What are the best scenarios for using %, em, or ex units in CSS font styles?

I'm trying to figure out in what situations I should use %, em, and ex as font units of measurement in CSS. Can someone provide some clarity on this for me? I'm feeling a bit confused.

Answer №1

The decision is ultimately yours to make. For better usability, it's recommended to stick with em or % units as opposed to px which is a fixed value and doesn't scale well on different devices. Start by setting your base font-size on the body (67% is a popular choice) and then use em units to adjust the size according to your preferences.


Here are some insights extracted from an online source:

  1. “Ems” (em): Ems are scalable units that adapt to the current font-size in web documents. For example, if the font-size is 12pt, 1em equals 12pt. Ems can be scaled, making them ideal for mobile-friendly designs.
  2. Pixels (px): Pixels are fixed-size units used on screen media for precise rendering on computer screens. However, they do not scale well for visually impaired readers or mobile devices.
  3. Points (pt): Points are traditional print media units equal to 1/72 of an inch, similar to pixels in their fixed nature without scalability.
  4. Percent (%): Similar to em units but with some differences. The default font-size is 100%, allowing text to be fully scalable for accessibility and mobile responsiveness.

I highly suggest delving into the article linked above for a more detailed explanation accompanied by helpful diagrams :)

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