css - Zig zag border for a circle?

Question

Based on many tutorials I am able to create a zig zag border for square/rectangle objects using :after and :before. However when it comes to circles there are no tutorials at all.

I would like to create an object that looks like this:

Is that possible by using CSS only?

Answer 1

I would consider using SVG with some rotation and use them as backgrounds.

Here is an attempt that can give you an idea about how it can be done. Basically, the SVG is the same and we simply repeat and rotate until we get the full shape. The main trick is to find the correct values:

Here is the final code:

.zigzag {
   width:256px;
   height:256px;
   background:
    url("data:image/svg+xml;utf8,<svg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='-97 0 256 256' fill='orange' width='256'> <path d='M48 240 L48 16 L32 0 L16 16 L16 240 L32 256 Z' /></svg>"),
    url("data:image/svg+xml;utf8,<svg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='-97 0 256 256' fill='orange' width='256' style='transform:rotate(16.36deg);'> <path  d='M48 240 L48 16 L32 0 L16 16 L16 240 L32 256 Z' /></svg>"),
    url("data:image/svg+xml;utf8,<svg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='-97 0 256 256' fill='orange' width='256' style='transform:rotate(32.73deg);'> <path  d='M48 240 L48 16 L32 0 L16 16 L16 240 L32 256 Z' /></svg>"),
    url("data:image/svg+xml;utf8,<svg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='-97 0 256 256' fill='orange' width='256' style='transform:rotate(49.09deg);'> <path  d='M48 240 L48 16 L32 0 L16 16 L16 240 L32 256 Z' /></svg>"),
    url("data:image/svg+xml;utf8,<svg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='-97 0 256 256' fill='orange' width='256' style='transform:rotate(65.45deg);'> <path  d='M48 240 L48 16 L32 0 L16 16 L16 240 L32 256 Z' /></svg>"),
    url("data:image/svg+xml;utf8,<svg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='-97 0 256 256' fill='orange' width='256' style='transform:rotate(81.81deg);'> <path  d='M48 240 L48 16 L32 0 L16 16 L16 240 L32 256 Z' /></svg>"),
    url("data:image/svg+xml;utf8,<svg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='-97 0 256 256' fill='orange' width='256' style='transform:rotate(98.18deg);'> <path  d='M48 240 L48 16 L32 0 L16 16 L16 240 L32 256 Z' /></svg>"),
    url("data:image/svg+xml;utf8,<svg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='-97 0 256 256' fill='orange' width='256' style='transform:rotate(114.54deg);'> <path  d='M48 240 L48 16 L32 0 L16 16 L16 240 L32 256 Z' /></svg>"),
    url("data:image/svg+xml;utf8,<svg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='-97 0 256 256' fill='orange' width='256' style='transform:rotate(130.90deg);'> <path  d='M48 240 L48 16 L32 0 L16 16 L16 240 L32 256 Z' /></svg>"),
    url("data:image/svg+xml;utf8,<svg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='-97 0 256 256' fill='orange' width='256' style='transform:rotate(147.27deg);'> <path  d='M48 240 L48 16 L32 0 L16 16 L16 240 L32 256 Z' /></svg>"),
    url("data:image/svg+xml;utf8,<svg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='-97 0 256 256' fill='orange' width='256' style='transform:rotate(164.2deg);'> <path  d='M48 240 L48 16 L32 0 L16 16 L16 240 L32 256 Z' /></svg>");
    background-size:100% 100%;
    
    font-size:28px;
    line-height:256px;
    color:#fff;
    text-align:center;
}

body {
 background:pink;
}

<div class="zigzag">
zig zag circle
</div>