CSS overflow
CSS overflow
CSS is an indispensable part of front-end development. However, sometimes we encounter CSS-related problems and need to search for solutions online. One very useful website is CSS Overflow (cssoverflow.com). This site has a wealth of CSS questions and solutions, helping you resolve any CSS confusion.
In this article, we’ll introduce some common CSS problems and provide solutions. We’ll use some sample code from cssoverflow.com to demonstrate these solutions. Hopefully, these examples will help you better understand CSS and solve problems you may encounter in front-end development.
1. How to Display Ellipses When Text Overflows
Sometimes, we want to automatically display ellipsis when text is too long, rather than wrapping it. This is common with list items or headings. The following is a sample code demonstrating how to display an ellipsis when text overflows:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
<title>Text Overflow Example</title>
<style>
.ellipsis {
white-space: nowrap;
overflow: hidden;
text-overflow: ellipsis;
width: 200px;
border: 1px solid #ccc;
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<div class="ellipsis">This is a long text that will be truncated with an ellipsis.</div>
</body>
</html>
Output:
In this example, we use white-space: nowrap; to prevent text wrapping, overflow: hidden; to hide overflowing text, and text-overflow: ellipsis; to display an ellipsis. By setting the width property, we can control the displayed width.
2. How to Display a Tooltip for Text Overflow
Sometimes, when text is too long, we want to display a tooltip showing the full content when the mouse hovers over it. This is common with tables or links. The following is a sample code demonstrating how to display a tooltip when text overflows:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
<title>Tooltip Example</title>
<style>
.tooltip {
position: relative;
display: inline-block;
border-bottom: 1px dotted black;
}
.tooltip .tooltiptext {
visibility: hidden;
width: 120px;
background-color: #555;
color: #fff;
text-align: center;
border-radius: 6px;
padding: 5px 0;
position: absolute;
z-index: 1;
bottom: 125%;
left: 50%;
margin-left: -60px;
opacity: 0;
transition: opacity 0.3s;
}
.tooltip:hover .tooltiptext {
visibility: visible;
opacity: 1;
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<div class="tooltip">Hover over me
<span class="tooltiptext">This is a tooltip text that will be displayed on hover.</span>
</div>
</body>
</html>
Output:
In this example, we use position: relative; and position: absolute; to position the tooltip. By setting the visibility and opacity properties, we can control the tooltip’s display and hiding. When the mouse hovers over an element with the .tooltip class, the .tooltiptext element appears.
3. How to Implement Responsive Layout
With the increasing popularity of mobile devices, responsive layout has become a standard feature of front-end development. Here’s a sample code demonstrating how to implement a simple responsive layout:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
<title>Responsive Layout Example</title>
<style>
.container {
display: flex;
flex-wrap: wrap;
}
.item {
flex: 1 1 200px;
margin: 10px;
padding: 10px;
border: 1px solid #ccc;
}
@media screen and (max-width: 600px) {
.item {
flex: 1 1 100%;
}
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<div class="container">
<div class="item">Item 1</div>
<div class="item">Item 2</div>
<div class="item">Item 3</div>
</div>
</body>
</html>
Output:
In this example, we use display: flex; and flex-wrap: wrap; to achieve a flexible layout. By setting the flex property of the .item element, we can control the size of each item. In the @media query, we adjust the size of the .item element based on screen width, achieving a responsive layout.
4. How to Achieve Vertical Centering
Vertical centering is a common problem in front-end development. Here’s a sample code demonstrating how to vertically center an element within its parent container:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
<title>Vertical Center Example</title>
<style>
.container {
display: flex;
justify-content: center;
align-items: center;
height: 200px;
border: 1px solid #ccc;
}
.item {
width: 100px;
height: 50px;
background-color: #f0f0f0; }
</style>
</head>
<body>
<div class="container">
<div class="item">Centered</div>
</div>
</body>
</html>
Output:
In this example, we use display: flex;, justify-content: center;, and align-items: center; to vertically center the element within its parent container. By setting the height and border of the .container element, we can see that the .item element is vertically centered.
5. How to Implement Horizontal Scrolling
Sometimes, we want to display horizontally scrolling content on a page, such as a horizontal navigation bar or image carousel. Here is a sample code demonstrating how to implement horizontal scrolling:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
<title>Horizontal Scroll Example</title>
<style>
.container {
white-space: nowrap;
overflow-x: auto;
width: 100%;
}
.item {
display: inline-block;
width: 200px;
height: 200px;
background-color: #f0f0f0;
margin: 10px;
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<div class="container">
<div class="item">Item 1</div>
<div class="item">Item 2</div>
<div class="item">Item 3</div>
<div class="item">Item 4</div>
<div class="item">Item 5</div>
<div class="item">Item 6</div>
<div class="item">Item 7</div>
<div class="item">Item 8</div>
<div class="item">Item 9</div>
<div class="item">Item 10</div>
</div>
</body>
</html>
Output:
In this example, we use white-space: nowrap; and overflow-x: auto; to implement horizontal scrolling. By setting the width of the .container and display: inline-block; on the .item element, we can make the .item elements appear in one line and display a horizontal scrollbar when the content overflows.
6. How to Make Background Images Fullscreen
Sometimes, we want a background image to display fullscreen without distortion. Below is a sample code demonstrating how to make a background image full screen:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
<title>Full Screen Background Image Example</title>
<style>
body {
margin: 0;
padding: 0;
background: url('https://geek-docs.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/https://coder-cafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/geek-docs-https://coder-cafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/logo.png') no-repeat center center fixed;
background-size: cover;
}
.content {
text-align: center;
padding: 50px;
color: #fff;
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<div class="content">
<h1>Welcome to Geek Docs</h1>
<p>Your go-to source for all things geeky!</p>
</div>
</body>
</html>
Output:
In this example, we use background, background-size: cover;, and background-position: center center; to make the background image appear full screen. By setting the body element’s margin and padding to 0, we can make the background image fill the entire screen.
7. How to Implement a Multi-Column Layout
Sometimes, we want to display content in multiple columns, such as a news list or product display. Here is a sample code demonstrating how to implement a multi-column layout:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
<title>Multi-column Layout Example</title>
<style>
.container {
column-count: 3;
column-gap: 20px;
}
.item {
margin-bottom: 20px;
padding: 10px;
background-color: #f0f0f0;
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<div class="container">
<div class="item">Item 1</div>
<div class="item">Item 2</div>
<div class="item">Item 3</div>
<div class="item">Item 4</div>
<div class="item">Item 5</div>
<div class="item">Item 6</div>
<div class="item">Item 7</div>
<div class="item">Item 8</div>
<div class="item">Item 9</div>
</div>
</body>
</html>
Output:
In this example, we use column-count: 3; and column-gap: 20px; to achieve a multi-column layout. By setting the number of columns and the column gap in the .container, we can display the content in multiple columns.
8. How to Implement Rounded Borders
Sometimes, we want the borders of elements to appear rounded instead of straight. Here is a sample code demonstrating how to implement a rounded border:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
<title>Border Radius Example</title>
<style>
.box {
width: 200px;
height: 200px;
background-color: #f0f0f0;
border-radius: 10px;
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<div class="box"></div>
</body>
</html>
Output:
In this example, we use border-radius: 10px; to implement rounded corners on an element. By setting the width, height, and border-radius properties of the .box element, we can make the element’s border appear rounded.
9. How to Implement a Gradient Background Color
Sometimes, we want the background color of an element to appear as a gradient rather than a solid color. Below is a sample code demonstrating how to implement a gradient background color:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
<title>Gradient Background Example</title>
<style>
.gradient {
width: 200px;
height: 200px;
background: linear-gradient(to right, #ff0000, #00ff00);
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<div class="gradient"></div>
</body>
</html>
Output:
In this example, we use background: linear-gradient(to right, #ff0000, #00ff00); to create a gradient background color for an element. By setting the width, height, and background properties of the .gradient element, we can create a gradient effect from red to green.
10. How to Implement Animation Effects
Sometimes, we want elements on a page to display animation effects, such as fading in and out or moving. Here’s a sample code demonstrating how to implement a simple animation effect:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
<title>Animation Example</title>
<style>
.box {
width: 100px;
height: 100px;
background-color: #f0f0f0;
position: relative;
animation: move 2s infinite alternate;
}
@keyframes move {
0% {
left: 0;
}
100% {
left: 200px;
}
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<div class="box"></div>
</body>
</html>
Output:
In this example, we use the @keyframes and animation properties to create a simple moving animation effect. By setting the initial position of the .box element and animating keyframes, we can make the element move around the page.