10 Most Used CSS Display Values You Must Know About

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Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) is a fundamental technology for web development, allowing developers to control the layout and presentation of HTML documents. One of the most crucial properties in CSS is the display property, which determines how elements are rendered in the browser. Understanding the various display property values is essential for creating well-structured and responsive web layouts. Here are the 10 most commonly used CSS display values that you must know about:

1. block: The block value is the default display value for most HTML elements. Elements with display: block; occupy the entire width of their parent container and stack vertically on top of each other. Examples of block-level elements include <div>, <p>, and <h1>.

Example:

.block-element {
  display: block;
}

<div class="block-element">
  This is a block-level element.
</div>

2. inline: Elements with display: inline; only take up as much space as necessary and do not start on a new line. They flow horizontally within their parent container and can be placed alongside other inline elements. Examples of inline elements include <span>, <a>, and <strong>.

Example:

.inline-element {
  display: inline;
}

<span class="inline-element">This is an inline element.</span>

3. inline-block: The inline-block value combines aspects of both block and inline display types. Elements with display: inline-block; are rendered as block-level boxes but flow like inline elements, allowing them to be positioned horizontally next to each other while retaining their block-like properties.

Example:

.inline-block-element {
  display: inline-block;
}

<div class="inline-block-element">This is an inline-block element.</div>

4. flex: The flex value introduces a flexible box layout model, allowing developers to create complex and responsive layouts with ease. Elements with display: flex; become flex containers, and their child elements become flex items. The flex property provides powerful alignment and spacing capabilities for building dynamic layouts.

Example:

.flex-container {
  display: flex;
  justify-content: space-between;
}
.flex-item {
  flex: 1;
}

<div class="flex-container">
  <div class="flex-item">Item 1</div>
  <div class="flex-item">Item 2</div>
  <div class="flex-item">Item 3</div>
</div>

5. grid: Similar to flex, the grid value introduces a two-dimensional grid layout system. Elements with display: grid; become grid containers, and their child elements become grid items. The grid property enables precise control over the placement and alignment of elements within the grid, facilitating the creation of complex and responsive designs.

Example:

.grid-container {
  display: grid;
  grid-template-columns: repeat(3, 1fr);
  gap: 10px;
}
.grid-item {
  background-color: #f0f0f0;
  padding: 10px;
  text-align: center;
}

<div class="grid-container">
  <div class="grid-item">Item 1</div>
  <div class="grid-item">Item 2</div>
  <div class="grid-item">Item 3</div>
</div>

6. table: The table value simulates the behavior of HTML table elements (<table>, <tr>, <td>, etc.) using CSS. Elements with display: table; behave like table elements, allowing developers to create table-like structures without using actual table markup. This can be useful for styling data or creating layouts with tabular structures.

Example:

.table-element {
  display: table;
}

<div class="table-element">
  <div style="display: table-row;">
    <div style="display: table-cell;">Cell 1</div>
    <div style="display: table-cell;">Cell 2</div>
    <div style="display: table-cell;">Cell 3</div>
  </div>
</div>

7. table-cell: The table-cell value is used in conjunction with the table display type. Elements with display: table-cell; behave like table cells, allowing them to align vertically within a table-like structure. This display value is commonly used for creating vertical alignments within table-like layouts.

Example:

.table-cell-element {
  display: table-cell;
  vertical-align: middle;
}

<div class="table-cell-element">This is a table cell.</div>

8. none: The none value hides an element from the page layout entirely. Elements with display: none; are removed from the document flow and do not occupy any space on the page. This is commonly used for hiding elements dynamically or conditionally based on user interactions or application logic.

Example:

.hidden-element {
  display: none;
}

<div class="hidden-element">This element is hidden.</div>

9. inline-flex: Similar to inline-block, the inline-flex value combines aspects of both flex and inline display types. Elements with display: inline-flex; are rendered as flex containers but flow like inline elements, allowing them to be placed horizontally next to each other while still benefiting from the flex layout model.

Example:

.inline-flex-container {
  display: inline-flex;
}

<div class="inline-flex-container">
  <div style="flex: 1;">Item 1</div>
  <div style="flex: 1;">Item 2</div>
  <div style="flex: 1;">Item 3</div>
</div>

10. inline-grid: The inline-grid value combines aspects of both grid and inline display types. Elements with display: inline-grid; are rendered as grid containers but flow like inline elements, allowing them to be placed horizontally next to each other while still benefiting from the grid layout model.

Example:

.inline-grid-container {
  display: inline-grid;
  grid-template-columns: repeat(3, 1fr);
  gap: 10px;
}

<div class="inline-grid-container">
  <div class="grid-item">Item 1</div>
  <div class="grid-item">Item 2</div>
  <div class="grid-item">Item 3</div>
</div>

Understanding these CSS display property values empowers developers to create diverse and responsive web layouts, catering to different design requirements and user experiences. By leveraging the appropriate display values, developers can craft visually appealing and functional web interfaces that adapt seamlessly to various screen sizes and devices.