In CSS, working with the width of an element can be quite complicated due to the default behavior of browsers. By default, the calculated width and height of an element only apply to its content area, without considering the padding, border, and margin.
To simplify this process, you can use the box-sizing property, which has two values: border-box and content-box.
The content-box value is the default behavior that has been around for a long time. It applies the calculated width and height to the content area of an element.
The border-box value, on the other hand, is a newer and more versatile option. When you set box-sizing: border-box; on an element, the width and height calculations include the padding and border. Only the margin is excluded, which makes sense since margins are typically seen as separate from the box.
To take advantage of the border-box value, consider applying it to every element on your web page. You can achieve this using the following CSS code:
*, *:before, *:after {
box-sizing: border-box;
}
This small change can have a significant impact on your web development workflow. In fact, the importance of the box-sizing property led CSS Tricks to declare an “international box-sizing awareness day.”
Start using box-sizing: border-box; in your CSS to simplify element sizing, improve consistency, and enhance your overall web development experience.
Tags: CSS, web development, box-sizing, border-box, content-box