# CSS flash cards: Master level

51 CSS terms at the Master level, as flash cards.

Updated: September 27, 2026

- [Study these as flash cards](https://www.ask-codey.com/decks/css/5/flash)
- [Play Memory with them](https://www.ask-codey.com/games/memory?category=css&level=5)

## Terms in this deck

- [@property](https://www.ask-codey.com/glossary/property-css): Registers a custom property with a type and default.
- [Actual value](https://www.ask-codey.com/glossary/actual-value): The used value adjusted for the screen, like pixel rounding.
- [Additive animation](https://www.ask-codey.com/glossary/additive-animation): An animation that adds to existing values instead of replacing them.
- [Anonymous box](https://www.ask-codey.com/glossary/anonymous-box): A box the browser creates itself, with no element behind it.
- [Baseline alignment](https://www.ask-codey.com/glossary/baseline-alignment): Lining things up on the line letters sit on.
- [Block formatting context](https://www.ask-codey.com/glossary/block-formatting-context): An area where blocks stack; a new one contains floats.
- [Compositing](https://www.ask-codey.com/glossary/compositing): Combining painted layers into the final picture.
- [Computed value](https://www.ask-codey.com/glossary/computed-value): The value after easy math like em to px; what children inherit.
- [Computed-value time](https://www.ask-codey.com/glossary/computed-value-time): The step when specified values become computed values.
- [Containing block](https://www.ask-codey.com/glossary/containing-block): The box an element's percentages and positions are measured from.
- [contain-intrinsic-size](https://www.ask-codey.com/glossary/contain-intrinsic-size): A placeholder size for skipped content, so scrolling doesn't jump.
- [content-visibility](https://www.ask-codey.com/glossary/content-visibility): Lets the browser skip rendering off-screen sections.
- [Critical CSS](https://www.ask-codey.com/glossary/critical-css): The styles needed for the first screen, inlined so it shows fast.
- [CSS architecture](https://www.ask-codey.com/glossary/css-architecture): How a team organizes CSS so it stays easy to change.
- [CSS Object Model](https://www.ask-codey.com/glossary/css-object-model): The browser's in-memory model of the page's CSS, readable from JavaScript.
- [Custom property cycle](https://www.ask-codey.com/glossary/custom-property-cycle): Custom properties that depend on each other in a loop.
- [Definite size](https://www.ask-codey.com/glossary/definite-size): A size known without laying out the contents.
- [Discrete animation](https://www.ask-codey.com/glossary/discrete-animation): An animation that jumps between values with no in-between.
- [Formatting context](https://www.ask-codey.com/glossary/formatting-context): An area with its own layout rules, like block, inline, flex or grid.
- [Fragmentainer](https://www.ask-codey.com/glossary/fragmentainer): One page or column that split content flows into.
- [Fragmentation](https://www.ask-codey.com/glossary/fragmentation): Splitting content across pages or columns.
- [Indefinite size](https://www.ask-codey.com/glossary/indefinite-size): A size that depends on the content, like auto height.
- [Independent formatting context](https://www.ask-codey.com/glossary/independent-formatting-context): An area laid out on its own, isolated from its surroundings.
- [Initial containing block](https://www.ask-codey.com/glossary/initial-containing-block): The top-level box, the size of the viewport.
- [Inline formatting context](https://www.ask-codey.com/glossary/inline-formatting-context): Where text and inline elements flow along lines and wrap.
- [Interpolation](https://www.ask-codey.com/glossary/interpolation): Working out the in-between values of an animation.
- [Intrinsic contribution](https://www.ask-codey.com/glossary/intrinsic-contribution): How much space an item asks for when its container sizes to content.
- [Invalid at computed-value time](https://www.ask-codey.com/glossary/invalid-at-computed-value-time): A var() result that doesn't make sense falls back to inherit/initial.
- [Layout](https://www.ask-codey.com/glossary/layout): The step where the browser works out every box's size and position.
- [Layout containment](https://www.ask-codey.com/glossary/layout-containment): contain: layout: nothing inside affects layout outside.
- [Line box](https://www.ask-codey.com/glossary/line-box): The box holding one line of text; as tall as its tallest item.
- [Paint containment](https://www.ask-codey.com/glossary/paint-containment): contain: paint: nothing inside is drawn outside the box.
- [Painting order](https://www.ask-codey.com/glossary/painting-order): The sequence the browser paints things: backgrounds, borders, text, outlines.
- [Principal box](https://www.ask-codey.com/glossary/principal-box): The main box an element generates.
- [Reflow](https://www.ask-codey.com/glossary/reflow): The browser redoing layout after a size or position change.
- [Repaint](https://www.ask-codey.com/glossary/repaint): Redrawing pixels after a look changes, without a size change.
- [Scroll timeline](https://www.ask-codey.com/glossary/scroll-timeline): Ties animation progress to how far an area has scrolled.
- [Scroll-driven animation](https://www.ask-codey.com/glossary/scroll-driven-animation): An animation that moves with scrolling instead of time.
- [Selector matching](https://www.ask-codey.com/glossary/selector-matching): Browsers read selectors right to left: the last part first.
- [Shrink-to-fit sizing](https://www.ask-codey.com/glossary/shrink-to-fit-sizing): As wide as the content needs, up to the space available.
- [Size containment](https://www.ask-codey.com/glossary/size-containment): contain: size: the element's size ignores its contents.
- [Specificity strategy](https://www.ask-codey.com/glossary/specificity-strategy): A team rule to keep selectors simple so overrides stay predictable.
- [Specified value](https://www.ask-codey.com/glossary/specified-value): The value the cascade picked, before any math.
- [Stacking context](https://www.ask-codey.com/glossary/stacking-context): A group whose layers stack together; z-index only compares within it.
- [Stacking order](https://www.ask-codey.com/glossary/stacking-order): The order layers are drawn: backgrounds, content, then positioned elements.
- [Style containment](https://www.ask-codey.com/glossary/style-containment): contain: style: counters and quotes inside stay inside.
- [Style invalidation](https://www.ask-codey.com/glossary/style-invalidation): Working out which elements need styles recalculated after a change.
- [Typed custom property](https://www.ask-codey.com/glossary/typed-custom-property): A custom property registered with a type, so it can be animated.
- [Used value](https://www.ask-codey.com/glossary/used-value): The final value after layout, like 50% turned into pixels.
- [View timeline](https://www.ask-codey.com/glossary/view-timeline): Ties an animation to an element moving through the screen.
- [will-change](https://www.ask-codey.com/glossary/will-change): Warns the browser a property is about to animate.

[Read them in the glossary](https://www.ask-codey.com/glossary/subjects/css/master)

Source: https://www.ask-codey.com/decks/css/master