Can anyone provide a reference or resource that explains the best scenarios for utilizing display:block, display:inline, and display:inline-block, and the reasons behind their usage?

Can you recommend a quality article discussing the guidelines for using display:block, :inline, and :inline-block in CSS, along with explanations on when to utilize each one?

Additionally, in what scenarios should we override the display property through CSS for specific HTML tags or elements?

Answer №1

inline - Considers the element to be an inline piece of text. Dimensions like width and height don't apply

block - Views the element as a rectangular block. You can specify dimensions like width and height

inline-block - Positions the element inline with text, while allowing you to set width and height

Elements naturally default to one of these styles. For instance:

<span>, <em>, <strong> are considered inline

<div>, <p> are deemed as block

Answer №2

When it comes to styling text or creating block areas, the choice between inline and block display is straightforward. Use inline for short spans of text, such as a few words, and use block for rectangular areas with width and height dimensions.

Inline-block, on the other hand, is commonly used for images. It allows small blocks to flow in a left-to-right, top-to-bottom manner like regular text while still maintaining their block-like properties.

It's important to note that in most cases, specifying the display property is unnecessary. Instead, you can simply utilize appropriate HTML elements with classes, like <strong> or <em> for inline styling, and <div> or <p> for block elements. The main use of explicitly setting the display property typically arises when hiding elements in Javascript, where you may need to revert them back to their default display attribute.

Answer №3

A detailed explanation and visual demonstration can be found on quirksmode.org:

Answer №4

By default, a division appears as a block, occupying its own line and stretching to fit its containing element. When styled as an inline element, the division transforms into a span, limited in terms of additional styling options but able to sit alongside text. For a compromise between these two display types, consider using inline-block, which allows for enhanced styling capabilities such as specifying width and height while still maintaining an inline appearance similar to an image.

In essence, the display properties of inline, inline-block, and block serve as different levels of an element, each with unique styles that may or may not be applicable to the specific element type.

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