A CSS gradient is a smooth transition between two or more colors, rendered by the browser as an image. Gradients can be used anywhere an image is accepted in CSS — backgrounds, borders, masks, and more. They are defined using the linear-gradient(), radial-gradient(), or conic-gradient() functions, each offering unique visual effects without requiring any image files.

Linear gradients transition colors along a straight line defined by an angle or direction (e.g., 90deg or to right).
Radial gradients emanate from a central point outward in a circular or elliptical shape.
Conic gradients rotate colors around a center point, creating pie-chart-like or sweeping effects. Each type supports multiple color stops for complex designs.

Multi-stop gradients include more than two color stops, each with an optional position (in % or px). For example: linear-gradient(90deg, red 0%, yellow 30%, green 70%, blue 100%). The position defines where each color is fully expressed. Colors between stops blend smoothly. You can add unlimited stops for intricate stripe, rainbow, or sunset effects.

Use rgba() or hsla() color values with an alpha channel. For instance: linear-gradient(90deg, rgba(255,0,0,0.8) 0%, rgba(0,0,255,0.3) 100%). In our builder, each stop has an opacity slider (0–100%) that automatically converts hex colors to rgba format when opacity is less than 100%.

Repeating gradients (repeating-linear-gradient, repeating-radial-gradient, repeating-conic-gradient) tile the color stop pattern infinitely. They're perfect for creating stripes, checkerboards, or decorative patterns. The pattern repeats based on the distance between the first and last color stop positions.

All modern browsers fully support linear and radial gradients (including IE10+ with the -ms- prefix). Conic gradients are supported in Chrome 69+, Firefox 83+, Safari 12.1+, and Edge 79+. For broader compatibility, always provide a solid fallback color before the gradient declaration.

Yes! Use background-clip: text with a transparent text color:
background: linear-gradient(90deg, red, blue);
-webkit-background-clip: text;
-webkit-text-fill-color: transparent;
This clips the gradient to the text shape, creating a stunning gradient text effect (works in all modern browsers).