Is it possible to use CSS to change the order in which two elements are displayed?

Let's dive into a little experiment here. I am currently working on a page layout that is quite unique:

<div id="container">
    <div id="child1">...</div>
    <div is="child2">...</div>
</div>

My goal is to have the appearance of this page change based on whether it is being viewed on screen or when printed, accomplished using media queries. Specifically, for printing, I want #child2 to be displayed on the page prior to #child1.

Is there a way to switch their positions without needing javascript and avoiding any complicated absolute positioning methods?

Just to clarify, by "prior to" in this scenario, I mean "immediately underneath."

Answer №1

A great way to achieve this is by using flex boxes - check out this demo: http://jsfiddle.net/F8XMk/

#container{
  display: flex;    
  flex-flow: column;
}

#child1{
  order: 2;
}

#child2{
  order: 1;    
}

Most modern browsers now fully support flex, but you can also experiment with negative margins for a similar effect :)

Answer №2

By utilizing the code below, you can resolve your problem effectively, as it is supported by all major browsers except for Internet Explorer versions 7 and older.

To explore full support for CSS table display, visit this link.

HTML

<div id="container">
    <div id="child1">1</div>
    <div id="child2">2</div>
</div>

CSS

#child2 {
    display:table-header-group;   
}
#child1 {
    display:table-footer-group;    
}

Answer №3

To implement this layout, utilize the power of flexbox

<div id="container">
  <div id="child1">1</div>
  <div id="child2">2</div>
</div>
#container {
  display: flex; 
  flex-direction: row-reverse;  
}

Answer №4

Unfortunately, accomplishing this task with just CSS is not possible. CSS is primarily concerned with the design aspect of a webpage, rather than manipulating the data structure being presented.

One workaround that could be considered is duplicating content:

<div class="child1 even">...</div>
<div class="child2 odd">...</div>
<div class="child1 odd">...</div>
<div class="child2 even">...</div>

Then, one can hide the odd class in one layout and even in another.

While this method may not be ideal and could potentially impact SEO depending on the circumstances, it remains one of the few options available without resorting to server-side processing or JavaScript.

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