Stretched link

Make any HTML element or Bootstrap component clickable by stretching a nested link via CSS.

On this page

Add stretched-link attribute to a link to make its containing block clickable via a ::after pseudo element.

In most cases, this means that an element with position: relative; that contains a link with the stretched-link attribute is clickable.

Please note given how CSS position works, stretched-link attribute cannot be mixed with most table elements.

Cards have position: relative by default in Bootstrap, so in this case you can safely add the stretched-link attribute to a link in the card without any other HTML changes.

Multiple links and tap targets are not recommended with stretched links. However, some position and z-index styles can help should this be required.

Most custom components do not have position: relative by default, so we need to add the .position-relative, here to prevent the link from stretching outside the parent element.

Custom component with stretched link

This is some placeholder content for the custom component. It is intended to mimic what some real-world content would look like, and we're using it here to give the component a bit of body and size.

Go somewhere

vue

<template>
  <b-div flex>
    <b-img
      src="https://dummyimage.com/144x144/868e96/868e96"
      flex-grow="shrink-0"
      margin="e-3"
      alt="Generic placeholder image"
    />
    <b-div position="relative">
      <CardTitle>
        <b-h
          level="5"
          margin="t-0"
        >
          Custom component with stretched link
        </b-h>
      </CardTitle>
      <b-p>
        This is some placeholder content for the custom component. It is
        intended to mimic what some real-world content would look like, and
        we're using it here to give the component a bit of body and size.
      </b-p>
      <b-a
        stretched-link
        href="#"
      >
        Go somewhere
      </b-a>
    </b-div>
  </b-div>
</template>

Columns with stretched link

Another instance of placeholder content for this other custom component. It is intended to mimic what some real-world content would look like, and we're using it here to give the component a bit of body and size.

Go somewhere

vue

<template>
  <Row
    position="relative"
    background-color="light"
    gutter="0"
  >
    <Col
      col="md-6"
      margin="b-md-6"
      padding="md-4"
    >
      <b-img
        src="https://dummyimage.com/300x200/868e96/868e96"
        alt="..."
        fluid
      />
    </Col>
    <Col
      col="md-6"
      padding="4 s-md-0"
    >
      <b-h
        level="5"
        margin="t-0"
      >
        Columns with stretched link
      </b-h>
      <b-p>
        Another instance of placeholder content for this other custom component.
        It is intended to mimic what some real-world content would look like,
        and we're using it here to give the component a bit of body and size.
      </b-p>
      <b-a
        stretched-link
        href="#"
      >
        Go somewhere
      </b-a>
    </Col>
  </Row>
</template>

Identifying the containing block

If the stretched link doesn't seem to work, the containing block will probably be the cause. The following CSS properties will make an element the containing block:

A position value other than static
A transform or perspective value other than none
A will-change value of transform or perspective
A filter value other than none or a will-change value of filter (only works on Firefox)

Card with stretched link

Some quick example text to build on the card title and make up the bulk of the card's content.

Stretched link will not work here, because position: relative is added to the link

This stretched link will only be spread over the p -tag, because a transform is applied to it.

vue

<template>
  <b-div style="width: 18rem">
    <Card>
      <b-img
        src="https://dummyimage.com/286x180/868e96/868e96"
        fluid
        alt="Card image cap"
      />
      <CardBody>
        <CardHeader>
          <b-h level="5">
            Card with stretched link
          </b-h>
        </CardHeader>
        <CardText>
          Some quick example text to build on the card title and make up the
          bulk of the card's content.
        </CardText>
        <CardText>
          <b-a
            stretched-link
            href="#"
            text="danger"
            position="relative"
          >
            Stretched link will not work here, because
            <code>position: relative</code>
            is added to the link
          </b-a>
        </CardText>
        <CardText class="bg-light">
          This
          <b-a stretched-link>
            stretched link
          </b-a>
          will only be spread over the
          <code>p</code>
          -tag, because a transform is applied to it.
        </CardText>
      </CardBody>
    </Card>
  </b-div>
</template>