CSS Layout – width and max-width

The width and max-width properties in CSS are used to control the width of an element.

The width property sets the width of an element, and it can be set in pixels, ems, or percentages. For example, width: 500px; would set the width of an element to 500 pixels. This property is used to set a fixed width for an element.

The max-width property sets the maximum width that an element can be. It can also be set in pixels, ems, or percentages. For example, max-width: 800px; would set the maximum width of an element to 800 pixels. If the element’s content is narrower than the maximum width, then the element’s width will be equal to the content width. However, if the content is wider than the maximum width, then the element’s width will be set to the maximum width.

Using the max-width property is particularly useful for creating responsive layouts. By setting a maximum width for an element, you can ensure that the element does not become too wide on larger screens, while still allowing it to resize on smaller screens. This can help to create a more visually pleasing and functional layout for your website.

Here’s an example of how the width and max-width properties can be used in CSS:

.container {
  width: 100%;
  max-width: 1200px;
  margin: 0 auto;
}

In this example, the .container element will take up 100% of the width of its parent element, but its maximum width will be set to 1200 pixels. This means that on larger screens, the .container element will be 1200 pixels wide, but on smaller screens, it will resize to fit the screen width. The margin: 0 auto; property is used to center the .container element horizontally within its parent element.