There are two types of Lists in HTML.

  1. Ordered List
  2. Unordered List

An HTML List consist of two parts. The first part is a container element. Which we represent in HTML tag < ol > for ordered list and < ul > tag for unordered list. The second part is the line item element that we represent in HTML using < li > tag. There is no limitation of maximum number of < li > element in a list.

Sample List

<ul>
  <li>Red</li>
  <li>Blue</li>
  <li>Green</li>
  <li>Yellow</li>
</ul>

output

  • Red
  • Blue
  • Green
  • Yellow

Change List Bullet Style

CSS list-style-type is using change the style of List Bullet. If we want to change the Bullet style to square shape – list-style-type: square;

Source Code

	<!DOCTYPE html>
	<html>
	<head>
    <style>
      ul
      {
        list-style-type: square;
      }
      </style>
    </head>
    <body>
      <ul>
        <li>Red</li>
        <li>Blue</li>
        <li>Green</li>
        <li>Yellow</li>
      </ul>
	</body>
	</html>

output

  • Red
  • Blue
  • Green
  • Yellow

If you don’t want any bullet in your list then set list-style-type: none;

ul
{
  list-style-type: none;;
}

output

  • Red
  • Blue
  • Green
  • Yellow

The following values you can set in list-style-type property in CSS.

Change the color of a list bullet

ul
{
  list-style-type:upper-roman;
  color:red;
}
ul li span
{
  color: black;
}
</style>
<ul>
  <li><span>Red<span></li>
  <li><span>Blue<span></li>
  <li><span>Green<span></li>
  <li><span>Yellow<span></li>
</ul>

output

  • Red
  • Blue
  • Green
  • Yellow

Create list style dash or custom characters

<style>
  ul
  {
    list-style-type: none
  }
  li:before
  {
    content: "-  ";
    color: red;
    font-size: 36px;
  }
</style>

output

  • Red
  • Blue
  • Green
  • Yellow

You can change any character instead of “-“

Change the size of List Bullet

<style>
  ul
  {
    list-style-type: none;
  }
  li
  {
    font-size: 15px;
  }
  li:before
  {
    content:"@  ";
    color: red;
    font-size: 25px;
  }
</style>
  • Red
  • Blue
  • Green
  • Yellow

CSS list-style-image

You can add image as List bullets.

<style>
  ul
  {
    list-style-type: none;
    width:100px;
  }
  li
  {
    background-image: url(bullet-img.png);
    background-repeat: no-repeat;
    background-position: 0px 5px;
    padding-left:15px;
  }
</style>
 <h4>output</h4>  <IMG  src="img/list-style-image.png"   width=107 height=89  alt="CSS list style image"><br>   <h3>How to Indent contents in a CSS Lists</h3>
<p>You can use CSS margin property to set indent a List. You can indent < ul > and < li > tags using margin properties.</p>
<textarea class="multiSource" readonly onclick="this.focus()" ondblclick="this.select()">
<style>
  ul
  {
    margin-left:100px;
  }
  li
  {
    margin-top:20px;
  }
</style>

output

  • Red
  • Blue
  • Green
  • Yellow

Spacing between CSS List items

CSS padding property allows you to create spacing between List items.

<style>
  ul
  {
    list-style-type: square;
  }
  li
  {
    padding:10px;
  }
</style>

output

  • Red
  • Blue
  • Green
  • Yellow

Add color to your CSS List

You can color < ul > elements as well as < li > elements.

<style>
  ul
  {
    list-style-type: none;
    color: white;
    background-color: red;
    width:100px;
    padding:15px;
  }
  li
  {
    padding:8px;
    color: white;
    background-color: blue;
    margin:5px;
  }
</style>

output

  • Red
  • Blue
  • Green
  • Yellow

Display CSS list items as vertical columns

You can create CSS List vertical block using CSS display : block;

<style>
  ul
  {
    list-style-type: none;
    width:100px;
    padding:15px;
  }
  li
  {
    display : block;
    padding:8px;
    margin:5px;
    border : 1px solid red;
  }
</style>

output

  • Red
  • Blue
  • Green
  • Yellow

CSS list Horizontal items

CSS display : inline; will create a horizontal list items.

<style>
  ul
  {
    list-style-type: none;
    width:300px;
    padding:15px;
  }
  li
  {
    display : inline;
    padding:8px;
    margin:5px;
    border : 1px solid red;
  }
</style>

output

  • Red
  • Blue
  • Green
  • Yellow