Chapter 14. CSS: Layout – Key Concepts and Display Property
In this chapter, we will explore key concepts related to CSS layouts, particularly focusing on the display property. Layout is an essential part of web design, allowing you to organize and position elements on a web page. By mastering layout techniques and understanding the different values for the display property, you can create clean, responsive designs.
What We Cover in This Chapter
The following topics are covered in this chapter:
Layout Before and After
In this section, we’ll explore the impact of layout design on the appearance and functionality of a webpage. Without a structured layout, elements may appear disorganized, with block elements stretching uncontrollably to the right edge and inline elements disrupting text flow. This lack of structure can lead to misaligned elements and inconsistent spacing. A good layout creates harmony, positioning elements properly and ensuring consistent spacing.
Layout Key Design Points
When building layouts, several critical factors must be considered to ensure elements are presented clearly and effectively. In this section, we’ll cover the following key design points:
- Layout Structure (Sectioning): Defining the overall structure of the page and organizing content into sections.
- Position and Alignment: Controlling the placement of elements and ensuring they align properly.
- Sizing and Spacing: Adjusting the dimensions of elements and managing the space between them for a balanced layout.
Understanding these factors is crucial for creating responsive layouts that adapt to various screen sizes.
Display Property
The display property in CSS is essential for determining how elements are displayed and interact within a layout. In this section, we'll discuss how the display property influences element behavior and its role in page layout. By default, the display value of an element depends on its type, but you can override it to customize its display characteristics. We’ll go over how different values of this property can be applied to achieve the desired layout.
Inline, Block, and Inline-Block
In this section, we’ll cover the three most common display values used in CSS layouts:
- inline: Elements with this value flow with text, only taking up as much width as necessary.
- block: Elements with this value take up the full width of their container, starting a new line.
- inline-block: These elements behave like inline elements but also respect width and height properties.
Understanding how these values work is crucial for positioning elements effectively and creating layouts that respond well to different screen sizes.
Display: None
In this section, we'll explore the display: none; property, which completely hides an element from view, removing it from the document flow. This differs from visibility: hidden;, which only makes the element invisible but still keeps its space in the layout. We’ll explain how and when to use display: none; for efficient layout management.
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