✂️ CSS clip-path Generator
Runs entirely in your browser - no data sent to server
Output appears here...
📊 Key Data Points
polygon()
Most flexible clip-path function — arbitrary polygon with any number of points
% coordinates
Percentage values make clip-path responsive — scales with element size
Animatable
CSS transition: clip-path works in Chrome, Firefox, Safari for smooth shape animations
CSS Clip Path Generator -- Complete USA Guide 2026
CSS clip-path creates non-rectangular visible areas for elements — triangles, hexagons, wavy edges, and custom polygon shapes. The polygon point coordinates are hard to write by hand; this visual editor makes clip-path shapes interactive.
Runs in your browser.
**Long-tail searches answered here:** css clip path polygon generator visual online free, clip-path maker browser with live preview, css custom shape generator clip-path code.
For related visual CSS, pair with CSS Gradient Generator and SVG Optimizer.
🔬 How This Calculator Works
The generator maintains a list of polygon points as percentage coordinates. Drag points in the live preview to reposition them. Add or remove points for more complex shapes. The CSS output uses clip-path: polygon(x1 y1, x2 y2, ...) format with percentage values that scale with the element.
Preset shapes (triangle, hexagon, pentagon, arrow, chevron, parallelogram) provide starting points. The tool also generates clip-path: circle(), ellipse(), and inset() syntax for simple geometric clips.
✅ What You Can Calculate
Drag-and-drop polygon editor
Drag polygon points in a live preview. Instant visual feedback makes finding the right shape much faster than guessing coordinates.
Preset shapes
Triangles, hexagons, arrows, and chevrons as starting points. Modify presets for custom variations rather than starting from scratch.
circle() and ellipse() support
Not just polygons — generates circle(radius at center) and ellipse(rx ry at cx cy) clip-path syntax for circular reveals.
Animation-ready output
Clip-path values can be animated with CSS transitions. The generator outputs values in a consistent format for smooth clip-path transitions.
🎯 Real Scenarios & Use Cases
Diagonal section breaks
Modern landing pages use angled section dividers. A polygon clip on the section background creates the diagonal effect without SVG.
Image reveal effects
Apply clip-path to images with CSS transitions for animated reveal effects on scroll or hover.
Custom button shapes
Hexagonal, arrow-shaped, or chevron buttons using clip-path on standard HTML button elements.
Hero section shapes
Decorative background elements in hero sections using colorful clipped divs rather than SVG images.
💡 Pro Tips for Accurate Results
Overflow hidden on parent. Clip-path clips visually but the element still occupies its original rectangular space. Add overflow: hidden to the parent if child elements appear outside the clip.
Percentages for responsiveness. Use 50% 0%, 100% 100%, 0% 100% not pixel coordinates — percentage values scale with the element.
Safari -webkit- prefix. Always include -webkit-clip-path for Safari on iOS and older macOS.
Animate clip-path for reveals. clip-path: inset(0 100% 0 0) to inset(0 0 0 0) creates a left-to-right reveal — a common scroll animation pattern.
🔗 Use These Together
🏁 Bottom Line
CSS clip-path creates shapes previously requiring SVG or background hacks. For complete visual design: CSS Gradient Generator for fills and CSS Animation Generator for animated reveals.
What is CSS clip-path used for in web design?
clip-path masks an element to show only a specific shape — anything outside the shape is invisible. Common use cases: diagonal section breaks (a hero section that cuts diagonally instead of a straight horizontal line), custom image shapes (hexagonal profile photos, diamond-shaped cards), reveal animations (animating clip-path from a small circle to full coverage creates a circular reveal effect), sticker/badge shapes, arrow-shaped elements, and non-rectangular image cropping. Unlike border-radius (which only rounds corners), clip-path can create any polygon or curved shape.
What are the different clip-path shape functions?
polygon(x1 y1, x2 y2, ...) defines any polygon with coordinate points — the most flexible. circle(radius at cx cy) clips to a circle. ellipse(rx ry at cx cy) clips to an ellipse. inset(top right bottom left round radius) clips to a rounded rectangle. path('M...' ) accepts SVG path syntax — any SVG shape. Percentages in coordinates are relative to the element's size, making responsive clip paths. 0% 0% is top-left, 100% 0% is top-right, 100% 100% is bottom-right, 0% 100% is bottom-left.
How do I create a diagonal section with clip-path?
For a diagonal bottom edge on a hero section: clip-path: polygon(0 0, 100% 0, 100% 85%, 0 100%). This cuts from 85% height on the right edge to 100% height on the left edge. Adjust the percentage to control the angle. For a diagonal top edge on the next section: clip-path: polygon(0 15%, 100% 0, 100% 100%, 0 100%). Stack these sections with negative margin-top to overlap them, creating a seamless diagonal flow. The key: the diagonal section and the section below it must have complementary angles.
Can I animate clip-path for reveal effects?
Yes — clip-path is animatable with CSS transitions and animations when both keyframes use the same shape function with the same number of points. Circular reveal: start at clip-path: circle(0% at 50% 50%), end at circle(150% at 50% 50%). Rectangle wipe: polygon(0 0, 0 0, 0 100%, 0 100%) to polygon(0 0, 100% 0, 100% 100%, 0 100%). The polygon point count must match between keyframes — you cannot interpolate between a triangle and a pentagon. For complex shape morphing between different point counts, use the same count and position extra points along an edge.
How does clip-path affect element layout and interactions?
clip-path affects visibility but not layout. An element with clip-path still occupies its full rectangular space in the document flow — adjacent elements position themselves relative to the original rectangle, not the visible shape. Similarly, click/touch events still register for the entire original bounding box, not just the visible clipped area. If you need click detection to match the visible shape, handle it in JavaScript by checking whether the click point falls within the clip-path shape mathematically, or use SVG elements with matching shapes.
What is the difference between clip-path and mask-image?
clip-path uses geometric shapes (polygon, circle, SVG paths) to define what is visible. mask-image uses a grayscale image or gradient as an alpha mask — white areas are fully visible, black areas are invisible, gray areas are partially transparent. mask-image is more flexible for complex effects like feathered edges, texture-based masking, and image-based reveals, but requires a mask image resource. clip-path is defined entirely in CSS without external assets. For clean geometric shapes and diagonal sections, clip-path is simpler. For soft edges, gradient fades, or texture-based masking, mask-image is the better choice.
What other CSS tools complement clip-path on this site?
The CSS Animation Generator can animate clip-path reveal effects. The CSS Gradient Generator creates gradient backgrounds for clipped sections. The Border Radius Generator handles simpler rounded shapes where clip-path is overkill. The Box Shadow Generator adds depth — note that box-shadow does not work on clipped elements (use filter: drop-shadow instead). The Flexbox Generator handles layout inside clipped containers. All are in the Dev Tools CSS section.