Stacking order

The order layers are drawn: backgrounds, content, then positioned elements.

What is the stacking order?

The stacking order is the order layers are drawn in a stacking context: backgrounds first, then normal content, then positioned elements by z-index.

.overlay { position: absolute; z-index: 2; }
.content { position: relative; z-index: 1; }   /* drawn under .overlay */

Level: Master · More CSS terms at this level

Updated September 27, 2026