Harnessing CSS Width Fit Content for Responsive Design

In a recent reading, the user came across an insightful article authored by Roger Johansson. This article delves into the concept of achieving horizontal centering, specifically addressing the common challenge of centering a navigation bar that comprises floated elements with undefined widths.

Centering such elements can often pose a considerable challenge. With this familiar scenario in mind, Roger has thoughtfully compiled a list of solutions aimed at attaining horizontal centering.

Exploring an Alternative Approach

Upon further exploration, it has come to light that both Firefox and Chrome now offer support for intrinsic widths. Among the intriguing width values available, “fit-content” stands out. This article will demonstrate how “fit-content” can serve as a viable solution to the aforementioned centering dilemma.

Much like tables, setting “width: fit-content;” for an element communicates to the browser that the element’s width should be determined by its content and not automatically expanded to fill its containing block.

A Practical Illustration

Now, let’s consider Roger’s markup example:

“`html

<div class=”navbar center”>

    <ul>

        <li><a href=”/”>Home</a></li>

        <li><a href=”/”>About us</a></li>

        <li><a href=”/”>Our products</a></li>

        <li><a href=”/”>Customer support</a></li>

        <li><a href=”/”>Contact</a></li>

    </ul>

</div>

“`

Along with the following CSS declarations:

“`css

.center ul {

    width: -moz-fit-content;

    width: -webkit-fit-content;

    width: fit-content;

    margin: auto;

}

“`

By implementing this experimental approach, you now possess a straightforward solution for horizontally centering a navigation bar featuring floated elements. Don’t forget to inspect the demo’s page source to see the complete set of styles.

Limited Browser Support, but Promising Potential

Although browser support for this technique is currently somewhat limited (primarily in Chrome and Firefox), it presents a promising alternative to consider for the future. Think back to the early stages of CSS Flexbox, where support was initially sparse but has since expanded significantly.

It’s important to note that the “fit-content” value is experimental and not a final recommendation. It’s part of the W3C Editor’s Draft, indicating that specifications may evolve in the future. Keep this in mind when exploring this approach.

Conclusion

The user recently came across a thought-provoking article by Roger Johansson, which explored the intricate art of achieving horizontal centering. This article specifically addressed the common conundrum of centering a navigation bar filled with floated elements of varying widths.

The challenge of centering such elements is well-known, but Roger’s article introduced a range of solutions to tackle it. Notably, the article highlighted the emerging support for intrinsic widths in browsers, with “fit-content” emerging as a compelling option.