Establish a fixed sidebar

Using the CSS property “position: sticky” allows an element to attach to a particular spot on the screen while scrolling, similar to anchoring it in place. This property can be quite useful for maintaining the visibility of important elements, such as sidebars, for visitors as they browse your website.

Within this guidance, you will comprehend:

1. Instructions for implementing “position: sticky”
2. Troubleshooting techniques

Guidelines for employing “position: sticky”

The behavior of “position: sticky” transitions an element’s position between relative and fixed based on the user’s scroll activity. A sticky element retains its relative position in the document flow until a certain scroll point is reached, at which stage it behaves similar to a fixed element within its immediate parent. Once the sticky element reaches the bottom of its parent container, it ceases to move further.

To utilize “position: sticky” on a sidebar:

1. Select the sidebar within the working area
2. Access the Style panel > Position
3. Opt for Sticky from the provided choices
4. Allocate a specific value for the top, bottom, left, or right edge (e.g., 0px, 30px, etc.)

Essentially, you must specify at least one positional value for the top, bottom, left, or right side for “position: sticky” to function correctly. This is contingent on where the element is positioned in relation to its parent and the user’s scrolling direction (vertical or horizontal).

To affix the sidebar to the top of the page, set the top value to 0px. Alternatively, if you desire it to adhere to the top with a 30px margin, assign 30px as the top value. As you scroll, the sidebar should remain fixed on the page within the container (i.e., the direct parent) of the sidebar.

Troubleshooting Guidelines

Issues with “position: sticky” may arise if:

• No specific distance value is designated for at least one edge of the element (e.g., top, bottom, left, or right)
• Overflow is constrained to hidden, scroll, or auto on any parent element of the element
• Any parent element has an explicitly defined height
• The browser lacks support for sticky positioning

If no specific distance value is assigned to at least one edge of the element (e.g., top, bottom, left, or right), the functionality of “position: sticky” will be hindered. If a distance value is applied to an edge unaffected by scrolling, the behavior of “position: sticky” may not align with expectations. For example, setting a distance on the left or right side while scrolling vertically will prevent the sidebar from sticking as intended.

The effectiveness of “position: sticky” may also be compromised by alignment settings, particularly when the sidebar is a child of a flex or grid container. For instance, assigning a distance to the bottom while aligning the sidebar to the top in a parent element with flex or grid properties will prevent the sidebar from sticking to the bottom of the page.