What could be causing my div element to not inherit its parent div's width?

Question

What could be causing my div element to not inherit its parent div's width?

My query revolves around a header div that I'm struggling to align with the same width as its parent div, while keeping the content centered. Currently, the div is only as wide as its content, causing it to be off-center.

https://i.stack.imgur.com/E1IiG.png

Issues faced:

Despite information from this thread suggesting that inheriting the width from the parent div should happen by default or using width: auto, this doesn't seem to work for me.
Setting width: 100% results in the header being too wide.
Switching to position: relative isn't viable as it removes the sticky property of the header.
Assigning a fixed width value isn't preferred because I want the page to remain resizable.
Even specifying a fixed max-width causes the header to shrink to content width.
Using width: inherit also has no impact.

Queries:
Why does the solution proposed in the aforementioned thread not work in my scenario?
How can I adjust the header to have the same width as the container?

body {
  max-width: 1200px;
  margin: auto;
}

nav {
  height: 100%;
  width: 250px;
  position: fixed;
  overflow-x: hidden;
  margin-top: 100px;
}


#container {
  margin-left: 250px;
}

#header {
  position: fixed;
  top: 0;
  height: 100px;
  background: white;
  border: 1px solid lightgray;
}

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html id="top">

<head>
  <link rel="stylesheet" href="style.css">
  </script>
</head>

<body>

  <nav id="nav">
    <li><a href="#sec1">Section 1</a></li>
    <li><a href="#sec2">Section 2</a></li>
    <li><a href="#sec3">Section 3</a></li>
  </nav>

  <div id="container">

    <div id="header">
      <h1><a href="#top">Title</a></h1>
    </div>

    <div id="content">
      <section id="sec1">
      <h2><a href="#sec1">Section 1</a></h2>
          <p>Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consetetur sadipscing elitr, sed diam nonumy eirmod tempor invidunt ut labore et dolore magna aliquyam erat, sed diam voluptua. At vero eos et accusam et justo duo dolores et ea rebum. Stet clita kasd gubergren, no sea takimata sanctus est Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consetetur sadipscing elitr, sed diam nonumy eirmod tempor invidunt ut labore et dolore magna aliquyam erat, sed diam voluptua. At vero eos et accusam et justo duo dolores et ea rebum. Stet clita kasd gubergren, no sea takimata sanctus est Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet.</p></section<
    </div>

  </div>

</body>

</html>

css css-position

Answer 1

Answer №1

There are multiple approaches to accomplishing your desired outcome. I comprehend the reasons behind your fixed position requirement and how it aligns with your objectives, yet this is also the root cause of the issue at hand. When you set the position to "fixed," it effectively removes the element from the document flow.

Given that you have already specified a fixed width for the left navigation, incorporating the following code in addition to your existing setup should resolve the issue:

    #header {
        right: 0;
        left: 250px;
    }

If you aim to align the fixed element with the content, there are a few factors to consider:

The body has a maximum width of 1200px, which must be taken into consideration during your calculations as it can pose challenges.
Auto margin presents an uncertainty factor unless referenced against another point.
For screens smaller than 1200px, a media query needs to be added. Anything below 100% will not behave normally under 1200px with calculations. To align the right edges, apply a fixed margin to the #content and offset the header by the same amount on the right side. If right edge alignment is not crucial, adjust the header's right offset to suit your preference.

    #content {
      /* ... other css rules */
      margin-right: 15px;
    }
    #header {
         /* ... other css rules */
         text-align: center;
         left: 250px;
         right: 15px;
    }
    @media screen and (min-width: 1200px) {
        #content {
           margin-right: 0;
        }
        #header {
          left: calc(((100% - 1200px) / 2) + 250px);
          right: calc((100% - 1200px) / 2);
        }      
    }

While the above solution will suffice, keep in mind that the use of calc may slightly affect rendering time, and it might be a modification you'll need to revisit in the future. It is advisable to explore alternative methods to achieve your objective within the given constraints. Nevertheless, considering your requirements, the provided solution should meet your needs.

Answer 2

There are multiple approaches to accomplishing your desired outcome. I comprehend the reasons behind your fixed position requirement and how it aligns with your objectives, yet this is also the root cause of the issue at hand. When you set the position to "fixed," it effectively removes the element from the document flow.

Given that you have already specified a fixed width for the left navigation, incorporating the following code in addition to your existing setup should resolve the issue:

    #header {
        right: 0;
        left: 250px;
    }

If you aim to align the fixed element with the content, there are a few factors to consider:

The body has a maximum width of 1200px, which must be taken into consideration during your calculations as it can pose challenges.
Auto margin presents an uncertainty factor unless referenced against another point.
For screens smaller than 1200px, a media query needs to be added. Anything below 100% will not behave normally under 1200px with calculations. To align the right edges, apply a fixed margin to the #content and offset the header by the same amount on the right side. If right edge alignment is not crucial, adjust the header's right offset to suit your preference.

    #content {
      /* ... other css rules */
      margin-right: 15px;
    }
    #header {
         /* ... other css rules */
         text-align: center;
         left: 250px;
         right: 15px;
    }
    @media screen and (min-width: 1200px) {
        #content {
           margin-right: 0;
        }
        #header {
          left: calc(((100% - 1200px) / 2) + 250px);
          right: calc((100% - 1200px) / 2);
        }      
    }

While the above solution will suffice, keep in mind that the use of calc may slightly affect rendering time, and it might be a modification you'll need to revisit in the future. It is advisable to explore alternative methods to achieve your objective within the given constraints. Nevertheless, considering your requirements, the provided solution should meet your needs.

Answer 3

Answer №2

How come my div is not inheriting its parent's width?

It's because the CSS rules you have in place prevent it from doing so.

Why doesn't the solution suggested in another discussion work for me?

Since your div has a fixed position, it changes things.

What's the best way to ensure that the header has the same width as the container?

Just leave it at the default settings.

Certain CSS properties like fixed, absolute, flex, grid ... tend to deviate from standard behavior and can cause issues.

In the context of your webpage:

Many people use mobile devices to browse the internet, sometimes exclusively.

Applying

nav{ width: 250px; position: fixed}

or

#header{ position: fixed; top: 0}

may make the content inaccessible on certain devices.

Moving the body element around can lead to unexpected results in some browsers. It's unnecessary and could be confusing.
If you have a header, avoid making it a simple div.
If you give a full-width border to the header, the border will stretch across but the text inside won't...

Here's a different snippet with an alternate approach for better results:

*{ box-sizing: border-box}
nav{ position: fixed; top: 0; left: 0; bottom: 0; padding: 15vh 10px; width: 25vw; text-align: center}
nav a{ text-decoration: none; color: inherit; outline: none; display: block; margin: 5vh auto; font-size: 1.5em}
main{ margin: 0 0 0 25vw; padding: 2vw}
header{ font-size: 5em}
section{ margin: 10vh 0}
h1{ text-align: center}

<nav>
<a href="#top">top</a>
<a href="#sec1">Section 1</a>
<a href="#sec2">Section 2</a>
<a href="#sec3">Section 3</a>
</nav>
<main>
<header id="top">Title</header>
<hr>
<section id="sec1"><h1>Section 1</h1>
<p>Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit...</p></section>
<section id="sec2"><h1>Section 2</h1>
<p>Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit...</p></section>
<section id="sec3"><h1>Section 3</h1>
<p>Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit...</p></section>

Answer 4

How come my div is not inheriting its parent's width?

It's because the CSS rules you have in place prevent it from doing so.

Why doesn't the solution suggested in another discussion work for me?

Since your div has a fixed position, it changes things.

What's the best way to ensure that the header has the same width as the container?

Just leave it at the default settings.

Certain CSS properties like fixed, absolute, flex, grid ... tend to deviate from standard behavior and can cause issues.

In the context of your webpage:

Many people use mobile devices to browse the internet, sometimes exclusively.

Applying

nav{ width: 250px; position: fixed}

or

#header{ position: fixed; top: 0}

may make the content inaccessible on certain devices.

Moving the body element around can lead to unexpected results in some browsers. It's unnecessary and could be confusing.
If you have a header, avoid making it a simple div.
If you give a full-width border to the header, the border will stretch across but the text inside won't...

Here's a different snippet with an alternate approach for better results:

*{ box-sizing: border-box}
nav{ position: fixed; top: 0; left: 0; bottom: 0; padding: 15vh 10px; width: 25vw; text-align: center}
nav a{ text-decoration: none; color: inherit; outline: none; display: block; margin: 5vh auto; font-size: 1.5em}
main{ margin: 0 0 0 25vw; padding: 2vw}
header{ font-size: 5em}
section{ margin: 10vh 0}
h1{ text-align: center}

<nav>
<a href="#top">top</a>
<a href="#sec1">Section 1</a>
<a href="#sec2">Section 2</a>
<a href="#sec3">Section 3</a>
</nav>
<main>
<header id="top">Title</header>
<hr>
<section id="sec1"><h1>Section 1</h1>
<p>Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit...</p></section>
<section id="sec2"><h1>Section 2</h1>
<p>Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit...</p></section>
<section id="sec3"><h1>Section 3</h1>
<p>Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit...</p></section>

Answer 5

Answer №3

When implementing position: fixed for your #header, it is important to make the following adjustments:

#header {
  position: fixed;
  top: 0;
  left: 250px;
  right: 0;
  text-align: center;
  height: 100px;
  background: white;
  border: 1px solid lightgray;
}

These changes will establish a margin of 250px to the left of the viewport (due to left: 250px), ensure that the header spans all the way to the right (right: 0), and center the header text within this space (text-align: center;). This setup allows the width of the header to adjust dynamically based on the size of the viewport.

Answer 6

When implementing position: fixed for your #header, it is important to make the following adjustments:

#header {
  position: fixed;
  top: 0;
  left: 250px;
  right: 0;
  text-align: center;
  height: 100px;
  background: white;
  border: 1px solid lightgray;
}

These changes will establish a margin of 250px to the left of the viewport (due to left: 250px), ensure that the header spans all the way to the right (right: 0), and center the header text within this space (text-align: center;). This setup allows the width of the header to adjust dynamically based on the size of the viewport.

What could be causing my div element to not inherit its parent div's width?

Answer №1

Answer №2

Answer №3

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