CSS border-top-style Property

The CSS border-top-style property is used to set the style of an element's top border.

This property is specified as a single keyword chosen from those available for the border-style property. The border-style property is used to set the style for all four sides of an element, but border-top-style sets a style only for the top border.

The default width of the top border is medium. It can be changed by using either the border-top-width or border-width properties.

Not all browsers render the styles in the same way. Chrome renders the dots as rectangular ones, not circular ones.

The specification does not specify the amount of spacing between the dots and the dashes.

The specification does not define how borders of different styles connect in the corners.

Default Value	none
Applies to	All elements. It also applies to ::first-letter.
Inherited	No
Animatable	No
Version	CSS1
DOM Syntax	object.style.borderTopStyle = "dashed";

Syntax

border-top-style: none | hidden | dotted | dashed | solid | double | groove | ridge | inset | outset | initial | inherit;

Example of the border-top-style property:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
  <head>
    <style>
      h2,
      p {
        padding: 15px;
        border: solid #666;
      }
      h2 {
        border-top-style: dashed;
      }
      p {
        border-top-style: dotted;
      }
    </style>
  </head>
  <body>
    <h2>A Heading with dashed border-top-style.</h2>
    <p>A paragraph with dotted border-top-style.</p>
  </body>
</html>

Try it Yourself »

Depending on the value of the border-color, the effects of groove, ridge, inset and outset values can be changed.

Result

Example of the border-top-style property with all style values:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
  <head>
    <title>Title of the document</title>
    <style>
      body {
        background: #1c87c9;
        font-size: 20px;
        text-align: center;
      }
      main div {
        display: flex;
        align-items: center;
        justify-content: center;
        color: black;
        padding-top: 30px;
        padding-bottom: 30px;
        width: 200px;
        height: 100px;
        margin: 15px;
        font-weight: bold;
        background-color: #c9c5c5;
        border: 10px solid;
      }
      .flex-center {
        display: flex;
        justify-content: center;
      }
      /* border-top-style example classes */
      .b1 {
        border-top-style: hidden;
      }
      .b2 {
        border-top-style: dotted;
      }
      .b3 {
        border-top-style: dashed;
      }
      .b4 {
        border-top-style: solid;
      }
      .b5 {
        border-top-style: double;
      }
      .b6 {
        border-top-style: groove;
      }
      .b7 {
        border-top-style: ridge;
      }
      .b8 {
        border-top-style: inset;
      }
      .b9 {
        border-top-style: outset;
      }
    </style>
  </head>
  <body>
    <h1>Border-top-style value examples</h1>
    <main class="flex-center">
      <div class="b1">
        hidden
      </div>
      <div class="b2">
        dotted
      </div>
      <div class="b3">
        dashed
      </div>
    </main>
    <main class="flex-center">
      <div class="b4">
        solid
      </div>
      <div class="b5">
        double
      </div>
      <div class="b6">
        groove
      </div>
    </main>
    <main class="flex-center">
      <div class="b7">
        ridge
      </div>
      <div class="b8">
        inset
      </div>
      <div class="b9">
        outset
      </div>
    </main>
  </body>
</html>

Try it Yourself »

Values

Value	Description	Play it
none	Defines that there won't be any border. Default value.	Play it »
hidden	Is the same with "none" except in border conflict resolution for table elements.	Play it »
dotted	Defines a dotted border.	Play it »
dashed	Defines a dashed border.	Play it »
double	Defines a double border.	Play it »
solid	Defines a solid border.	Play it »
groove	Defines a 3D grooved border. Its effect can be changed with the value of border-color.	Play it »
ridge	Defines a 3D ridged border. Its effect can be changed with the value of border-color.	Play it »
inset	Defines a 3D inset border. Its effect can be changed with the value of border-color.	Play it »
outset	Defines a 3D outset border. Its effect can be changed with the value of border-color.	Play it »
initial	Sets the property to its default value.	Play it »
inherit	Inherits the property from its parent element.