seniorCSS

Explain the CSS Containment property (contain).

Updated Apr 28, 2026

Short answer

The contain property indicates that an element's subtree is independent of the rest of the page, allowing heavy performance optimizations.

Deep explanation

Values include layout, paint, size, and style, or the shorthand strict. It tells the browser that layout changes inside this element will not affect the outside world. This drastically reduces the scope of layout calculations when DOM mutations occur.

Unlock with a Pro subscription to view this section.

View pricing

Real-world example

No real-world example available yet.

Unlock with a Pro subscription to view this section.

Upgrade to Pro

Common mistakes

No common mistakes listed yet.

Unlock with a Pro subscription to view this section.

Upgrade to Pro

Follow-up questions

No follow-up questions available yet.

Unlock with a Pro subscription to view this section.

Upgrade to Pro

More CSS interview questions

View all →