Why Do Empty Inline-Block Elements Gain Height When the Container is Hidden?

Why Does Inline-Block Cause Empty Div to Gain Height with Hidden Container?

When an empty

is assigned display:inline-block, it curiously acquires height despite the surrounding container being hidden. This behavior is absent when display:block is used.

Inline-Block and Line Height

One key aspect of inline-block is that it affects line-height calculations. In an inline context, elements align either by their bottoms, tops, or text baselines. Inline-block elements, being part of inline formatting, have their height calculated based on their line-height, rather than just their margin box as with block elements.

Empty Inline-Block's Height Issue

When an inline-block element is empty, it inherits the basic line-height of its parent, which is typically based on its font characteristics. Even though the inline-block has no content, it still attempts to establish a line-height using the assigned font, resulting in a non-zero height.

Quick Fix: Reset Line-Height

To address this height discrepancy, a wrapper can be used to explicitly set font-size: 0, which effectively removes any font-related calculations and eliminates the line-height. Subsequently, the font-size can be restored within the inline-block to allow for content without triggering the height issue.

Update: Determining Inline-Block Height

Despite extensive documentation, the intrinsic height of an empty inline-block remains an enigma. However, through observation and testing, certain patterns have emerged. Inline-block elements seem to reserve a minimum line space, likely based on the inherited line-height of their parent.

In summary, while inline-block offers advantages for specific layouts, the reservation of minimum height in empty inline-blocks can require additional consideration to prevent unwanted gaps.

The above is the detailed content of Why Do Empty Inline-Block Elements Gain Height When the Container is Hidden?. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!

Statement of this Website

The content of this article is voluntarily contributed by netizens, and the copyright belongs to the original author. This site does not assume corresponding legal responsibility. If you find any content suspected of plagiarism or infringement, please contact admin@php.cn