CSS Shadow Generator helps you quickly create beautiful shadow effects. Supports both box-shadow and text-shadow types with multi-layer capabilities for complex effects. Intuitively adjust offset, blur, spread, and color with sliders. Built-in popular presets including Neumorphism, with real-time preview and ready-to-use CSS code generation.
box-shadow Property Explained
box-shadow syntax: offset-x offset-y blur spread color inset. offset-x/y controls shadow position, blur sets blur intensity, spread controls shadow size, color defines the color, inset changes to inner shadow. Multiple shadows can be stacked using comma separation.
Common Shadow Effect Types
- Soft shadow: Small offset + moderate blur, great for card hover effects
- Hard shadow: No blur + noticeable offset, retro design style
- Glow effect: No offset + large blur + bright color, button highlight state
- Neumorphism: Dual directional shadows (light + dark), soft UI design style
Multi-Layer Shadow Techniques
Stacking multiple shadows creates more realistic effects. For example, Material Design shadows use two layers: one with small blur simulating near shadow, another with large blur simulating ambient light. Adjust opacity of each layer to control shadow intensity.
FAQ
Q: What's the difference between box-shadow and drop-shadow?
A: box-shadow only applies to rectangular boxes, while drop-shadow is a filter property that can apply to any shape (like transparent PNG images). drop-shadow doesn't support spread values or inset shadows.
Q: Do shadows affect page performance?
A: Heavy use of shadows with large blur values may impact rendering performance, especially on mobile devices. Keep blur radius reasonable and avoid complex shadows on scrolling elements.
Q: How to achieve Neumorphism effect?
A: Neumorphism requires two shadow layers: one dark shadow offset bottom-right, one light shadow offset top-left. Background and element colors should be similar, creating a soft raised effect.