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float CSS

3 min read

The CSS float property specifies how an element should float. The CSS clear property specifies what elements can float beside the cleared element and on which side.

float

The float property is used for positioning and formatting content e.g. let an image float left to the text in a container.

The float property can have one of the following values:

  • left - The element floats to the left of its container
  • right - The element floats to the right of its container
  • none - The element does not float (will be displayed just where it occurs in the text). This is default
  • inherit - The element inherits the float value of its parent In its simplest use, the float property can be used to wrap text around images.

Example

<img src="pineapple.jpg" alt="Pineapple" style="width:170px;height:170px;float:right;margin-left:15px;margin-bottom:10px;">
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Phasellus imperdiet, nulla et dictum interdum, nisi lorem egestas odio, vitae scelerisque enim ligula venenatis dolor. Maecenas nisl est, ultrices nec congue eget, auctor vitae massa.

Example - Float Next To Each Other

Normally div elements will be displayed on top of each other. However, if we use float: left we can let elements float next to each other:

div {  
	float: left;  
	padding: 15px;
}

clear

When we use the float property, and we want the next element below (not on right or left), we will have to use the clear property. The clear property specifies what should happen with the element that is next to a floating element. The clear property can have one of the following values:

  • none - The element is not pushed below left or right floated elements. This is default
  • left - The element is pushed below left floated elements
  • right - The element is pushed below right floated elements
  • both - The element is pushed below both left and right floated elements
  • inherit - The element inherits the clear value from its parent

When clearing floats, you should match the clear to the float: If an element is floated to the left, then you should clear to the left. Your floated element will continue to float, but the cleared element will appear below it on the web page.

div1 {  float: left;}  
 
div2 {  clear: left;}

The clearfix Hack

If a floated element is taller than the containing element, it will “overflow” outside of its container. We can then add a clearfix hack to solve this problem:

.clearfix {  overflow: auto;}
 
<div class="clearfix">
  <img class="img2" src="pineapple.jpg" alt="Pineapple" width="170" height="170">
  Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Phasellus imperdiet...
</div>

The overflow: auto clearfix works well as long as you are able to keep control of your margins and padding (else you might see scrollbars). The new, modern clearfix hack however, is safer to use, and the following code is used for most webpages:

.clearfix::after {  
	content: "";  
	clear: both;  
	display: table;
}

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