Why Doesn't Text Decoration Inherit and Override Like Other CSS Properties?

Understanding CSS Text Decoration Inheritance and Overriding

In this question, we encounter a scenario where the text-decoration property of an anchor element () is not overridden by the subsequent span element (). This raises the question of which CSS properties can be inherited and overridden between parent and child elements.

According to the CSS text-decoration specification, the text-decoration property applied to a descendant element (such as the span in this case) cannot affect the decoration of the ancestor (the a element). This behavior is explained by the following excerpts from the specification:

• "The 'text-decoration' property on descendant elements cannot have any effect on the decoration of the ancestor."
• "Text decorations on inline boxes are drawn across the entire element, going across any descendant elements without paying any attention to their presence."

This means that the text-decoration applied to the a element will always apply to the entire anchor, regardless of any conflicting decorations specified on its child elements.

However, there are other CSS properties that do inherit and can be overridden by child elements. For example, properties like color and font-family, as seen in the provided example, are inherited and can be successfully overridden.

To determine which CSS properties can be inherited and overridden, refer to the CSS Inheritance Model documentation. This documentation provides a detailed list of all CSS properties and their inheritance behavior. It's worth noting that inheritance rules can be complex and may vary depending on the property and the context in which it is used.

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