Use the clip-path's polygon() function to create complex non-rectangular shapes. 1. Use percentage coordinates to define polygon vertices, such as polygon (50% 0%, 100% 50%, 50% 100%, 0% 50%) to generate diamond shapes; 2. Use visual tools such as Clippy to generate and export CSS code for efficiency; 3. Always use percentages to ensure responsive adaptation to avoid scaling problems caused by pixel units; 4. You can transition between polygons with the same number of points through keyframe animation, but pay attention to performance impact; 5. Use multiple layers of cropped visual effects in combination with ::before or ::after pseudo-elements to build a rich design layout, which allows for complex graphic display without additional HTML tags.

The clip-path property in CSS is a powerful tool for creating complex, non-rectangular shapes directly in the browser—without needing extra images or SVG masks. It lets you define visible portions of an element by "clipping" away parts you don't want to show. Here's how to use it effectively for complex shapes.

1. Understanding the Basics of clip-path

clip-path works by defining a clipping region. Only the parts of the element inside that region are displayed. You can use predefined shapes or create custom polygons.

Common functions:

• inset() – for rectangles (offsets from edges)
• circle() – circular clips
• ellipse() – oval shapes
• polygon() – most flexible, for complex or irregular shapes

For complex shapes, polygon() is your go-to.

2. Creating Complex Shapes with polygon()

Use polygon() to define a series of (x, y) coordinates that form a closed shape.

 .complex-shape {
  clip-path: polygon(
    50% 0%, /* top center */
    100% 50%, /* right middle */
    50% 100%, /* bottom center */
    0% 50%, /* left middle */
    50% 0% /* back to top center */
  );
}

This creates a diamond shape from a square element.

Tips for working with polygon() :

• Coordinates are percentage-based (recommended) or pixels.
• Start and end point don't need to be repeated—browser closes the shape automatically.
• You can add as many points as needed for intricate designs (eg, stars, zigzags, speech bubbles).

Example: Speech bubble tail

 .speech-bubble {
  background: #007acc;
  padding: 20px;
  clip-path: polygon(
    0% 0%, /* top-left */
    100% 0%, /* top-right */
    100% 70%, /* right-middle */
    70% 70%, /* before tail */
    70% 100%, /* tail bottom */
    50% 70%, /* tail tip */
    30% 70%, /* after tail */
    0% 70% /* back to left-middle */
  );
}

3. Using Tools to Generate Complex clip-path s

Handwriting polygon coordinates is tedious. Use visual tools:

• Clippy – by Google, lets you pick shapes and tweak points.
• Motion UI (has utilities)
• Figma or Adobe XD (export clip-path code)

These tools let you draw a shape and copy the generated CSS—huge time-saver.

4. Responsive Considerations

Percentages make clip-path responsive. If you use px , the shape won't scale well.

? Good:

 clip-path: polygon(50% 0%, 100% 50%, 50% 100%, 0% 50%);

? Risky (not scalable):

 clip-path: polygon(100px 0, 200px 100px, 100px 200px, 0 100px);

Also, test on different screen sizes—complex shapes can get distorted if the element's aspect ratio changes.

5. Animating clip-path (with caution)

You can animate between two clip-path values (if both are polygon() with the same number of points).

 @keyframes open-shape {
  from {
    clip-path: polygon(50% 0%, 50% 0%, 50% 0%, 50% 0%);
  }
  to {
    clip-path: polygon(50% 0%, 100% 50%, 50% 100%, 0% 50%);
  }
}

?? Limitations:

• Doesn't work between different shape types (eg, circle() to polygon() ).
• Performance can suffer with too many points or on large elements.
• Use will-change: clip-path sparingly and test on mobile.

Bonus: Combining with Pseudo-elements for Advanced Effects

Use ::before or ::after with clip-path to create layered, complex visuals without extra markup.

 .element::before {
  content: '';
  position: absolute;
  inset: 0;
  background: url('image.jpg');
  clip-path: polygon(30% 0%, 70% 0%, 100% 50%, 70% 100%, 30% 100%, 0% 50%);
  z-index: -1;
}

This helps build artistic layouts, like clipped hero images or abstract dividers.

Basically, clip-path with polygon() opens up a world of design possibilities—just sketch your shape, generate the points, and drop in the CSS. It's not magic, but it's close.

The above is the detailed content of How to use the CSS clip-path property for complex shapes?. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!