How to Display, Position, and Float an Element? The display property, which has several values, including block, inline, and none, controls how an element is displayed. While inline elements occupy the width of their content, block elements occupy the entire width. Elements are positioned on the page according to the position attribute. Static for default placement, relative for shifting according to its typical location, absolute for placing in relation to the closest ancestor, fixed for adhering to the viewport, and sticky for a hybrid behavior dependent on scrolling are among the available options.
Modern layout methods like flexbox and grid have essentially supplanted the float property, which allows items to be positioned to the left or right within their container and is frequently used to wrap text around images. Clearances with clear aid in controlling the flow of elements surrounding floating content. Together, these characteristics serve as the cornerstone of online design and layout.
Controlling the Display of an Element Using CSS
By deciding how an element is presented in the document, the display property allows you to control how an element is displayed using CSS. The main values and their consequences are as follows:
1. block: Taking up the entire width, the element begins on a new line. Two examples are <div> and <p>.
element {
display: block;
}2. inline: The element takes up only the required amount of width and does not begin on a new line. <a> and <span> are two examples.
element {
display: inline;
}3. inline-block: A combination of inline’s ability to flow inside a line and block’s box model behavior.
element {
display: inline-block;
}4. None: Makes the element completely invisible by taking it out of the layout.
element {
display: none;
}5. Flex: Converts the element into a flexible container for managing how its child elements are arranged.
element {
display: flex;
}6. grid: Converts the element into a grid container so that child elements can be arranged in columns and rows.
element {
display: grid;
}7. Other Values:
- inline-flex: A flex container displayed inline.
- inline-grid: A grid container displayed inline.
You can choose whether an element acts as a block, inline, or specialized layout container by choosing the right display value. This will affect how the element interacts with its children and other elements.
Exploring the Display Property and Visibility Property
Although they operate differently, the display and visibility attributes in CSS regulate how items are displayed and seen in a web document.
1. The display property: The physical rendering of an element and its participation in the page layout are determined by the display attribute.
Impact on Layout: When an element is set to display: none, it is removed from the document flow and no longer influences the spacing or arrangement of other elements.
| Value | Description |
| none | does not show an element. |
| block | generates a block box, a line break that appears before and after an element. |
| inline | prevents line breaks before and after an element by creating an inline box. This is the default value. |
| inline-block | creates a block box, laid out as an inline box. |
| inline-table | creates an inline table element without any line break before and after the element. |
| list-item | creates an element as an item of a list element. |
| table | creates a table element with a line break before and after the element. |
| table-caption | shows an element as a table caption. |
| table-cell | shows an element as a table cell. |
| table-column | shows an element as a table column. |
| table-column-group | shows an element as a group of table columns. |
| table-footer-group | shows an element as a group of table footers. |
| table-header-group | shows an element as a group of table headers. |
| table-row | shows an element as a table row. |
| table-row-group | shows an element as a group of rows. |
| inherit | Inherits the value of the display property from the parent element. |
Table 1 – Values of the display property
2. The Visibility Property: The visibility property determines whether an element is visible or hidden, but it has no bearing on the element’s layout or amount of space.
Impact on the Layout: In contrast to display: none; visibility: hidden preserves the element’s space by keeping it in the document flow even while it is not visible.
| Value | Analysis |
| visible | makes an element visible |
| hidden | hides an element |
| collapse | represents a value that eliminates the table element’s rows and columns and is applied only to it. |
| inherit | inherits the parent element’s visibility property value. |
Table 2 – Values of the visibility property
You can manage not just what people view but also how the layout changes or stays the same by skillfully mixing these attributes. Use visibility for short-term visual switching without layout adjustments and display for structural changes.
Positioning an Element
In CSS, the position property determines where an element appears in the document. It establishes the behavior of an element’s location in relation to its surroundings and its reference point.
1. static (Default):
- Behavior: The element’s placement follows the standard document flow.
- Top, right, bottom, and left: These attributes don’t matter.
- Use case: Most items are positioned by default.
element {
position: static;
}2. relative:
- Behavior: The element’s position is different from its typical one.
- Left, top, right, and bottom: Displace the element from its typical location without influencing the elements around it.
- Use case: slight modifications to an element’s location.
element {
position: relative;
top: 10px; /* Moves the element 10px down */
left: 20px; /* Moves the element 20px to the right */
}3. absolute:
- Behavior: The element’s position is in relation to its closest positioned ancestor, which can be either fixed, relative, or absolute. It is positioned in relation to the <html> element if there isn’t an ancestor of that kind.
- Use case: Accurate element placement within a container.
element {
position: absolute;
top: 50px;
left: 100px;
}4. fixed:
- Behavior: When scrolling, the element stays in its current position with relation to the viewport.
- Use case: Sidebars, footers, or sticky headers.
element {
position: fixed;
top: 0;
right: 0;
}5. sticky:
- Behavior: Depending on the scroll position, the element alternates between fixed and relative. Prior to becoming fixed, it is positioned relative until a predetermined scroll threshold is reached.
- Use case: Elements like sticky navigation bars that track the user as they scroll.
element {
position: sticky;
top: 10px; /* Sticks to 10px from the top when scrolled */
}Positioning Properties
- top: Moves the element down from the top of the containing block.
- right: Moves the element left from the right edge.
- bottom: Moves the element up from the bottom edge.
- left: Moves the element right from the left edge.
Position can be combined with other CSS properties, such as overflow for visibility and z-index for stacking, to build dynamic, adaptable layouts that meet your design requirements.
Floating an Element Using CSS
Text or other inline elements can wrap around elements that are positioned to the left or right within their container using CSS’s float property. It is frequently used for basic layouts and picture alignment, but more recent layout methods like Flexbox and Grid have mostly supplanted it.
Key Values of the Float Property
- none (default): The element stays in the standard document flow and doesn’t float.
- left: The content encircles the element on the right while it floats to the left of its container.
- right: The content encircles the element on the left while it floats to the right of its container.
- inherit: The parent element’s float value is passed down to the element.
Clearing Floats
If the container has no specified height, it may collapse when elements are floating. To deal with this, use the clear property or clearfix approach.
Clear Values:
- none (default): Nothing needs to be cleared; everything happens organically.
- left: Prevents elements on the left from being positioned next to floating elements.
- right: Prevents elements on the right from being positioned next to floating elements.
- Both: Prevents the placement of items next to any floating elements.
.float-left {
float: left;
width: 200px;
margin: 10px;
background-color: lightblue;
}
.float-right {
float: right;
width: 200px;
margin: 10px;
background-color: lightgreen;
}
.clearfix::after {
content: "";
display: block;
clear: both;
}Floating is still helpful for simple wrapping scenarios like image alignment, but using contemporary layout tools is advised for intricate layouts. For more examples click here