---
layout: post
title: "Mini Interactive Keyboard with Pure CSS"
date: 2020-05-13
---


Lately, I've become obsessed with trying to see what I can create using only HTML and CSS (besides websites of course). Since playing with the concept of [faking 3D elements](https://uglyduck.ca/fake-3d-elements-with-css/), I wanted to circle back around to an older CodePen I created: a mini, interactive undo keyboard.

## See it in action

Below you can view a live demo of the mini keyboard itself. This demo is nothing special, but takes design inspiration from Apple's magic keyboards (if that wasn't already obvious).

![Undo keyboard with two buttons to click](/public/images/undo-keyboard.png)

[Live CodePen Example](https://codepen.io/bradleytaunt/pen/PadQMP)

So now that we have seen what we plan to build, let's break down the process of creating this stupid, fun project!

## The HTML

The core skeleton of this project is very simple, since the keyboard consists of only 2 interactive buttons on top of a basic base element: 

- Keyboard base
- Command button
- 'Z' letter button

---


    <!-- This is keyboard main base -->
    <div class="base">
    
        <!-- Command Button -->
        <button class="command"> 
            <svg viewBox="0 0 24 24" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" fill="none" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"><path d="M18 3a3 3 0 0 0-3 3v12a3 3 0 0 0 3 3 3 3 0 0 0 3-3 3 3 0 0 0-3-3H6a3 3 0 0 0-3 3 3 3 0 0 0 3 3 3 3 0 0 0 3-3V6a3 3 0 0 0-3-3 3 3 0 0 0-3 3 3 3 0 0 0 3 3h12a3 3 0 0 0 3-3 3 3 0 0 0-3-3z"></path></svg>
            <span>command</span>
        </button>
    
        <!-- "Z" Letter Button -->
        <button class="z">
            <span>Z</span>
        </button>
    
    </div>


## The CSS

Here is where all the magic happens. Let's break these elements into their own sections, starting with the **base styling**:


    /* Custom typeface */
    @import url("https://fonts.googleapis.com/css?family=Muli");
    
    /* Basic layout styling */
    body {
    background: #d2dcff;
    margin: 80px 0 40px;
    }


We then tackle the basic **keyboard base** element:


    .base {
    background: linear-gradient(180deg, #eee 0%, #d8d8d8 100%);
    border-radius: 20px;
    box-shadow: inset 0 3px 5px rgba(255,255,255,0.3), inset 0 1px 3px rgba(255,255,255,0.5), 0 10px 0 #afafaf;
    display: flex;
    height: 310px;
    margin: 0 auto;
    position: relative;
    width: 620px;
    }
    
    /* This pseudo element is used for more realistic drop-shadows */
    .base:after {
    bottom: 0;
    box-shadow: 0 10px 80px rgba(0,0,0,0.5);
    content: '';
    height: 50px;
    left: 7.5%;
    position: absolute;
    width: 85%;
    z-index: -1;
    }


Next, we target all shared styles between the **2 keyboard buttons** to avoid repeating ourselves later on:


    .command, .z {
        -webkit-appearance: none;
        background: linear-gradient(180deg, #fff 0%, #f2f2f2 100%);
        border: 0;
        border-radius: 20px;
        box-shadow: inset 0 1px 3px rgba(255,255,255,0.5), 0 10px 0 #c9c9c9, 0 10px 6px rgba(0,0,0,0.3), 0 12px 8px rgba(0,0,0,0.5);
        cursor: pointer;
        display: inline-block;
        height: 260px;
        margin: 15px 0 0 20px;
        outline: 0;
        position: relative;
        width: 300px;
        z-index: 2;
    }
    
    .command span, .z span {
        font-family: 'Muli', 'Helvetica', sans-serif;
    }
    
    /* Styling when pressed */
    .command:active, .z:active {
        box-shadow: inset 0 10px 10px rgba(0,0,0,0.2), inset 0 10px 30px rgba(0,0,0,0.6), 0 1px 0 rgba(255,255,255,0.6);
        margin: 25px 0 0 20px;
    }


All that remains is to add the custom styling for each independent button:


    /* Custom Command styling */
    .command svg {
        height: 60px;
        right: 15px;
        position: absolute;
        stroke: #9f9f9f;
        top: 15px;
        width: 60px;
    }
    .command span {
        bottom: 15px;
        color: #9f9f9f;
        font-size: 58px;
        left: 0;
        position: absolute;
        width: 100%;
    }
    
    /* Custom "Z" Letter styling */
    .z {
        width: 260px;
    }
    .z span {
        color: #9f9f9f;
        font-size: 150px;
    }


## Taking it further

You could easily improve upon this concept by rendering an entire interactive keyboard, if you so desired. But this is maybe something I would tackle at a later date when I have a little more free time 😉 For now, a simple mini undo keyboard is fun enough to play with.