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CSS Tables

To style tables with CSS use the following properties: table color,collapse borders,table width and height, table text alignment, table padding. See examples.

Several CSS properties are widely used to style HTML tables. Each is described below.

In this chapter, we will cover how to style tables, including changing the colors of headings and rows.

Table Styling Properties

Here are the CSS properties used to style a table. The background-color and color properties set the background and text colors, respectively. The border-collapse property collapses table borders. The text-align property sets horizontal text alignment. Additionally, you can use height, width, and padding for layout adjustments.

Example of styling a table:

Styling html tables example

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
  <head>
    <title>Title of the document</title>
    <style>
      table {
        width: 100%;
        border-collapse: collapse;
      }
      table,
      th,
      td {
        border: 1px solid black;
      }
      thead {
        background-color: #1c87c9;
        color: #ffffff;
      }
      th {
        text-align: center;
        height: 50px;
      }
      tbody tr:nth-child(odd) {
        background: #ffffff;
      }
      tbody tr:nth-child(even) {
        background: #f4f4f4;
      }
    </style>
  </head>
  <body>
    <table>
      <thead>
        <tr>
          <th>Heading</th>
          <th>Heading</th>
        </tr>
      </thead>
      <tbody>
        <tr>
          <td>Some text</td>
          <td>Some text</td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
          <td>Some text</td>
          <td>Some text</td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
          <td>Some text</td>
          <td>Some text</td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
          <td>Some text</td>
          <td>Some text</td>
        </tr>
      </tbody>
    </table>
  </body>
</html>
Try it Yourself »

Result

Table example

Let's explain the above code.

As you can see, our table has two main sections: the <thead> section for headings and the <tbody> section for the data rows. The table uses black borders, applied via the border property. You can use any color and border style you prefer.

Table color

As you see the <thead> part of our table is blue and wherever we write some text is in white. For the blue background, we use the background-color property, and for the white text, we use the color property. The other texts are written with black.

Collapse Borders

The border-collapse property specifies whether the borders of a table are collapsed into a single border or separated.

Table Width and Height

The table also has width and height properties. As you see we use these properties in our style. We use the width property for the whole table and the height property for the headings. We can use these properties with pixels and percents.

Table Text Alignment

Now about the table text alignment. As you know earlier we used the text-align property for the text position. In our example, as you see, we use the text-align property for the heading. For that, we use "text-align: center". You can read our previous chapter to know how to use it.

Table Padding

To control the space between the border and content in a table, use the padding property on <td> and <th> elements:

Html tables padding

td, th {
  padding: 15px;
}

Horizontal alignment with the text-align property

With the help of the CSS text-align property, you can set the horizontal alignment of the content in <th> or <td>.

By default, the content of <td> elements are aligned to the left and the content of the <th> elements are aligned to the center. In the example below, the content of <th> and <td> elements is aligned to the right:

Example of aligning the content of <th> and <td> elements to the right:

Example of aligning the content of <th> and <td> elements to the right

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
  <head>
    <title>Title of the document</title>
    <style>
      table,
      td,
      th {
        border: 1px solid black;
      }
      table {
        border-collapse: collapse;
        width: 100%;
      }
      th,
      td {
       text-align: right;
      }
    </style>
  </head>
  <body>
    <h2>Horizontal alignment example</h2>
    <table>
      <thead>
        <tr>
          <th>Firstname</th>
          <th>Lastname</th>
          <th>Money</th>
        </tr>
      </thead>
      <tbody>
        <tr>
          <td>Sherlock</td>
          <td>Holmes</td>
          <td>$200</td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
          <td>John</td>
          <td>Watson</td>
          <td>$250</td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
          <td>Mary</td>
          <td>Whatson</td>
          <td>$500</td>
        </tr>
      </tbody>
    </table>
  </body>
</html>
Try it Yourself »

Vertical alignment with the vertical align-property

Using the CSS vertical-align property, you can set the vertical alignment of the content in <th> or <td>.

By default, the content in both <th> and <td> elements is vertically aligned to middle.

In the example below, the content of <td> elements is vertically aligned to bottom:

Example of the vertical alignment of <td> elements’ content to bottom:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
  <head>
    <style>
      table,
      td,
      th {
        border: 1px solid black;
      }
      table {
        border-collapse: collapse;
        width: 100%;
      }
      td {
        height: 50px;
        vertical-align: bottom;
        text-align: right;
        padding-right: 10px;
      }
    </style>
  </head>
  <body>
    <h2>Vertical alignment example</h2>
    <table>
      <thead>
        <tr>
          <th>Firstname</th>
          <th>Lastname</th>
          <th>Money</th>
        </tr>
      </thead>
      <tbody>
        <tr>
          <td>Sherlock</td>
          <td>Holmes</td>
          <td>$300</td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
          <td>John</td>
          <td>Watson</td>
          <td>$250</td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
          <td>Mary</td>
          <td>Watson</td>
          <td>$500</td>
        </tr>
      </tbody>
    </table>
  </body>
</html>
Try it Yourself »

Horizontal dividers

By adding the CSS border-bottom property to <td> and <th> elements, you will create horizontal dividers.

Example of creating horizontal dividers:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
  <head>
    <title>Title of the document</title>
    <style>
      table {
        border-collapse: collapse;
        width: 100%;
      }
      th,
      td {
        padding: 10px;
        text-align: left;
        border-bottom: 1px solid #cccccc;
      }
    </style>
  </head>
  <body>
    <h2>Horizontal dividers example</h2>
    <table>
      <thead>
        <tr>
          <th>Firstname</th>
          <th>Lastname</th>
          <th>Money</th>
        </tr>
      </thead>
      <tbody>
        <tr>
          <td>Sherlock</td>
          <td>Holmes</td>
          <td>$200</td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
          <td>John</td>
          <td>Watson</td>
          <td>$350</td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
          <td>Mary</td>
          <td>Watson</td>
          <td>$500</td>
        </tr>
      </tbody>
    </table>
  </body>
</html>
Try it Yourself »

Hoverable tables

Using the CSS :hover selector on <tr> element, will make the table hoverable.

Example of creating a hoverable table:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
  <head>
    <title>Title of the document</title>
    <style>
      table {
        border-collapse: collapse;
        width: 100%;
      }
      tr {
        background-color: #f5f5f5;
      }
      th,
      td {
        padding: 15px;
        text-align: left;
        border-bottom: 1px solid #ccc;
      }
      tr:hover {
        background-color: #cdcdcd;
      }
    </style>
  </head>
  <body>
    <h2>Hoverable table example</h2>
    <table>
      <thead>
        <tr>
          <th>First Name</th>
          <th>Last Name</th>
          <th>Money</th>
        </tr>
      </thead>
      <tbody>
        <tr>
          <td>Sherlock</td>
          <td>Holmes</td>
          <td>$200</td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
          <td>John</td>
          <td>Watson</td>
          <td>$350</td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
          <td>Mary</td>
          <td>Watson</td>
          <td>$500</td>
        </tr>
      </tbody>
    </table>
  </body>
</html>
Try it Yourself »

Zebra-striped table

Using the nth-child() selector and adding the CSS background-color property to the odd (even) table rows, you can create a zebra-striped table.

Example of creating a zebra striped table:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
  <head>
    <title>Title of the document</title>
    <style>
      table {
        border-collapse: collapse;
        width: 100%;
      }
      th,
      td {
        text-align: left;
        padding: 10px;
      }
      tr:nth-child(even) {
        background-color: #6eeccf;
      }
      tr:nth-child(odd) {
        background-color: #2d7f88;
      }
    </style>
  </head>
  <body>
    <h2>Striped table example</h2>
    <table>
      <thead>
        <tr>
          <th>First name</th>
          <th>Last name</th>
          <th>Points</th>
        </tr>
      </thead>
      <tbody>
        <tr>
          <td>Sherlock</td>
          <td>Holmes</td>
          <td>$250</td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
          <td>John</td>
          <td>Watson</td>
          <td>$350</td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
          <td>Mary</td>
          <td>Watson</td>
          <td>$500</td>
        </tr>
      </tbody>
    </table>
  </body>
</html>
Try it Yourself »

Responsive tables

To make a table responsive, wrap it in a container element and apply overflow-x: auto to that container.

Example of creating a responsive table:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
  <head>
    <title>Title of the document</title>
    <style>
      div {
        overflow-x: auto;
      }
      table {
        border-collapse: collapse;
        width: 100%;
      }
      th,
      td {
        text-align: left;
        padding: 8px 5px;
      }
      tr:nth-child(even) {
        background-color: #6eeccf;
      }
      tr:nth-child(odd) {
        background-color: #2d7f88;
      }
    </style>
  </head>
  <body>
    <h2>Responsive table example</h2>
    <div>
      <table>
        <thead>
          <tr>
            <th>First Name</th>
            <th>Last Name</th>
            <th>Money</th>
            <th>Money</th>
            <th>Money</th>
            <th>Money</th>
            <th>Money</th>
            <th>Money</th>
            <th>Money</th>
            <th>Money</th>
            <th>Money</th>
            <th>Money</th>
          </tr>
        </thead>
        <tbody>
          <tr>
            <td>Sherlock</td>
            <td>Holmes</td>
            <td>$150</td>
            <td>$150</td>
            <td>$150</td>
            <td>$150</td>
            <td>$150</td>
            <td>$150</td>
            <td>$150</td>
            <td>$150</td>
            <td>$150</td>
            <td>$150</td>
          </tr>
          <tr>
            <td>John</td>
            <td>Watson</td>
            <td>$350</td>
            <td>$350</td>
            <td>$350</td>
            <td>$350</td>
            <td>$350</td>
            <td>$350</td>
            <td>$350</td>
            <td>$350</td>
            <td>$350</td>
            <td>$350</td>
          </tr>
          <tr>
            <td>Mary</td>
            <td>Watson</td>
            <td>$500</td>
            <td>$500</td>
            <td>$500</td>
            <td>$500</td>
            <td>$500</td>
            <td>$500</td>
            <td>$500</td>
            <td>$500</td>
            <td>$500</td>
            <td>$500</td>
          </tr>
        </tbody>
      </table>
    </div>
  </body>
</html>
Try it Yourself »

Practice

Practice

What properties of CSS can be applied on tables?