Css overflow - only 1 line of text

html

responsive-design

css-properties

overflow-management

byAlex Kataev·Jan 4, 2025

To create a single-line of text that hides overflow and ends with an ellipsis using CSS, use:

.single-line-text {
  white-space: nowrap; /* Wrapping is for gifts, not our text */
  overflow: hidden; /* Hide and seek champion */
  text-overflow: ellipsis; /* 'clip' to line sans ellipsis */
  width: 100%; /* Fits like a glove */
}

<div class="single-line-text">Your long text goes here: Visible in day, invisible at night.</div>

Here, white-space: nowrap; prevents the text from breaking into new lines, while overflow: hidden; hides the text that exceeds the div boundary. text-overflow: ellipsis; indicates to the user that the text continues beyond what's visible.

Inside the box: Understanding key CSS properties

Non-wrapping text within boundaries

By using white-space: nowrap;, you're ensuring your text stays on a single line, preventing it from breaking onto a new line. Use this property when you want your text to remain on a single line, no matter how long that line gets and no matter how narrow the view port is.

Overflow management: hidden and beyond

Overflow: hidden; ensures that any text attempting to assert itself beyond the bounds of your div gets a strict 🚫 "Sorry, this div is full" message. The overflowing text becomes invisible. Always consider your use case and your audience's needs when making this choice.

Fitting within the box: the width dimension

Width: 100%; helps adapt the text's width to its containing div. The text width grows and shrinks with the div, and never spills over.

Styling tip: 🌈✨ You can also let your design needs dictate a fixed width in pixels if necessary!

Showing overflow indication

When overflow: hidden; is doing its job, the text-overflow: ellipsis; property steps in to show an ellipsis (...) as an indicator of more text. Users understand there's more text, but also that it isn't currently visible. These mystery dots keep the user engaged and intrigued! 🎩🐇

Addressing overflow in broader scenarios

Compatibility considerations for varied content

Achieving a single line of overflow-hidden text might need additional steps if content varies or cross-browser compatibility is a concern. Here are solutions for those hurdles:

Responsive width: Use media queries to adjust width dynamically for different devices.
Dynamic content: Use JavaScript to measure content width and apply styles dynamically.
Clip vs Ellipsis: Use text-overflow: clip; to simply hide overflowing text without an indicator.
Firefox issues: Check how Firefox handles text-overflow or experiment with -webkit-line-clampin Webkit browsers (Although, not universally supported. Use with caution! 🚧).

Styling and alignment of your text div

Consider how your containing div looks and acts in context of your page:

Consistent height: Consider setting the div's height equal to font size or line-height
Floats and Padding: To achieve your desired alignment or spacing, float: left; and padding might be necessary.

What to do when CSS is not enough

Introducing JavaScript into the mix

When your trusty sidekick CSS can't quite handle the overflow situation, JavaScript swoops in to save the day. JS can measure the width of the content and apply appropriate styles dynamically as needed.

Responsive and interactive content

For content that changes size or needs to adapt based on the viewport, JavaScript can listen for resize events and modify the overflow styles accordingly. This ensures a responsive overflow management system is in place.

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