How to Create a Text Stroke (Outline) Effect with HTML and CSS

Introduction

A text stroke (outline) effect in CSS adds a border around each letter, making the text stand out. This can be achieved using the -webkit-text-stroke property. The stroke effect outlines the text without affecting its fill color, making it a popular design technique for creating bold, impactful text.

In this tutorial, you'll learn how to create a text stroke effect using HTML and CSS.

Problem Statement

Create a CSS code that:

  • Adds a stroke (outline) effect to text using the -webkit-text-stroke property.
  • Demonstrates how to control the stroke's width and color.

Example:

  • Input: A heading element with the text "Text Stroke Effect".
  • Output: The text appears with an outline or stroke around each character.

Solution Steps

  1. Use -webkit-text-stroke Property: Apply the -webkit-text-stroke property to add an outline around the text.
  2. Control Stroke Width and Color: Set the width and color of the stroke to customize the appearance.

HTML Structure

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
    <meta charset="UTF-8">
    <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
    <title>Text Stroke Effect</title>
    <style>
        /* Step 1: Create text stroke effect */
        .stroked-text {
            font-size: 4rem;
            font-weight: bold;
            color: white; /* Text fill color */
            -webkit-text-stroke: 2px black; /* Stroke width and color */
            text-align: center;
            font-family: Arial, sans-serif;
        }

        /* Center the text container */
        .container {
            text-align: center;
            margin-top: 100px;
            background-color: #333; /* Background for contrast */
            padding: 50px;
        }
    </style>
</head>
<body>

    <div class="container">
        <h1 class="stroked-text">Text Stroke Effect</h1>
    </div>

</body>
</html>

Explanation

Step 1: Use -webkit-text-stroke for the Stroke Effect

  • To create a text stroke effect, use the following CSS:

    .stroked-text {
        font-size: 4rem;
        font-weight: bold;
        color: white; /* Text fill color */
        -webkit-text-stroke: 2px black; /* Stroke width and color */
    }
    
  • The -webkit-text-stroke property defines both the stroke width and the stroke color. In this case, the stroke is 2px wide and black, while the text itself is filled with white.

Step 2: Customize the Stroke Width and Color

  • You can change the stroke's width and color by adjusting the value of the -webkit-text-stroke property. For example, to create a thicker stroke, you can increase the pixel value:
    -webkit-text-stroke: 4px red; /* Example with a 4px red stroke */
    

Step 3: Set Background Color for Contrast

  • The dark background (#333) helps the white text and black stroke stand out, making the stroke effect more visually striking.

Output

How to Create a Text Stroke (Outline) Effect with HTML and CSS

Conclusion

Creating a text stroke (outline) effect in CSS is straightforward using the -webkit-text-stroke property. You can easily customize the stroke's width and color to achieve bold and visually appealing text effects, making your text stand out on the page.

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