Style sheets may be used to position individual HTML elements.

This positioning may be either absolute (measured from the top left corner of the frame) or relative (measured from where the element would normally appear). If relative, then a gap is left in the page where the object would normally appear.

For example, here is an inline image: It appears within the line of text. Note that no positioning information was given at all; such elements are said to use static positioning.

Here is another inline image, using relative positioning: It appears 50 pixels above and to the right of where it normally would, and there is an empty space in the text where it would otherwise have appeared.

Here is an inline image, using absolute positioning: It appears 50 pixels from the left edge of the frame, and 620 pixels from the top edge. No gap is left in the text for absolutely positioned objects.

Finally, here is an inline image, fixed on the page: It should appear 250 pixels from the left edge of the frame, and 620 pixels from the top edge. No gap is left in the text, and if the contents of the rest of the window are scrolled, this stays put. However, not all browsers recognize the fixed attribute, and those that do not will treat this option as static instead. In particular, this is what Internet Explorer appears to do.