Clearfix vs. Overflow: Hidden – When Is One Better Than the Other?

Rethinking Clearfix: Is It Outmoded?

The iconic clearfix method has long been employed to address the challenge of expanding container heights to accommodate their floated child elements. However, modern browsers have introduced overflow: hidden as an equally effective solution.

When Clearfix Still Has Value

Although overflow: hidden often suffices, there remain scenarios when clearfix outshines its competitor. One such instance is when you need to overflow a container horizontally without affecting its vertical dimensions. As demonstrated in the provided examples, overflow: hidden is rendered ineffective in such situations.

An Exceptional Use Case

A more significant example where clearfix proves its worth is in scenarios similar to the one presented at fordinteractive.com/misc/overflow/. Here, overflow: hidden fails to accommodate the overflowing content, leaving a truncated layout. However, display: inline-block offers a neat solution to this specific issue.

Conclusion

In summary, overflow: hidden has emerged as a versatile alternative to clearfix for handling floated elements. However, clearfix retains its relevance in select scenarios where overflow: hidden proves insufficient or where other methods, such as display: inline-block, provide more suitable solutions.

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