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How to prevent text from overflowing in CSS?

css
responsive-design
best-practices
css-properties
Anton ShumikhinbyAnton Shumikhin·Dec 29, 2024
TLDR

To quickly stop text from spilling over, use overflow-wrap: break-word;. This CSS property commands long words to wrap onto the next line, preventing horizontal overflow. For single line overflow with an ellipsis, combine white-space: nowrap;, overflow: hidden;, and text-overflow: ellipsis;.

Here’s the trick in a nutshell:

.wrap-text { overflow-wrap: break-word; // The unsung hero in wrapping wars } .ellipsis { white-space: nowrap; // "Stay in line, words!" overflow: hidden; // "I see NOTHING!" -Sgt. Schultz text-overflow: ellipsis; // When words try to escape... "Begone!" }

Just remember: .wrap-text wraps wayward text and .ellipsis rounds up loquacious lines with a neatly placed "…".

CSS properties – Know your tools

There are other brilliant ways to herding those text on a webpage:

  • white-space: pre-wrap; preserves whitespace and vows to respect natural wrapping locations.
  • word-break: break-word; stands like a sentinel, breaking up long, defiant words to prevent overflow.
  • Flexbox and grid layouts come with the handy alignment properties to command an orderly text arrangement.

Allow space – Adjust container dimensions

Sometimes, you need to have a stern talk with your container dimensions. Maybe your eloquent text is just too large for its humble abode, or the container could be a tad stretchy?

  • Tweak the container's width and height to accommodate the content.
  • Set boundaries but allow room for growth with the min-width and max-width properties.

Be responsive – Media queries to the rescue

Your webpage should perform a neat juggling act across different screen sizes. Hence media queries step in to adjust text properties as per the audience:

@media (max-width: 600px) { .container { font-size: smaller; // because sometimes, less is more word-wrap: break-word; // by any words necessary! } }

Consider using the CSS function clamp() to interpolate values for responsive typography.

Overflow control alternatives

There's a broader CSS universe awaiting!

  • Learn the flex-grow, flex-shrink properties of flexbox; they're your friends during a content overflow crisis!
  • Use grid-template-columns, grid-template-rows of CSS Grid for defining size of columns and rows, managing content more effectively.
  • Opt for relative units like em, rem, or vw/vh for fluid formatting in different screen sizes.

Possible hiccups – Handle with care!

Check for these pitfalls:

  • word-break: break-all; can sometimes act like an overenthusiastic hairdresser, chopping words randomly and impacting readability.
  • Accessibility challenges might arise when crucial information is hidden; ensure a balance between design and functionality.
  • Support for certain CSS properties may vary across browsers; always have a Plan B!