SVG Pattern

Planted: Apr 2022

Status: decay

SVG elements (such as <rect> or <circle>) can be defined as children of the <pattern> element. Together, these children make a tile. The pattern element's id can be used as the fill of an element, which will repeat the tile until the element is completely covered.

A checkered pattern with an outline around each pattern tile.

Number of Tiles

The width and height values of a <pattern> element determines how many tiles of that pattern are rendered.

localhost:3000

<!-- Using -1 and 102 (instead of 0 and 100) to prevent cut-off of shapes' stroke positioned on the edge (example: 0, 0). -->
<svg viewBox="-1 -1 302 502">

    <defs>
<!-- A pattern with width and height of 100%. Only 1 pattern tile will be rendered. -->
        <pattern 
            id="myPattern1" 
            viewBox="0 0 10 10" 
            width="100%" 
            height="100%">
            <rect 
                x="0" 
                y="0"
                width="5" 
                height="5"  
                fill="hsl(0, 0%, 11%)"
            />
        </pattern>

<!-- A pattern with width and height of 10%. 10 pattern tiles will be rendered. -->
        <pattern 
            id="myPattern2" 
            viewBox="0 0 10 10" 
            width="10%" 
            height="10%">
            <rect 
                x="0" 
                y="0"
                width="5" 
                height="5"  
                fill="hsl(0, 0%, 11%)" />
        </pattern>
    </defs>

    <rect 
        x="0" 
        y="0"
        width="100" 
        height="100"  
        stroke="hsl(0, 0%, 50%)"
        fill="url(#myPattern1)" />

    <rect 
        x="0" 
        y="108"
        width="100" 
        height="100"  
        stroke="hsl(0, 0%, 50%)"
        fill="url(#myPattern2)" />

<!-- Pattern applied to shape with different aspect ratio than pattern's aspect ratio. -->
    <rect 
        x="0" 
        y="216"
        width="140" 
        height="100"  
        stroke="hsl(0, 0%, 50%)"
        fill="url(#myPattern2)" />
</svg>

patternUnits

A pattern attribute that indicates which coordinate system to use for the <pattern> element. Value can be:

▪ objectBoundingBox (default): the coordinate system defined on the pattern element.
▪ userSpaceOnUse: the user coordinate system (the coordinate system of the svg element using the pattern). This is like rendering the pattern in the background of the <svg>. It is hidden and only parts of it are exposed by shapes that use the pattern.

Below is an example using userSpaceOnUse. Change the x and y values to move bottom square, showing how the pattern remains consistent with the other shapes.

localhost:3000

<svg viewBox="-1 -1 302 302">
    <defs>
        <pattern 
            id="myPattern" 
            viewBox="0 0 30 30" 
            width="30" 
            height="30"
            patternUnits="userSpaceOnUse">
            <polygon 
                points="0 30 15 0 30 30"
                fill="hsl(0, 0%, 11%)" />
        </pattern>
    </defs>

    <rect 
        x="0" 
        y="0"
        width="100" 
        height="100"  
        stroke="hsl(0, 0%, 50%)"
        fill="url(#myPattern)" />

    <rect 
        x="108" 
        y="0"
        width="140" 
        height="100"  
        stroke="hsl(0, 0%, 50%)"
        fill="url(#myPattern)" />

    <rect 
        x="0" 
        y="108"
        width="100" 
        height="100"  
        stroke="hsl(0, 0%, 50%)"
        fill="url(#myPattern)" />
</svg>

Misc.

▪ patternContentUnits has no effect if viewBox is specified on the <pattern> element.
▪ to do: patternTransform
▪ to do: preserveAspectRatio

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