Box-Shadow vs Drop-Shadow in CSS

If you’re diving deep into CSS, you might have come across two similar-sounding properties: box-shadow and drop-shadow. Although they seem to do the same thing—adding shadows—they’re used in different contexts and have unique applications. Let's break down their differences and explore when to use each one.

box-shadow is a CSS property that lets you add shadow effects to any HTML element's box, including images, divs, buttons, or text containers. This shadow is applied directly to the element's box. This gives you full control over the shadow's color, blur, spread, and offset.

Syntax

box-shadow: offset-x offset-y blur-radius spread-radius color;

Example

.card {
  box-shadow: 4px 4px 10px 0px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.3);
}

Key Properties of box-shadow 

• Offset-X / Offset-Y: Controls the horizontal and vertical position of the shadow.
• Blur-Radius: Adds a blur effect to the shadow to make it softer or sharper.
• Spread-Radius: Controls the size of the shadow; positive values increase the shadow size, while negative values shrink it.
• Color: Sets the color of the shadow.

When to Use box-shadow

box-shadow is perfect when you want to add shadows to a basic box, image, or element container, making it appear slightly elevated or giving it a soft glow. It works best with standard HTML elements without complex shapes.

The drop-shadow function adds a shadow effect to an element's content. It is often used with CSS filter properties. Unlike box-shadow, which strictly applies shadows to the box model of an element, drop-shadow can trace complex shapes like transparent images and SVG elements, giving them more realistic shadows.

Syntax

filter: drop-shadow(offset-x offset-y blur-radius color);

Example

.icon {
  filter: drop-shadow(4px 4px 10px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.3));
}

Key Properties of drop-shadow

• Offset-X / Offset-Y: Positions the shadow horizontally and vertically.
• Blur-Radius: Controls the amount of blur in the shadow.
• Color: Determines the color of the shadow.

When to Use drop-shadow

drop-shadow is ideal for elements with transparent backgrounds, such as PNG images, icons, or SVGs. If you’re working with irregularly shaped images, drop-shadow will outline the shape itself rather than applying the shadow to a box around it. This makes it highly useful for creating more organic-looking shadows.

Practical Examples

Example 1: Applying a box-shadow to a Card

html

<div class="card">
  <p>This is a card with a box shadow.</p>
</div>

css

.card {
  width: 200px;
  padding: 20px;
  background: white;
  box-shadow: 4px 4px 8px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2);
}

Example 2: Using drop-shadow on an Icon

html

<img src="logo.png" alt="Logo" class="icon" />

css

.icon {
  filter: drop-shadow(4px 4px 8px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.3));
}

In this example, drop-shadow would apply a shadow that follows the contour of the logo, making it look much more natural.

• Use box-shadow for standard elements and simple rectangular shapes. It’s a versatile property that’s easy to use and perfect for adding depth to your elements.
• Use drop-shadow when working with images, icons, or SVGs with transparent areas. It’s especially useful for complex shapes where a regular box shadow wouldn't look right.

Understanding these two properties can help you make more visually engaging designs, giving you control over how shadows interact with both simple and complex shapes.