Table overflowing outside of div

Taming the table layout

To keep your table under control and ensure its responsiveness, use the following CSS properties:

.table-fix {
  table-layout: fixed;  /* Like a well-behaved pet. 😺 */
  width: 100%;  /* Full stretch! */
}


By following this advice, the table cells will evenly distribute the width, effectively preventing overflow. For IE11 users, setting word-break: break-all will take care of lengthy text.

Handling extensive cell content

When text lines run longer than a marathon, use word-wrap: break-word to maintain readability:

.table-cell {
  word-wrap: break-word;  /* Break it down now! */
}


Flexing with Flexbox

For an added level of finesse in controlling the table's layout, wrap your table within a flexible friend, aka a flex container:

.flex-container {
  display: flex;  /* Look mom, no tables! */
  flex-wrap: wrap;  /* Present wrapping optional. */
}


Going mobile: Adjustments for small screens

Media queries are your secret weapon when styling tables for device-specific screen sizes:

@media (max-width: 768px) {
   .table-fix {
     font-size: smaller; /* Ant-Man mode activated. */
   }
}


Visualization

Understanding table overflow can start with some simple diagrams:

Box (📦):                 | Content (📝) inside:
=========                 | ==================
|         |               | 📝📝📝📝📝📝📝📝📝📝 |
|         |               | 📝📝📝📝📝📝📝📝📝📝 |
|   📦    |  vs            | 📝 overflow! 🚫   |
|         |               | 📝📝📝📝📝📝📝📝📝📝 |
|         |               | 📝📝📝📝📝📝📝📝📝📝 |
=========                 | ==================

Ideally, content fits within the confines:

📦: | 📝 |
    | 📝 |

But what happens if there's too much content for the box?

📦: | 📝📝📝🚫 |
    | 📝📝📝🚫 | <- Waiter, there's an overflow in my soup!

Just like your favorite coffee cup, when you pour in too much liquid, it spills out!

Accommodate all content without spillage

Make sure all your content fits neatly by following these pointers:

• Use max-width on table cells to restrict their expansion beyond the parent container.
• Implement display: table along with overflow: auto to bring scrolling capabilities and improved alignment to your tables.
• Replace old attributes and tags (like bgcolor) with modern CSS styling for uniformity.
• If frequent overflows occur, it may be time for a table makeover or exploring different ways of presenting complex data.

Tips for bulletproof table designs

• The !important rule is a sledgehammer in the toolkit. Use it sparingly to avoid disrupting the style's cascade.
• Be mindful of quirks specific to certain browsers, such as older versions needing word-wrap: break-word.
• Prioritize developing responsive designs to ensure legible and well-contained tables across an array of devices.