Difference between margin and padding?

Padding is the space that's inside the element between the element and the border. Padding goes around all four sides of the content and you can target and change the padding for each side with CSS. Margin is the space between the border and next element.

[source]

first you have the element in the center. the padding is outside that. the border is outside that. the margin is outside that. Padding will make the space around the element larger. Margin will push the element with it's padding away from other elements.

<style>
#p1 {
  padding: 30px;
  background: orange;
  margin: 30px;
}
#p2  {
  padding: 5px;
  background: green;
  margin: 0px;
}
#p3  {
  padding: 5px;
  background: black;
  color: white;
  margin: 0px;
}

</style>
<p id="p1">hi</p>
<p id="p2">hi</p>
<p id="p3">hi</p>

If you copy and paste this into your editor and then view it in a browser you will see:

• the orange around the first hi is the padding.
  
• you will also notice that it pushes the other elements away.
  
• this is the margin
• notice the 2nd and third p
• they are nestled right next to each other
• they have 0 margin
• also notice they have green and black backgrounds
• this is the padding.

This might help you understand a bit better, happy coding!

https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/CSS/CSS_Box_Model/Introduction_to_the_CSS_box_model