What is the best approach for creating HTML and CSS layouts: focusing on margin/padding or positioning?

When it comes to designing with HTML5 and CSS3, is it more beneficial to rely on margin and padding for layouts or should positioning be the main focus?

I have always combined both methods to achieve desired outcomes but there are examples where each approach can be effective, as demonstrated below:

HTML

<div>
        <ul>
            <li><span>1</span></li>
            <li><span>2</span></li>
        </ul>
    </div>

CSS Example 1 - Utilizing margin and padding

div{
    width:1000px;
    margin:auto;
    }
ul{
    margin-left:10px;
    width:100px;
    }
li{
    height:30px;
    }
span{
    margin-top:10px;
    }

CSS Example 2 - Focusing solely on positioning (Except for margin:auto ..)

div, ul, span{
    position:absolute;
}   

div{
    width:1000px;
     margin:auto;
}
ul{
    left:10px;
    width:100px;
}
li{
    height:30px;
}
span{
    top:10px;
}

Answer №1

When considering a typical page layout, Example 1 stands out as the cleaner option and is recommended if you have the choice.

On the other hand, Example 2 can be problematic because once you apply position: absolute to elements, it eliminates any inherent flexibility in your design. This often requires setting specific dimensions for everything.

As a general rule (although there are exceptions), it's best to avoid using position: absolute for the main layout unless absolutely necessary.

If you're curious about the issues that can arise, check out this example link. In some cases, users may resort to using JavaScript to resolve these kinds of problems, which is not ideal.

Answer №2

Utilizing positioning can be beneficial for elements that need to stand out or those that are dynamically generated. In some cases, the placement of an element is determined by its positioning. Padding and margins play a significant role in determining how elements will be positioned in relation to one another. Therefore, an element may have padding, margins, and positioning attributes, each contributing to its overall placement.

A common approach is to consider the client's viewing environment when designing layouts.

For information on using JavaScript to determine the client screen size in a cross-browser compliant manner, refer to this link:

Answer №3

Typically, position rules are considered the most appropriate choice, given their name implies so.

margins can be unreliable due to inconsistencies in their models across different browsers, making them less ideal for certain purposes.

However, many layout techniques combine elements of both position and margin, using them together in a complementary manner.

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