How to use an image as a bullet point in CSS

Photo by Glenn Carstens-Peters
Photo by Glenn Carstens-Peters on Unsplash

Introduction

Alright, let’s dive into the world of CSS and HTML lists. But first, let’s set the stage. Imagine you’re creating a website for a bakery. You have a list of delicious pastries you offer, and you want to make this list stand out. Sure, you could use the standard bullet points… but where’s the fun in that? Why not use a tiny croissant or a baguette as your bullet points? Sounds fun, right? That’s exactly what we’re going to learn today: How to use an image as a bullet point in CSS.

Understanding CSS and HTML Lists

Before we start turning croissants into bullet points, let’s take a moment to understand what we’re dealing with. In the world of web design, lists are like bread and butter (pun intended). They help us organize information in a way that’s easy for our users to digest.

There are two types of lists in HTML: ordered (<ol>) and unordered (<ul>). Ordered lists are usually marked with numbers, while unordered lists are marked with bullet points. Individual items within these lists are marked up using the list item (<li>) element.

Now, CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) is like the magic wand that turns our plain HTML into a beautiful website. It controls the layout, colors, fonts, and yes, even the style of our bullet points.

Customizing Bullet Points with Images

Alright, enough with the bakery metaphors. Let’s get our hands dirty with some code. Here’s how you can use an image as a bullet point in CSS: 

ul {
  list-style-image: url('croissant.png');
}

In this example, “croissant.png” is the image you want to use as your bullet point. The image should be small and clear when reduced to the size of a bullet point.

Now, every <li> element within your <ul> will be preceded by a tiny croissant. How cool is that?

See the Pen Custom Image as Bullet Point by Ivan Lim (@ivanlim) on CodePen.

Common Issues and How to Solve Them

Like baking a perfect baguette, coding isn’t always smooth sailing. You might run into some issues when trying to customize your bullet points. But don’t worry, I’ve got you covered.

Issue: My image isn’t showing up!

Solution: Check your image URL. Make sure it’s correct and that your image is located in the specified path.

Issue: My bullet points are too big/small!

Solution 1: Adjust the size of your image. Remember, it should be clear when reduced to the size of a bullet point.

Solution 2: Use background-image instead. 

ul {
  list-style: none;
}

ul li {
  margin-bottom: 10px;
  padding-left: 25px;     /* Adjust based on image dimention */
  position: relative;
}

ul li::before {
  /* Icon by Smashicons */
  background-image: url('croissant.png');
  background-size: cover;
  content: "";
  height: 17px;           /* Adjust based on image height */
  left: 0;
  position: absolute;
  top: 2px;               /* Adjust for best image placement relative to text */
  width: 17px;            /* Adjust based on image width */
}

See the Pen Custom Image as Bullet Point (list-style-image) by Ivan Lim (@ivanlim) on CodePen.

Conclusion

And there you have it! You’ve just learned how to use an image as a bullet point in CSS. Now go forth and fill the web with croissant-bullet lists! Remember, web design is like baking. It takes time and practice, but the end result is worth it.

So why not give it a try? Who knows, you might find that coding is your ‘baker’s calling’ after all!

Share: