CSS: The height of floating divs is set to 0

Question

CSS: The height of floating divs is set to 0

I'm attempting to align 2 divs next to each other within another div, creating 2 columns of text with the outer div forming a border around both:

HTML

<div id="outer">
    <div id="left">
         ...
    <div id="right">
</div>

CSS

#outer{
    background-color:rgba(255,255,255,.5);
    width:800px;
}

#left{
    float:left;
}

#right{
    width:500px;
    float:right;
}

However, the outer div is showing a height of 0px causing the border not to enclose the other divs. How can I make the outer div acknowledge the heights of its contents?

html css

Answer 1

Answer №1

The reason the floating divs do not affect the size of the parent element is not because they don't have a height, but rather because of how floats work.

To ensure that the parent element takes the floating elements into consideration, you can utilize the overflow style like so:

#outer { overflow: auto; }

Update:

In 2020, a new value for the display property was introduced (mentioned by @timgl07 in a comment), which has fewer unintended side effects:

#outer { display: flow-root; }

Answer 2

The reason the floating divs do not affect the size of the parent element is not because they don't have a height, but rather because of how floats work.

To ensure that the parent element takes the floating elements into consideration, you can utilize the overflow style like so:

#outer { overflow: auto; }

Update:

In 2020, a new value for the display property was introduced (mentioned by @timgl07 in a comment), which has fewer unintended side effects:

#outer { display: flow-root; }

Answer 3

Answer №2

To resolve this issue, there are a few possible solutions:

#outer: overflow: hidden;

Another option is to insert some invisible content into the outer div following the floated divs, and then apply a clear: both style rule.

An alternative method involves using CSS to add the :after pseudo-element to append content after those divs, enabling you to apply clear: both without needing extra markup.

I personally prefer the first solution.

Answer 4

To resolve this issue, there are a few possible solutions:

#outer: overflow: hidden;

Another option is to insert some invisible content into the outer div following the floated divs, and then apply a clear: both style rule.

An alternative method involves using CSS to add the :after pseudo-element to append content after those divs, enabling you to apply clear: both without needing extra markup.

I personally prefer the first solution.

Answer 5

Answer №3

Give this a shot:

<div id="container">
    <div id="sidebar">
         ...
    <div id="main">
    <div style="clear:both"></div>
</div>

Answer 6

Give this a shot:

<div id="container">
    <div id="sidebar">
         ...
    <div id="main">
    <div style="clear:both"></div>
</div>

Answer 7

Answer №4

Make sure to float the outer div as well. Any divs that contain floated elements but are not themselves floated will collapse.

#outer{
    background-color:rgba(255,255,255,.5);
    width:800px;
    float:left;
}

#left{
    float:left;
    width:300px;
}

#right{
    width:500px;
    float:right;
}

Answer 8

Make sure to float the outer div as well. Any divs that contain floated elements but are not themselves floated will collapse.

#outer{
    background-color:rgba(255,255,255,.5);
    width:800px;
    float:left;
}

#left{
    float:left;
    width:300px;
}

#right{
    width:500px;
    float:right;
}

Answer 9

Answer №5

Update the main div by including overflow: hidden; in the CSS.

<style type="text/css">
#container{
    background-color:rgba(255,255,255,.6);
    width:900px;
overflow: hidden;
border: 1px solid blue;
}

#left{ 
    float:left;
border: 1px solid purple;
}

#right{
    width:600px;
    float:right;
border: 1px solid orange;
}
</style>

Answer 10

Update the main div by including overflow: hidden; in the CSS.

<style type="text/css">
#container{
    background-color:rgba(255,255,255,.6);
    width:900px;
overflow: hidden;
border: 1px solid blue;
}

#left{ 
    float:left;
border: 1px solid purple;
}

#right{
    width:600px;
    float:right;
border: 1px solid orange;
}
</style>

Answer 11

Answer №6

To fix the height issue caused by floated child elements, you can add a clearing element after them with the clear property applied. Floated children do not contribute to the parent's height, so this step is necessary.

<div id="outer">
    <div id="left">
         ...
    <div id="right">
    <div class="clear"></div> 
</div>

#outer{
    background-color:rgba(255,255,255,.5);
    width:800px;
}

#left{
    float:left;
}

#right{
    width:500px;
    float:right;
}
.clear{ clear: both; }

Answer 12

To fix the height issue caused by floated child elements, you can add a clearing element after them with the clear property applied. Floated children do not contribute to the parent's height, so this step is necessary.

<div id="outer">
    <div id="left">
         ...
    <div id="right">
    <div class="clear"></div> 
</div>

#outer{
    background-color:rgba(255,255,255,.5);
    width:800px;
}

#left{
    float:left;
}

#right{
    width:500px;
    float:right;
}
.clear{ clear: both; }

Answer 13

Answer №7

What do you think of this layout:

<style type="text/css>
#container{
   background-color:rgba(255,255,255,.5);
   width:800px;
   border:thin solid #000000;
   height:300px;
   margin:5px;
   padding:10px;
}

#left-side{
   float:left;
   border:thin dashed #000000;
   width:385px;
   height:100px;
   margin:5px;
}

#right-side{
   width:385px;
   float:left;
   border:thin dashed #000000;
   height:100px;
   margin:5px;
}
</style>

<div id="container">
   <div id="left-side">
   </div>
        ...
   <div id="right-side">
</div>
</div>

Answer 14

What do you think of this layout:

<style type="text/css>
#container{
   background-color:rgba(255,255,255,.5);
   width:800px;
   border:thin solid #000000;
   height:300px;
   margin:5px;
   padding:10px;
}

#left-side{
   float:left;
   border:thin dashed #000000;
   width:385px;
   height:100px;
   margin:5px;
}

#right-side{
   width:385px;
   float:left;
   border:thin dashed #000000;
   height:100px;
   margin:5px;
}
</style>

<div id="container">
   <div id="left-side">
   </div>
        ...
   <div id="right-side">
</div>
</div>

Answer 15

Answer №8

If a div inside a parent is floated, it is no longer considered part of the parent div. You can check this by inspecting the parent element. To fix this issue, there are two methods you can try:

.blank:after{
        content: "";
        clear:both;
        display:block;
    }

Alternatively, you can give the parent a class of .clear-fix and add the following CSS:

.clearfix:after {
    content: "";
    clear: both;
    display: block;
}

This will ensure that the parent div has a height equal to its contents.

Answer 16

If a div inside a parent is floated, it is no longer considered part of the parent div. You can check this by inspecting the parent element. To fix this issue, there are two methods you can try:

.blank:after{
        content: "";
        clear:both;
        display:block;
    }

Alternatively, you can give the parent a class of .clear-fix and add the following CSS:

.clearfix:after {
    content: "";
    clear: both;
    display: block;
}

This will ensure that the parent div has a height equal to its contents.

CSS: The height of floating divs is set to 0

Answer №1

Answer №2

Answer №3

Answer №4

Answer №5

Answer №6

Answer №7

Answer №8

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