CSS: Backgrounds with CSS3

One of the most searched effects for web sites today is the background image covering all the visible area. I've already explained a method to achieve that in the past (Making background image fit any screen resolution). With CSS3 there are a set of new property that can handle it quite easily. Let's see them.

The background-size property

The background-size property defines the size of a background image (ah!). You can set the image size in pixels or percentages. With percentage, the size will be relative to the container.

div
{
background:url(example.gif);
-moz-background-size:100% 100%; /* Firefox */
background-size:100% 100%;
background-repeat:no-repeat;
}

In the above example, our gif will fill completely the container (any div in the page); the image will be stretched and eventually distorted.

Compatibility

The background-size property is completely compatible with Chrome, Opera and Safari. Firefox uses the -moz-background-size property, while Internet Explorer (as usual) is not recognizing the property.

The background-origin property

This is interesting! The background-origin property defines the positioning area of the image. It has three possible parameters: content-box, padding-box, or border-box.

Compatibility

The background-origin property works only in Opera, Chrome and Safari.

Multiple images

CSS3 allows the use of multiple images:

body
{
background-image:url(example1.gif),url(example2.gif);
}

The two images (example1.gif and example2.gif) will be put one on top of the other.

Compatibility

Multiple images work with Firefox, Opera, Chrome and Safari. Again... no Internet Explorer.