How to create a vertical line with CSS?

To create a vertical line with CSS, is a simple process that can be achieved using various approaches. A vertical line can be useful for dividing content, creating visual separators, or enhancing the layout design of your webpage.

Syntax

/* Method 1: Using border */
.vertical-line {
    border-left: width style color;
    height: value;
}

/* Method 2: Using transform rotate */
.horizontal-element {
    transform: rotate(90deg);
}

/* Method 3: Using width and height */
.line-element {
    width: thin-width;
    height: desired-length;
    background-color: color;
}

Method 1: Using border-left Property

The most common approach is to use the border-left property, which creates a left border that appears as a vertical line when applied to an element with specified height.

Example

Here is a complete example creating a vertical line using the border-left property −

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<style>
    .container {
        display: flex;
        justify-content: center;
        align-items: center;
        height: 100vh;
    }
    .vertical-line {
        border-left: 4px solid #800080;
        height: 300px;
    }
</style>
</head>
<body>
    <h3>Vertical Line using border-left</h3>
    <div class="container">
        <div class="vertical-line"></div>
    </div>
</body>
</html>
A purple vertical line (4px wide, 300px tall) appears centered on the page.

Method 2: Using transform rotate Function

This approach uses the transform property with rotate function to rotate a horizontal element by 90 degrees, creating a vertical line.

Example

Here is an example using the rotate() function with an hr element −

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<style>
    .container {
        display: flex;
        justify-content: center;
        align-items: center;
        height: 100vh;
    }
    .rotated-line {
        width: 300px;
        border: 2px solid #ff6600;
        transform: rotate(90deg);
    }
</style>
</head>
<body>
    <h3>Vertical Line using rotate function</h3>
    <div class="container">
        <hr class="rotated-line">
    </div>
</body>
</html>
An orange vertical line appears centered on the page, created by rotating a horizontal rule 90 degrees.

Method 3: Using Block Element with Width and Height

This method creates a vertical line by setting a very small width and desired height on a block element, then applying a background color.

Example

Here is an example creating a vertical line using width and height properties −

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<style>
    .line-block {
        width: 3px;
        height: 250px;
        background-color: #008000;
        margin: 50px auto;
    }
</style>
</head>
<body>
    <h3>Vertical Line using block element</h3>
    <div class="line-block"></div>
</body>
</html>
A green vertical line (3px wide, 250px tall) appears centered horizontally on the page with a 50px top margin.

Comparison

Method Best Use Case Advantages
border-left Simple separators Clean code, easy styling
transform rotate When you have horizontal elements Reuses existing elements
width + height Custom styled lines Full control over appearance

Conclusion

Creating vertical lines with CSS can be accomplished through multiple methods, each suitable for different scenarios. The border-left approach is most commonly used for its simplicity and clean implementation.

Updated on: 2026-03-15T15:11:21+05:30

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