How come a child element with a lower z-index than its parent doesn't appear behind the parent?

I'm currently investigating why a child element fails to appear behind its parent element when it has a lower z-index value than the parent. The issue seems to arise only when the default z-index value of the parent is modified.

Let's consider a simple example:

HTML:

<div class="a">
    A DIV
    <div class="b">
        B DIV
    </div>
</div>

CSS:

.a {
    position: relative;
    background: #eaeaea;
    height: 200px;
    width: 200px;
    z-index: 20;
}
.b {
    position: relative;
    z-index: -20;
    background: #d6d6d6;
    height: 100px;
    width: 100px;
}

Example link: http://jsfiddle.net/V4786/2/

I welcome any insights on this matter.

Answer №1

The functionality seems to only work if you refrain from altering the default z-index value of the parent element.

This is due to the fact that assigning a specific value to the z-index property on a positioned element creates a new stacking context, preventing an element from being positioned behind the element that established the stacking context it's within. (For instance, an element cannot be placed behind the root stacking context as explained by Scotty C..)

If you do not modify the z-index of the parent element, both the parent and child elements participate in the same stacking context - the one set up by the root element or the root stacking context. This allows you to position the child element behind the parent under those circumstances.

More detailed information can be found in the specification, but that captures the essence based on your query.

Answer №2

One reason why Z-Index levels are relative to their parents is because they determine the stacking order of elements on a webpage. For example, if you set a negative Z-Index for an element, it won't show behind the browser window because its parent element's Z-Index level takes precedence. It's common practice to use two sibling elements with absolute or relative positioning when manipulating Z-Index levels, although some may view this approach as unconventional.

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