1. Introduction

In this tutorial, our goal is to master CSS positioning. We will delve into the four main types of positioning: static, relative, absolute, and fixed. Understanding how these work will allow you to control where and how elements are displayed on your pages.

By the end of this tutorial, you will be able to:
- Understand the differences between static, relative, absolute, and fixed positioning
- Apply these positioning concepts to your CSS code
- Manipulate the layout of your webpage using positioning

This tutorial assumes basic knowledge of HTML and CSS. If you're new to these, you may want to get familiar with them first.

2. Step-by-Step Guide

Static Positioning

This is the default positioning for HTML elements. They are positioned according to the normal flow of the page, left to right and top to bottom.

Relative Positioning

An element with relative positioning is positioned relative to its normal position. The 'top', 'right', 'bottom', and 'left' properties can be used to move the element from its normal position.

Absolute Positioning

An absolute positioned element is positioned relative to the nearest positioned ancestor. It is taken out of the normal flow of the page and no space is created for the element in the page layout.

Fixed Positioning

A fixed positioned element is positioned relative to the browser window. Even if the page is scrolled, the element will stay in the same place.

3. Code Examples

Static Positioning

div {
    position: static;
}

This is the default, so this code doesn't change the position of the div.

Relative Positioning

div {
    position: relative;
    top: 20px;
    left: 20px;
}

This code will move the div 20px down and 20px to the right from its normal position.

Absolute Positioning

div {
    position: absolute;
    top: 30px;
    right: 10px;
}

This code positions the div 30px from the top and 10px from the right of its nearest positioned ancestor.

Fixed Positioning

div {
    position: fixed;
    bottom: 0;
    right: 0;
}

This div will always be positioned at the bottom right corner of the window, even when scrolling.

4. Summary

In this tutorial, we learned about the four types of CSS positioning: static, relative, absolute, and fixed. We also saw how they impact the layout of a webpage.

For your next steps, experiment with these different positioning styles on your own projects. Try combining them and see how they interact with each other.

You can also explore the CSS z-index property, which works in tandem with positioning to control the stack order of elements.

5. Practice Exercises

1. Create a page with five divs, assign each a different type of positioning, and observe the results.
2. Stack two divs on top of each other using absolute positioning.
3. Create a fixed header that stays at the top of the page when scrolling.

Solutions are available, but try to solve it on your own first. Remember, practice makes perfect. Happy coding!