What are CSS length units?

CSS length units are standardized measurements used in web design to define sizes and distances. These CSS screen units enable consistent styling across different devices and screen resolutions. CSS supports various length unit types including absolute units (like pixels, points, and picas) and physical units (like centimeters, millimeters, and inches), allowing developers to create precise and accessible designs for both screen and print media.

Tool Description

This CSS unit calculator converts between different CSS length units with precision and ease. Our web unit converter supports six essential length units: pixels (px), centimeters (cm), millimeters (mm), inches (in), points (pt), and picas (pc). The converter uses precise mathematical formulas based on CSS specifications to ensure accurate conversions between all unit types, making it an essential tool for working with CSS responsive units.

Features

  • Six Length Units: Supports px, cm, mm, in, pt, and pc conversions for all CSS screen units
  • High Precision: Provides conversions accurate to 10 decimal places
  • Bidirectional Conversion: Convert from any unit to any other unit with this CSS unit calculator
  • Real-time Results: Instant conversion as you type
  • Screen and Print: Works with both screen (px) and print units (pt, cm, in)
  • Web Developer Focused: Essential web unit converter for CSS styling and responsive design

Use Cases

  • Print Stylesheets: Transform CSS screen units (px) to print-friendly units (pt, cm, in)
  • Typography Design: Convert between typographic units (pt, pc) and screen pixels
  • Responsive Design: Calculate CSS responsive units for different device sizes and screen resolutions
  • Cross-Platform Compatibility: Ensure consistent sizing across different devices using this web unit converter
  • Design Specs: Convert designer specifications from one unit system to another
  • Accessibility: Calculate appropriate font sizes and spacing in various CSS units
  • Physical Dimensions: Understand actual physical sizes of on-screen elements
  • International Standards: Work with both metric (cm, mm) and imperial (in) systems

Supported Units

  • px (Pixels) - Default screen unit, based on 96 DPI standard
  • cm (Centimeters) - Metric length unit
  • mm (Millimeters) - Metric length unit (10mm = 1cm)
  • in (Inches) - Imperial length unit (1in = 2.54cm)
  • pt (Points) - Typography unit (1pt = 1/72 inch)
  • pc (Picas) - Typography unit (1pc = 12 points)

Conversion Details

The tool uses standardized CSS conversion ratios based on the CSS specification:

  • Reference Point: 96 DPI screen resolution (1 inch = 96 pixels)
  • Metric System: 1cm = 10mm, based on standard metric conversions
  • Imperial System: 1in = 2.54cm (standard conversion)
  • Typography Units: 1pt = 1/72 inch, 1pc = 12pt (traditional typographic standards)