CSS Function - translate()

The translate() function in CSS is used to translate, or move, an element horizontally and/or vertically along the X-axis and/or Y-axis, respectively. It's one of the transformation functions in CSS that allows you to modify the position and appearance of elements on a web page. The result is a <transform-function> datatype.

The translate() function results in the transformation, based on the two-dimensional vector [tx, ty]. The coordinates value determine the direction in which the element will move.

Possible values

The function translate() can take any of the following values as parameter(s).

  • Single <length-percentage> value: Can be a <length> or <percentage> value that represents the abscissa (horizontal, x-component) of the translating vector [tx,0]; whereas the ordinate (vertical, y-component) of the translating vector will have the value of 0. A <percentage> value (when assigned) is the width of the reference box defined by the transform-box property.

  • Double <length-percentage> values: Specifies two <length> or <percentage> values that represent both the abscissa (horizontal, x-component) of the translating vector and the ordinate (vertical, y-component) of the translating vector [tx, ty]. A <percentage> (when assigned) as first value is the width and as second part, to the height of the reference box defined by the transform-box property.

Syntax

transform: translate(<length-percentage>, <length-percentage>?);

CSS translate() - Length Value

Following is an example of translate() function with all the various ways in which length values can be passed to it, i.e., single value, double value, 0:

<html>
<head>
<style>
   div {
      height: 110px;
      width: 110px;
      border: 2px solid black;
      background-color: aquamarine;
      margin: 25px;
   }

   .translate-0 {
      transform: translate(0);
      background-color: tomato;
   }

   .translate-single {
      transform: translate(20px);
      background-color: yellowgreen;
   }

   .translate-double {
      transform: translate(20px, 50px);
      background-color: lightcyan;
   }

   .translate-negative {
      transform: translate(-2.1rem, -2rem);
      background-color: pink;
   }
</style>
</head>
<body>
   <div>no translate() applied</div>
   <div class="translate-0">translate(0)</div>
   <div class="translate-single">translate(20px)</div>
   <div class="translate-double">translate(20px, 50px)</div>
   <div class="translate-negative">translate(-2.1rem, -2rem)</div>
</body>
</html>

CSS translate() - Percentage Value

Following is an example of translate() function with all the various ways in which percentage values can be passed to it, i.e., single value, or double values:

<html>
<head>
<style>
   div {
      height: 110px;
      width: 110px;
      border: 2px solid black;
      background-color: aquamarine;
      margin: 25px;
   }

   .translate-single {
      transform: translate(20%);
      background-color: yellowgreen;
   }

   .translate-double {
      transform: translate(20%, 50%);
      background-color: tomato;
   }
</style>
</head>
<body>
   <div>no translate() applied</div>
   <div class="translate-single">translate(20%)</div>
   <div class="translate-double">translate(20%, 50%)</div>
</body>
</html>
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