Exploring Alternatives to CSS Text-Emphasis-Position

What it Does

The text-emphasis-position property controls where emphasis marks are placed around text. Emphasis marks can be things like underlines, overlines, or dots. This property allows you to specify if you want the emphasis to appear above the text (overscore), below the text (underline), or on both sides.

Where it Fits In

text-emphasis-position falls under the category of "Miscellaneous" in CSS. This category includes properties that don't neatly fit into other classifications and handle various aspects of text formatting and presentation.

How it Works

• If you don't specify left or right, it defaults to placing the emphasis mark on the right side.
• You set the text-emphasis-position property with a value like over, under, or a combination of both (over left or under right).

• This property is not widely supported by all browsers yet, so consider using it with caution in production environments.
• The shorthand property text-emphasis doesn't affect text-emphasis-position. You need to use this property specifically if you want to control the mark placement.
• text-emphasis-position is a separate property from text-emphasis, which defines the style and color of the emphasis mark.

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Example 1: Triangle Emphasis Marks

This code creates two paragraphs. The first has triangle emphasis marks placed over the text, and the second has circle emphasis marks placed under the text.

<p>This text has triangle emphasis marks on top.</p>
<p>This text has circle emphasis marks below.</p>

p {
  text-emphasis-style: triangle; /* Define the emphasis mark style */
}

p:first-child {
  text-emphasis-position: over right;  /* Triangle emphasis mark above and to the right */
}

p:last-child {
  text-emphasis-position: under right;  /* Circle emphasis mark below and to the right */
}

Example 2: Dots with Different Positioning

This example shows dots as emphasis marks with different placements.

<p>This text has dots over it.</p>
<p>This text has dots underlined.</p>
<p dir="rtl">This text (right-to-left) has dots to the left.</p>

```css
p {
  text-emphasis-style: dot; /* Define the emphasis mark style as dots */
}

p:first-child {
  text-emphasis-position: over left;  /* Dots above and to the left */
}

p:nth-child(2) {
  text-emphasis-position: under right;  /* Dots below and to the right */
}

p:last-child {
  text-emphasis-position: under left;  /* Dots below and to the left (for right-to-left text) */
}

---

1. Using text-decoration
   

This is the most common and widely supported way to add emphasis. You can use properties like:

• text-decoration: line-through: This draws a line through the middle of the text (strikethrough).
• text-decoration: overline: This adds a line above the text.
• text-decoration: underline: This adds a solid line under the text (classic underline).

While not as versatile as text-emphasis-position, it offers good browser compatibility and achieves basic emphasis styles.

1. Using Pseudo-elements with Borders
   

You can create emphasis effects using pseudo-elements like ::before and ::after along with borders. This requires more code but allows for more customization:

p {
  position: relative; /* Needed for pseudo-element positioning */
}

p::after {
  content: "";
  position: absolute;
  top: -1px; /* Adjust for placement */
  left: 0;
  width: 100%;
  height: 2px; /* Adjust for thickness */
  background-color: red; /* Adjust color as needed */
}

This code creates a red line below the text using ::after. You can modify the positioning properties like top and left to achieve different placements (e.g., above the text).

1. Using Background Gradients
   

For a subtle emphasis effect, you can use a background gradient that creates a slight underline or overline:

p {
  background: linear-gradient(to bottom, rgba(0,0,0,0.2) 0%, rgba(0,0,0,0) 50%, rgba(0,0,0,0.2) 100%);
  /* Adjust colors and positioning for desired effect */
}

This creates a subtle underline effect using a transparent to black gradient. You can experiment with different gradient directions and colors to achieve your desired emphasis style.

Choosing the Right Alternative

The best alternative depends on your specific needs:

• For a subtle highlighting effect, background gradients can be a good choice.
• If you need more customization or want emphasis marks beyond lines, using pseudo-elements with borders offers flexibility.
• For basic underlining or overlining, text-decoration is the simplest and most compatible option.