Header CSS

Header CSS

Now that our HTML structure is in place, let's bring the header and hero section to life with CSS. We'll start with a base reset, set up our container, and style the navigation bar and hero section.

CSS Reset & Base Styles

/* ---- Reset ---- */
* {
    margin: 0;
    padding: 0;
    box-sizing: border-box;
}

body {
    font-family: 'Segoe UI', Tahoma, Geneva, Verdana, sans-serif;
    line-height: 1.6;
    color: #333;
    background: #f4f4f4;
}

a {
    text-decoration: none;
    color: inherit;
}

ul {
    list-style: none;
}

img {
    max-width: 100%;
    height: auto;
}

The Container

.container {
    max-width: 1100px;
    margin: 0 auto;
    padding: 0 20px;
}

Header Styling

#main-header {
    background: #333;
    color: #fff;
    padding: 15px 0;
    position: sticky;
    top: 0;
    z-index: 1000;
}

.header-inner {
    display: flex;
    align-items: center;
    justify-content: space-between;
}

.logo img {
    width: 150px;
}

Navigation Styling

#main-nav ul {
    display: flex;
    align-items: center;
}

#main-nav ul li {
    margin-left: 25px;
}

#main-nav ul li a {
    color: #fff;
    font-size: 15px;
    font-weight: 500;
    padding: 5px 0;
    transition: color 0.3s ease;
    border-bottom: 2px solid transparent;
}

#main-nav ul li a:hover,
#main-nav ul li a.active {
    color: #31A8FF;
    border-bottom: 2px solid #31A8FF;
}

Hamburger Button (Hidden on Desktop)

.hamburger {
    display: none;        /* Hidden on desktop */
    background: none;
    border: none;
    cursor: pointer;
    padding: 10px;
}

.hamburger .bar {
    display: block;
    width: 25px;
    height: 3px;
    background: #fff;
    margin: 5px 0;
    transition: all 0.3s ease;
}

Hero Section Styling

#hero {
    background: url('../img/hero.jpg') no-repeat center center/cover;
    color: #fff;
    min-height: 500px;
    display: flex;
    align-items: center;
    position: relative;
}

/* Dark overlay for text readability */
#hero::before {
    content: '';
    position: absolute;
    top: 0;
    left: 0;
    width: 100%;
    height: 100%;
    background: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5);
}

.hero-content {
    position: relative;     /* Above the overlay */
    z-index: 1;
    max-width: 600px;
}

.hero-content h1 {
    font-size: 48px;
    font-weight: 700;
    margin-bottom: 20px;
    line-height: 1.2;
}

.hero-text {
    font-size: 18px;
    margin-bottom: 30px;
    line-height: 1.6;
}

Button Styles

.btn {
    display: inline-block;
    padding: 12px 30px;
    background: #31A8FF;
    color: #fff;
    font-size: 16px;
    font-weight: 600;
    border: none;
    border-radius: 4px;
    cursor: pointer;
    transition: background 0.3s ease, transform 0.2s ease;
}

.btn:hover {
    background: #1a8ad4;
    transform: translateY(-2px);
}

.hero-btn {
    font-size: 18px;
    padding: 14px 36px;
}

CSS Techniques Explained

Technique	What It Does
display: flex	Creates a flexbox layout for alignment
position: sticky	Keeps header fixed at top when scrolling
z-index: 1000	Ensures header stays above all content
::before pseudo-element	Creates the dark overlay on the hero background
background: ... / cover	Makes the hero image cover the full section
transition	Smooth hover effects on links and buttons

The Sticky Header Pattern

position: sticky is the modern way to create a fixed header:

• It behaves like relative until you scroll past it
• Then it "sticks" to the top of the viewport like fixed
• Unlike position: fixed, it doesn't take the element out of document flow
• It needs a top value to work: top: 0

Key Takeaways

• Start with a CSS reset to normalize browser defaults
• Use Flexbox for header layout — logo on the left, nav on the right
• position: sticky creates a modern fixed header effect
• Use a ::before overlay to ensure text readability on hero images
• Add transitions for smooth hover effects on links and buttons
• The hamburger button is in the HTML but hidden on desktop with display: none