What Is a CSS Gradient?
A CSS gradient is a smooth color transition defined in code, requiring no image files. Gradients are rendered natively by the browser at any resolution, making them perfect for backgrounds, buttons, borders, and overlays.
Linear vs Radial vs Conic
Linear gradients flow in a straight line at a given angle. Radial gradients radiate outward from a center point in an ellipse or circle. Conic gradients sweep around a center point like a color wheel — great for pie charts and dial effects.
Color Stops
Color stops define where each color starts and ends along the gradient. You can place them at any position (0%–100%). Without explicit positions the browser distributes them evenly.
Performance
CSS gradients are GPU-accelerated in all modern browsers. They are significantly faster to render than equivalent raster images and scale perfectly at any screen resolution or zoom level.
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