Guia Completa de CSS Box Shadow 2026

Agrega profundidad a los botones, dimension a las tarjetas y sofisticacion a tu UI con box-shadow. En el diseno web de 2026, las sombras no son solo decoracion, son un elemento central de UX.

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Sintaxis basica de box-shadow

box-shadow: offset-x offset-y blur spread color;

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Ejemplos basicos

Sombra simple

/* Sombra basica */
.card {
  box-shadow: 0 4px 6px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1);
}

/* Sombra mas intensa */
.card-elevated {
  box-shadow: 0 10px 25px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2);
}

Sombras direccionales

/* Abajo derecha */
.shadow-br { box-shadow: 4px 4px 8px rgba(0,0,0,0.2); }

/* Arriba izquierda */
.shadow-tl { box-shadow: -4px -4px 8px rgba(0,0,0,0.2); }

/* Todas las direcciones */
.shadow-all { box-shadow: 0 0 15px rgba(0,0,0,0.3); }

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Sombras multiples

Combina varias sombras con comas.

/* Sombra suave en capas */
.soft-shadow {
  box-shadow:
    0 1px 2px rgba(0,0,0,0.07),
    0 2px 4px rgba(0,0,0,0.07),
    0 4px 8px rgba(0,0,0,0.07),
    0 8px 16px rgba(0,0,0,0.07);
}

/* Sombra realista */
.realistic {
  box-shadow:
    0 2.8px 2.2px rgba(0,0,0,0.02),
    0 6.7px 5.3px rgba(0,0,0,0.028),
    0 12.5px 10px rgba(0,0,0,0.035),
    0 22.3px 17.9px rgba(0,0,0,0.042),
    0 41.8px 33.4px rgba(0,0,0,0.05),
    0 100px 80px rgba(0,0,0,0.07);
}

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Sombras inset

Usa la palabra clave inset para crear sombras interiores.

/* Inset basico */
.inset-shadow {
  box-shadow: inset 0 2px 4px rgba(0,0,0,0.2);
}

/* Efecto de boton presionado */
.pressed-button {
  box-shadow:
    inset 0 2px 4px rgba(0,0,0,0.3),
    inset 0 -1px 2px rgba(255,255,255,0.1);
}

/* Campo de entrada enfocado */
.input:focus {
  box-shadow: inset 0 1px 2px rgba(0,0,0,0.1),
              0 0 0 3px rgba(59,130,246,0.3);
}

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Ejemplos por tendencia de diseno

1. Sombras Material Design

/* Elevation 1 */
.md-1 { box-shadow: 0 1px 3px rgba(0,0,0,0.12), 0 1px 2px rgba(0,0,0,0.24); }

/* Elevation 2 */
.md-2 { box-shadow: 0 3px 6px rgba(0,0,0,0.15), 0 2px 4px rgba(0,0,0,0.12); }

/* Elevation 3 */
.md-3 { box-shadow: 0 10px 20px rgba(0,0,0,0.15), 0 3px 6px rgba(0,0,0,0.10); }

/* Elevation 4 */
.md-4 { box-shadow: 0 15px 25px rgba(0,0,0,0.15), 0 5px 10px rgba(0,0,0,0.05); }

/* Elevation 5 */
.md-5 { box-shadow: 0 20px 40px rgba(0,0,0,0.2); }

2. Neumorfismo

/* Fondo neumorfismo */
.neumorphism {
  background: #e0e5ec;
  box-shadow:
    9px 9px 16px rgba(163,177,198,0.6),
    -9px -9px 16px rgba(255,255,255,0.5);
}

/* Neumorfismo presionado */
.neumorphism-pressed {
  background: #e0e5ec;
  box-shadow:
    inset 6px 6px 10px rgba(163,177,198,0.6),
    inset -6px -6px 10px rgba(255,255,255,0.5);
}

/* Boton neumorfismo */
.neumorphism-button {
  background: linear-gradient(145deg, #cacfd6, #f0f5fc);
  box-shadow:
    5px 5px 10px #a3b1c6,
    -5px -5px 10px #ffffff;
}

3. Glassmorfismo

.glassmorphism {
  background: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.1);
  backdrop-filter: blur(10px);
  border: 1px solid rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.2);
  box-shadow:
    0 8px 32px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1),
    inset 0 0 0 1px rgba(255,255,255,0.1);
}

4. Efectos neon

/* Brillo neon */
.neon-blue {
  box-shadow:
    0 0 5px #00f,
    0 0 10px #00f,
    0 0 20px #00f,
    0 0 40px #00f;
}

.neon-pink {
  box-shadow:
    0 0 5px #ff00ff,
    0 0 10px #ff00ff,
    0 0 20px #ff00ff,
    0 0 40px #ff00ff;
}

/* Neon animado */
@keyframes neon-pulse {
  0%, 100% { box-shadow: 0 0 5px #0ff, 0 0 20px #0ff; }
  50% { box-shadow: 0 0 10px #0ff, 0 0 40px #0ff, 0 0 60px #0ff; }
}

.neon-animated {
  animation: neon-pulse 2s infinite;
}

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Sombras de color

Sombras de color de marca

/* Sombra azul */
.shadow-blue {
  box-shadow: 0 10px 30px rgba(59, 130, 246, 0.4);
}

/* Sombra morada */
.shadow-purple {
  box-shadow: 0 10px 30px rgba(139, 92, 246, 0.4);
}

/* Multi-color estilo degradado */
.shadow-gradient {
  box-shadow:
    -10px 0 30px rgba(255, 0, 128, 0.3),
    10px 0 30px rgba(0, 128, 255, 0.3);
}

Efectos hover

.card {
  box-shadow: 0 4px 6px rgba(0,0,0,0.1);
  transition: box-shadow 0.3s ease, transform 0.3s ease;
}

.card:hover {
  box-shadow: 0 20px 40px rgba(0,0,0,0.2);
  transform: translateY(-5px);
}

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Componentes practicos

Componente de tarjeta

.card {
  background: white;
  border-radius: 12px;
  padding: 24px;
  box-shadow:
    0 1px 3px rgba(0,0,0,0.1),
    0 1px 2px rgba(0,0,0,0.06);
  transition: box-shadow 0.2s;
}

.card:hover {
  box-shadow:
    0 10px 15px -3px rgba(0,0,0,0.1),
    0 4px 6px -2px rgba(0,0,0,0.05);
}

Botones

.button {
  background: #3b82f6;
  color: white;
  padding: 12px 24px;
  border: none;
  border-radius: 8px;
  box-shadow: 0 4px 14px rgba(59,130,246,0.4);
  transition: all 0.2s;
}

.button:hover {
  box-shadow: 0 6px 20px rgba(59,130,246,0.5);
  transform: translateY(-2px);
}

.button:active {
  box-shadow: 0 2px 8px rgba(59,130,246,0.4);
  transform: translateY(0);
}

Modal/Popup

.modal {
  background: white;
  border-radius: 16px;
  box-shadow:
    0 25px 50px -12px rgba(0,0,0,0.25),
    0 0 0 1px rgba(0,0,0,0.05);
}

/* Modo oscuro */
.modal-dark {
  background: #1f2937;
  box-shadow:
    0 25px 50px -12px rgba(0,0,0,0.5),
    0 0 0 1px rgba(255,255,255,0.1);
}

Campos de entrada

.input {
  border: 1px solid #e5e7eb;
  border-radius: 8px;
  padding: 12px 16px;
  transition: all 0.2s;
}

.input:focus {
  outline: none;
  border-color: #3b82f6;
  box-shadow: 0 0 0 3px rgba(59,130,246,0.2);
}

.input-error {
  border-color: #ef4444;
  box-shadow: 0 0 0 3px rgba(239,68,68,0.2);
}

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Optimizacion de rendimiento

Usando will-change

.animated-shadow {
  will-change: box-shadow;
  transition: box-shadow 0.3s ease;
}

/* Eliminar despues de la animacion */
.animated-shadow:not(:hover) {
  will-change: auto;
}

Alternativa: filter drop-shadow

/* Sombra para formas irregulares */
.drop-shadow {
  filter: drop-shadow(0 4px 6px rgba(0,0,0,0.1));
}

/* Aplicar a imagenes PNG */
.icon {
  filter: drop-shadow(2px 2px 4px rgba(0,0,0,0.3));
}

box-shadow vs filter

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Tailwind CSS

<!-- Sombras basicas -->
<div class="shadow-sm">Sombra pequena</div>
<div class="shadow">Sombra por defecto</div>
<div class="shadow-md">Sombra mediana</div>
<div class="shadow-lg">Sombra grande</div>
<div class="shadow-xl">Sombra extra grande</div>
<div class="shadow-2xl">Sombra 2XL</div>

<!-- Sombra de color -->
<div class="shadow-lg shadow-blue-500/50">Sombra azul</div>

<!-- Hover -->
<div class="shadow hover:shadow-xl transition-shadow">Efecto hover</div>

<!-- Inset -->
<div class="shadow-inner">Sombra interior</div>

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FAQ

P1: La sombra se recorta?

R: El padre tiene overflow: hidden, o no hay espacio para que la sombra se extienda.

/* Solucion */
.parent {
  overflow: visible; /* o eliminar */
  padding: 20px; /* espacio para la sombra */
}

P2: Problemas de rendimiento?

R: Sombras complejas en muchos elementos pueden causar degradacion del rendimiento.

• Minimizar sombras multiples
• Usar will-change apropiadamente
• Simplificar sombras durante el scroll

P3: La sombra se ve rara en esquinas redondeadas?

R: box-shadow sigue automaticamente border-radius. Si hay un problema, verifica la compatibilidad del navegador.

P4: Colores de sombra recomendados?

R:

• Modo claro: rgba(0,0,0,0.1) a rgba(0,0,0,0.2)
• Modo oscuro: rgba(0,0,0,0.3) a rgba(0,0,0,0.5)
• Sombras de color: 30-50% de opacidad del color de fondo

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Conclusion

Puntos clave de box-shadow:

1. Sintaxis basica: offset-x, offset-y, blur, spread, color
2. Sombras multiples: Capas con comas
3. Inset: Sombras interiores
4. Tendencias: Neumorfismo, glassmorfismo, neon
5. Rendimiento: will-change, evitar sombras excesivas

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