Although elements like <div>
s normally grow to fit their contents, using the float
property can cause a startling problem for CSS newbies: If floated elements have non-floated parent elements, the parent will collapse.
For example:
<div>
<div style="float: left;">Div 1</div>
<div style="float: left;">Div 2</div>
</div>
The parent div in this example will not expand to contain its floated children – it will appear to have height: 0
.
How do you solve this problem?
I would like to create an exhaustive list of solutions here. If you’re aware of cross-browser compatibility issues, please point them out.
Solution 1
Float the parent.
<div style="float: left;">
<div style="float: left;">Div 1</div>
<div style="float: left;">Div 2</div>
</div>
Pros: Semantic code.
Cons: You may not always want the parent floated. Even if you do, do you float the parents’ parent, and so on? Must you float every ancestor element?
Solution 2
Give the parent an explicit height.
<div style="height: 300px;">
<div style="float: left;">Div 1</div>
<div style="float: left;">Div 2</div>
</div>
Pros: Semantic code.
Cons: Not flexible – if the content changes or the browser is resized, the layout will break.
Solution 3
Append a “spacer” element inside the parent element, like this:
<div>
<div style="float: left;">Div 1</div>
<div style="float: left;">Div 2</div>
<div class="spacer" style="clear: both;"></div>
</div>
Pros: Straightforward to code.
Cons: Not semantic; the spacer div exists only as a layout hack.
Solution 4
Set parent to overflow: auto
.
<div style="overflow: auto;">
<div style="float: left;">Div 1</div>
<div style="float: left;">Div 2</div>
</div>
Pros: Doesn’t require extra div.
Cons: Seems like a hack – that’s not the overflow
property’s stated purpose.
Comments? Other suggestions?
15 s
Solution 1:
The most reliable and unobtrusive method appears to be this:
Demo: http://jsfiddle.net/SO_AMK/wXaEH/
HTML:
<div class="clearfix">
<div style="float: left;">Div 1</div>
<div style="float: left;">Div 2</div>
</div>
CSS:
.clearfix::after {
content: " ";
display: block;
height: 0;
clear: both;
}
With a little CSS targeting, you don’t even need to add a class to the parent DIV
.
This solution is backward compatible with IE8 so you don’t need to worry about older browsers failing.
Solution 2:
An adaptation of solution 1 has been suggested and is as follows:
Demo: http://jsfiddle.net/wXaEH/162/
HTML:
<div class="clearfix">
<div style="float: left;">Div 1</div>
<div style="float: left;">Div 2</div>
</div>
CSS:
.clearfix::after {
content: " ";
display: block;
height: 0;
clear: both;
*zoom: expression( this.runtimeStyle['zoom'] = '1', this.innerHTML += '<div class="ie7-clear"></div>' );
}
.ie7-clear {
display: block;
clear: both;
}
This solution appears to be backward compatible to IE5.5 but is untested.
Solution 3:
It’s also possible to set display: inline-block;
and width: 100%;
to emulate a normal block element while not collapsing.
Demo: http://jsfiddle.net/SO_AMK/ae5ey/
CSS:
.clearfix {
display: inline-block;
width: 100%;
}
This solution should be backward compatible with IE5.5 but has only been tested in IE6.