How to Make CSS Clip-Path Shapes Without Coordinates

To build a CSS clip-path shape, pick a preset like a triangle or hexagon or drag point sliders for a custom polygon in a visual generator, then copy the clip-path declaration. The tool clips a live demo panel as you work, so you see the exact cut before touching your stylesheet — no hand-calculated coordinates required.

Writing polygon() by hand means plotting every corner as an x/y percentage pair and mentally tracing the outline. Get one number wrong and the whole shape collapses. A visual editor lets you drag points around and watch the geometry respond, which is far faster and far less error-prone.

What is clip-path and who is it for?

The clip-path property defines a visible region for an element — anything outside the shape simply disappears. It powers angled section dividers, hexagon avatars, arrow-shaped banners, and decorative image masks that would otherwise need extra markup or image editing. This generator is for front-end developers and designers who want those effects without wrestling with coordinate math, and for learners who want to see how the shapes are constructed.

How to generate clip-path CSS in your browser

1. Choose a ready-made shape from the dropdown — triangle, trapezoid, parallelogram, rhombus, pentagon, hexagon, arrow, circle, or ellipse — or select Custom polygon.
2. For custom polygons, drag the X and Y sliders for each point, adding or removing points until the outline matches what you need.
3. Watch the live preview clip the demo panel in real time as you adjust.
4. Click Copy CSS to grab the clip-path declaration and paste it into your styles.

clip-path vs. mask: which should you use?

Clipping and masking look similar but behave differently, and choosing the right one matters:

Feature	clip-path	mask
Edge type	Hard vector edge — pixel is visible or hidden	Soft, based on image or gradient alpha
Best for	Crisp geometric shapes, angled dividers	Feathered fades, textured reveals
Animatable	Yes, between shapes with equal point counts	Yes, by animating the mask image
Hit testing	Clipped areas pass clicks through	Depends on implementation

Use clip-path when you want a clean, crisp geometric cut and mask when you want a soft or textured fade. Because clip-path uses percentage coordinates here, every shape scales with the element, so a hexagon stays a hexagon whether the box is 80px or 800px wide.

Key features and benefits

• Nine preset shapes plus fully custom polygons.
• Per-point X/Y sliders with add and remove controls.
• Circle and ellipse basic shapes alongside polygons.
• Percentage coordinates that scale to any element size.
• A live clipped preview so you see the result instantly.
• Copy-ready clip-path CSS, free and fully client-side.

Try the CSS Clip Path Generator now — it's free and runs entirely in your browser.

Frequently asked questions

How do polygon() coordinates work?

polygon() takes a list of x y pairs that trace the outline in order. Percentages are relative to the element's box, so 0% 0% is the top-left corner and 100% 100% the bottom-right. An upward triangle, for instance, is polygon(50% 0%, 0% 100%, 100% 100%). The generator writes these for you as you drag.

Does clip-path work in all browsers?

Basic shapes — polygon, circle, ellipse, and inset — work unprefixed in every modern browser. Only older Safari versions needed the -webkit-clip-path prefix, so adding both lines is a harmless way to maximise compatibility.

Can I animate a clip-path?

Yes, with transitions and keyframes, as long as the start and end shapes share the same type and the same number of points. Morphing one polygon into another requires matching point counts, so plan your shapes with that in mind.

Is content outside the clip still clickable?

No. Clipped-away areas are removed from hit-testing, so clicks pass through to whatever sits underneath. That makes clip-path a neat way to build non-rectangular interactive areas like hexagonal buttons.

How do I create an angled section divider?

Use a polygon that leaves one edge slanted, such as clipping the bottom of a full-width section on a diagonal. Because the coordinates are percentages, the slant holds its proportion across screen sizes, which is exactly what responsive dividers need.

Related free tools

• CSS Border Radius Generator — round corners and build organic blobs.
• CSS Box Shadow Generator — add realistic depth to clipped elements.
• CSS Gradient Generator — fill your shapes with smooth gradients.
• CSS Formatter — tidy your final stylesheet.

Built by ByteVancer

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