in CSS, it is one of the most commonly used properties for controlling the visual presentation of web pages.
You can set contain to values such as none, strict, content, layout, among others. Each value changes how the browser renders the affected element, giving you fine-grained control over your page layout and design. Choosing the right value depends on the specific design requirements of your project.
Common use cases for the contain property include responsive web design, component-based layouts, and creating visually consistent interfaces across devices. It works closely with related properties like content-visibility, will-change, overflow to achieve complex styling effects. Understanding how these properties interact helps you write cleaner, more maintainable stylesheets.
Browser support for contain is excellent across all modern browsers including Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge. For older browsers, consider using fallback values or progressive enhancement strategies. The property can also be set dynamically via JavaScript using element.style.contain or the CSS custom properties (variables) approach for theming.
Related Properties
content-visibilityControls whether an element renders its contents enabling the browser to skip rendering work
will-changeHints to the browser about which properties are expected to change for optimization
overflowControls what happens to content that overflows an element's box
container-typeDesignates an element as a container for container queries and defines the query type
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