CSS Padding Properties

To change the default padding that appears inside various HTML elements ( paragraphs, tables, etc ),CSS Padding is used. But first, let us make sure the definition of padding we understand . The space between an element's border and the content within it is called as a padding .
The distance between the border of an (X)HTML element and the content within it is called as padding

padding Parameters

padding-top

Most of the rules for paddings also apply to padding, except there is no "auto" value, and negative values cannot be declared for padding.

Padding Syntax

padding-top: length percentage;
padding-left: length percentage;
padding-right: length percentage;
padding-bottom: length percentage;

You have 2 choices of values for the padding property, you can also see in the above example

length
percentage

All the padding of an element in a single property can be declared as follows:

CSS Code

padding: 10px 10px 10px 10px;

If you declare all 4 values as I have above, the order is as follows:

top
right
bottom
left

It sets the padding on all sides,if only one value is declared. (see below)

padding: 10px;

The undeclared values are taken from the opposing side,if you only declare two or three values. (see below)

CSS Code

padding: 20px 10px; /* 2 values */
padding: 20px 10px 10px; /* 3 values */

The padding is 0 (zero),if you do not declare the padding value of an element,.

Note: If the value is 0 (zero),you do not have to add px (pixels) or whatever units you use.

The main container for this site has 30px (pixels) of padding between the border and the text is in the following example:

#container{
width: 70%;
padding: auto;
padding: 30px;
border: 1px solid #666;
background: #ffffff;
}

The left padding of a text can be set using following code .

CSS Code

<html>
<head>
<style type="text/css">
td {padding-left: 2cm}
</style>
</head>

<body>
<table border="1">
<tr>
<td>
This is a tablecell with a left padding. This is a tablecell with a left padding.
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</body>

</html>

The follwing table describe the border Properties:

Property	Description	values
padding	A shorthand property for setting the padding properties in one declaration	padding-top padding-right padding-bottom padding-left
padding-bottom	Sets the bottom padding of an element	auto length
padding-left	Sets the left padding of an element	auto length
padding-right	Sets the right padding of an element	auto length
padding-top	Sets the top padding of an element	auto length