Fit cell width to content

Flexibility for dynamic content

To cater for dynamic content, use table-layout: auto;. This tells CSS to handle the hard work, enabling cells to extend as needed without a fixed width.

table {
  table-layout: auto; /* I'll take it from here */
  width: 100%; /* Who doesn't like to stretch a bit */
}

td {
  max-width: 100%; /* Keep cell on a strict diet */
}

th, td {
  min-width: min-content; /* Minimum width as per the pickiest content */
}
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Remember: balance is crucial. Proactively managing overall table width and individual cell widths lends to a pleasing visual structure.

Fine-tuning and enhancements

Get fancy with these advanced tips:

• max-width: 100%: Prevent a single cell from blowing up like a balloon, consuming all available space.

• Percentage widths: Share out the remaining width between other cells. Caution! Text can stretch these cells wider than wanted.

• Use classes: High-five to CSS classes for making it easy to address different cell types and respond to device changes in width.

• Use !important sparingly: Keep this for crucial CSS rules which need to strong-arm any conflicting styles.

• Attention to cell borders: Let border do its thing to establish cell boundaries, teaming up nicely with content fitting.

Responsive and user-friendly tactics

In the ever-changing world of responsive design, make your tables adapt gracefully to varying screen sizes. A slight excess in table content over screen size can be a trade-off for fitting content. Ensure a user-friendly approach, perhaps horizontal scrolling, when the situation demands it.

Special scenarios

Lastly, keep these situations in mind:

• Text Wrapping: If it's OK for some cells to wrap text, apply white-space: nowrap; to just those cells.

• Content flux: We all know content likes to change. Harness JavaScript to dynamically adjust styles as needed.

• Visual dominance: The last field with a set width can hog the space, so design your table layout to spotlight important content.

Overcome potential overflow issues

When cells are filled with long strings or non-breaking space, it's important to smartly manage overflow. While white-space: nowrap; saves the day by keeping content in a single line, it could lead to horizontal overflow. So, flatter your users with scrolling options or break the monotony of long strings using properties like word-break: break-all;.

Accessible tables are happy tables

Ensure your tables are accessible to all. Screen readers need accurate HTML and ARIA roles for interpretation. Use <thead>, <tbody>, and <tfoot> for clarity, and label your tables appropriately using <caption> and <th>.