CSS paint-order Property
Sets the order in which the fill, stroke, and markers of an SVG or text element are painted
Syntax
paint-order: normal | fill | stroke | markers;Values
| Value | Description |
|---|---|
| normal | Fill, stroke, markers order (default) |
| stroke fill | Stroke drawn before fill |
| fill markers stroke | Custom paint order |
Example
.outlined-text {
-webkit-text-stroke: 2px black;
paint-order: stroke fill;
color: white;
}Understanding CSS paint-order
The CSS paint-order property sets the order in which the fill, stroke, and markers of an SVG or text element are painted. 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 paint-order to values such as normal, stroke fill, fill markers stroke, 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 paint-order property include responsive web design, component-based layouts, and creating visually consistent interfaces across devices. It works closely with related properties like color, -webkit-text-stroke, text-shadow to achieve complex styling effects. Understanding how these properties interact helps you write cleaner, more maintainable stylesheets.
Browser support for paint-order 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.paintOrder or the CSS custom properties (variables) approach for theming.
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