Why Do Empty Inline-Block Elements Create a Gap?

Susan Sarandon
Release: 2024-11-02 07:04:02
Original
184 people have browsed it

Why Do Empty Inline-Block Elements Create a Gap?

Inline-Block Height Conundrum: Understanding the Line-Height Effect

Context

When an empty

element is given an inline-block display, it seems to acquire unexpected height within its parent container. This phenomenon does not occur with display:block. This peculiarity has left developers wondering, "Why does inline-block cause this gap?"

Line-Height Calculations and Inline-Block Effects

One crucial aspect of display:inline-block is its impact on line-height calculations. In an inline context, line heights center around text baselines. For inline-block elements, the line height is determined by their font's metrics.

Measuring Height Without Content

Empty inline-block elements pose a challenge as they lack font-related dimensions. However, they still inherit the default line height of their parent element, resulting in the visible gap.

Quick Fix: Removing the Line-Height

To resolve this issue, a wrapper element can be introduced with a zero font-size, effectively removing any line height and therefore eliminating the gap. Resetting the font-size within the inline-block elements allows for content without creating the unwanted space.

Update: Filling the Gap in Documentation

Despite extensive research, no official documentation explicitly defines the height of empty inline-block elements.

A Simplified Explanation

Inline-block elements behave as if they expect content. They reserve a minimum line space based on their inherited line height, even in the absence of actual content. This behavior, while not explicitly documented, is a common pattern observed through experimentation.

The above is the detailed content of Why Do Empty Inline-Block Elements Create a Gap?. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!

source:php.cn
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
Latest Articles by Author
Popular Tutorials
More>
Latest Downloads
More>
Web Effects
Website Source Code
Website Materials
Front End Template