How does CSS scroll-snap work for creating scrollable sections?
Jul 17, 2025 am 03:47 AMCSS scroll-snap achieves scroll adsorption effect by setting the alignment of the scroll container and child elements. Use scroll-snap-type to define the container scrolling direction (y/x) and mandatory type (mandatory/proximity), and then use scroll-snap-align to set the child element alignment (start/center/end). It is necessary to ensure that the container has overflow scrolling and avoid margins between child elements. You can optionally add scroll-behavior to achieve smooth scrolling.
CSS scroll-snap is a feature that allows you to control how the browser aligns elements during scrolling. It's especially useful when you want to create scrollable sections that "snap" into place—like full-page scrolling websites or horizontally scrollable carousels.

Here's how it works and how you can use it effectively.
The basic idea: what scroll-snap does
Scroll-snap lets you define points in a scrollable area where the browser should stop scrolling. Think of it like magnets—when you scroll, the content "snaps" into place at these defined points.

This is done using a few key CSS properties:
-
scroll-snap-type
on the container -
scroll-snap-align
on the child elements
It's not about animation or transitions—it's about controlling where the scroll stops naturally.

Setting up the scroll container
To create scrollable sections that snap, start by setting up the scrollable area.
Use scroll-snap-type
on the container to define the direction of the snapping behavior:
.container { scroll-snap-type: y mandatory; overflow-y: scroll; height: 100vh; }
-
y
means vertical snapping -
mandatory
means the browser will always snap to a snap point if one is in view - Use
x
for horizontal snapping -
proximity
is a soft version—snapping may happen if the user is close enough
Defining the snap points
Each section inside the scrollable container needs to define how it aligns with the viewport.
Use scroll-snap-align
on the child elements:
.section { scroll-snap-align: start; height: 100vh; }
-
start
means the top of the element will align with the top of the container - You can also use
center
orend
depending on your layout
This ensures that when you scroll near a section, the browser will snap to align it at the top (or wherever you specify).
Tips and common gotchas
Here are a few things to watch out for or take advantage of:
Make sure the container scrolls
If the container doesn't have overflow set, scroll-snap won't work. Make sureoverflow
is set toscroll
orauto
.Avoid margins between sections
Margins can interfere with how the snapping works. Use padding or nested elements instead.Use with smooth scrolling (optional)
You can make the snapping feel smoother by addingscroll-behavior: smooth
on the container orhtml
element.Browser support is solid
Scroll-snap is well supported in modern browsers, but test on mobile if you're building something complex.
Wrapping up
CSS scroll-snap gives you a powerful but lightweight way to control scroll behavior without JavaScript. Just define a scrollable container and tell the browser where to snap. It's not flashy, but it gets the job done cleanly.
Once you get the hang of it, it's easy to use and works well for full-page sections, horizontal sliders, and more. Just keep your HTML structure clean and pay attention to alignment settings.
Basically that's it.
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