Pure css close button

Question

JSFiddle

Is there any way to make something like the X on that link with pure css?

Answer 1

The disappointing thing here is that the "X" isn't transparent (which is how I would likely create a PNG, at least).

I put together this quick test. http://jsfiddle.net/UM3a2/22/embedded/result/ which allows you to color the positive space while leaving the negative space transparent. Since it is made entirely of borders it is easy to color since border-color defaults to the text color.

It doesn't fully support I.E. 8 and earlier (border-radius issues), but it degrades to a square fairly nicely (if you're okay with a square close button).

It also requires two HTML elements since you are only allowed two pseudo elements per selector. I don't know exactly where I learned this, but I think it was in an article by Chris Coyier.

  Close
  
 


#close {
  border-width: 4px;
  border-style: solid;
  border-radius: 100%;
  color: #333;
  height: 12px;
  margin:auto;
  position: relative;
  text-indent: -9999px;
  width: 12px;
}
#close:hover {
  color: #39F;
}
.arrow-t-b:after,
.arrow-t-b:before,
.arrow-l-r:after, 
.arrow-l-r:before {
  border-color: transparent;
  border-style: solid;
  border-width: 4px;
  content: "";
  left: 2px;
  top: 0px;
  position: absolute;
}
.arrow-t-b:after {
  border-top-color: inherit;
}
.arrow-l-r:after {
  border-right-color: inherit;
  left: 4px;
  top: 2px;
}
.arrow-t-b:before {
  border-bottom-color: inherit;
  bottom: 0;
}
.arrow-l-r:before {
  border-left-color: inherit;
  left: 0;
  top: 2px;
}