Re: [csswg-drafts] [css3 positioning] support position:sticky inside an overflow:hidden|auto on general parents (#865)

The CSS Working Group just discussed `[css3 positioning] support position:sticky inside an overflow:hidden|auto on general parents`, and agreed to the following:

* `ACTION: flackr to put example in the spec`
* `RESOLVED: position:sticky tracks the nearest scrolling container *per axis*`

<details><summary>The full IRC log of that discussion</summary>
&lt;TabAtkins> flackr: we decided in another discussion that it's reasonable to create a scroll container that onlys scrolls in one axis, and is clip in the other<br>
&lt;TabAtkins> flackr: following this line of thought, we can support... one of the use-cases for postiion-sticky responding to an ancestor scroll container, by saying the position-sticky in each axis looks for the nearest container that scrolls in that axis<br>
&lt;TabAtkins> flackr: this is a fairly constrained change, doesn't require new syntax, and supports horiz-scoll tables in vertical-scroll docs<br>
&lt;TabAtkins> flackr: we've tested it and it seems to work fine. does what users expect<br>
&lt;TabAtkins> flackr: so the proposal is that sticky can use different containers for each axis<br>
&lt;TabAtkins> astearns: does this cover the original test-case?<br>
&lt;TabAtkins> flackr: the original was relying on the implications of overflow:hidden... there are other APIs that can get that to work, I posted a demo<br>
&lt;TabAtkins> flackr: my proposal handles the either novel use-case which wasn't handled previously, which can be sticky-translated in different axises by different scrollers<br>
&lt;kizu> q+<br>
&lt;astearns> ack kizu<br>
&lt;TabAtkins> kizu: this is really nice to have. only concern is interop<br>
&lt;TabAtkins> kizu: a sticky element that previously didn't work well could start working and sticking<br>
&lt;TabAtkins> kizu: but it would be really nice for this to work<br>
&lt;TabAtkins> flackr: we expect that, since to set the container up you have to explicitly set overflow:clip on the off-axis, it'll be rare that existing content gets into this use-case<br>
&lt;kizu> Ah, yes, with `clip` is will be for sure safer<br>
&lt;TabAtkins> flackr: so I expect it to be safe, but experience will tell<br>
&lt;fantasai> TabAtkins: Just need to document this use case in the spec, to make clear that it works<br>
&lt;smfr> seems fine<br>
&lt;fantasai> ACTION: flackr to put example in the spec<br>
&lt;TabAtkins> astearns: proposal is position:sticky tracks the nearest scrolling container *per axis*<br>
&lt;TabAtkins> astearns: objections?<br>
&lt;TabAtkins> RESOLVED: position:sticky tracks the nearest scrolling container *per axis*<br>
&lt;TabAtkins> flackr: this is a long issue, there might be other use-cases but the two I mentioned seem to be the main ones<br>
</details>


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Received on Wednesday, 11 March 2026 16:45:05 UTC