Use a consistent font size

Oct 13, 2025 by wbrum.org 55 views

Introduction

When working with CSS, it's not uncommon to encounter issues with text containers not displaying as expected. In this article, we'll delve into the world of CSS and explore the reasons behind a text box being displayed in rows instead of columns. We'll also provide practical solutions and best practices to help you overcome this issue.

Understanding the Problem

The problem you're facing is likely due to the way CSS handles text containers. By default, text containers are displayed as blocks, which means they will take up the full width of their parent container and display their content in rows. However, when you want to display text in columns, you need to use a different approach.

The Role of Flexbox

Flexbox is a powerful layout mode in CSS that allows you to easily create flexible and responsive layouts. It's particularly useful when working with text containers, as it provides a simple way to display text in columns.

The Code

Let's take a look at an example code that demonstrates the issue:

@import url('https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Open+Sans:ital,wght@0,300;0,400;0,600;0,700;1,300;1,400;1,600;1,700&display=swap');
body 
font-family 'Open Sans', sans-serif;
margin: 0;
padding: 0;

.container 
display flex;
flex-direction: row;
justify-content: space-between;
align-items: center;
padding: 20px;
background-color: #f0f0f0;

.image 
width 200px;
height: 200px;
background-color: #ccc;
border-radius: 10px;
margin-right: 20px;

.text 
width 300px;
padding: 20px;
background-color: #fff;
border: 1px solid #ddd;
border-radius: 10px;

<div class="container">
  <div class="image"></div>
  <div class="text">
    <p>Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed sit amet nulla auctor, vestibulum magna sed, convallis ex.</p>
    <p>Phasellus quis ex sit amet nulla auctor vestibulum. Maecenas et nulla auctor, vestibulum magna sed, convallis ex.</p>
  </div>
</div>

In this example, we have a container with two child elements: an image and a text container. The image is displayed as a block, but the text container is displayed in rows instead of columns.

Solving the Issue

To display the text container in columns, we need to use Flexbox. We can do this by adding the following code to our CSS:

.text {
  display: flex;
  flex-direction: column;
  align-items: flex-start;
  justify-content: flex-start;
}

This code sets the display property of the text container to flex, which allows us to use Flexbox to layout its content. We then set the flex-direction property to column, which tells Flexbox to display the content in columns.

Best Practices

When working with text containers, it's essential to follow best practices to ensure that your layout is responsive and accessible. Here are some tips to keep in mind:

Use a consistent font size: Make sure to use a consistent font size throughout your layout to ensure that your text is readable.
Use a clear hierarchy: Use a clear hierarchy of headings and subheadings to make your content easy to read and understand.
Use white space effectively: Use white space effectively to separate your content and make it easy to read.
Test for accessibility: Test your layout for accessibility to ensure that it's usable by everyone.

Conclusion

In this article, we explored the issue of a text box being displayed in rows instead of columns. We discussed the role of Flexbox in CSS and provided a practical solution to the problem. We also highlighted best practices for working with text containers to ensure that your layout is responsive and accessible.

Common Issues and Solutions

Here are some common issues and solutions related to text containers:

Text container not displaying in columns: Make sure to use Flexbox and set the flex-direction property to column.
Text container not wrapping correctly: Make sure to use the word-wrap property to wrap text correctly.
Text container not being responsive: Make sure to use a responsive design and use media queries to adjust your layout for different screen sizes.

Additional Resources

Here are some additional resources related to text containers:

MDN Web Docs: Flexbox: Learn more about Flexbox and how to use it to create flexible and responsive layouts.
CSS-Tricks: Flexbox: Learn more about Flexbox and how to use it to create complex layouts.
W3Schools: CSS Flexbox: Learn more about Flexbox and how to use it to create flexible and responsive layouts.

Introduction

In our previous article, we explored the issue of a text box being displayed in rows instead of columns. We discussed the role of Flexbox in CSS and provided a practical solution to the problem. In this article, we'll answer some of the most frequently asked questions related to text containers and provide additional tips and best practices to help you overcome common issues.

Q&A

Q: Why is my text container not displaying in columns?

A: This issue is likely due to the way CSS handles text containers. By default, text containers are displayed as blocks, which means they will take up the full width of their parent container and display their content in rows. To display text in columns, you need to use a different approach, such as Flexbox.

Q: How do I use Flexbox to display text in columns?

A: To use Flexbox to display text in columns, you need to add the following code to your CSS:

.text {
  display: flex;
  flex-direction: column;
  align-items: flex-start;
  justify-content: flex-start;
}

This code sets the display property of the text container to flex, which allows you to use Flexbox to layout its content. You then set the flex-direction property to column, which tells Flexbox to display the content in columns.

Q: Why is my text container not wrapping correctly?

A: This issue is likely due to the way CSS handles text containers. By default, text containers will not wrap their content correctly. To fix this issue, you need to add the following code to your CSS:

.text {
  word-wrap: break-word;
}

This code sets the word-wrap property to break-word, which tells the browser to wrap the text at the end of the line.

Q: How do I make my text container responsive?

A: To make your text container responsive, you need to use a responsive design and use media queries to adjust your layout for different screen sizes. Here's an example of how you can do this:

@media (max-width: 768px) {
  .text {
    flex-direction: column;
  }
}

This code sets the flex-direction property to column for screens with a maximum width of 768px.

Q: Why is my text container not being accessible?

A: This issue is likely due to the way CSS handles text containers. By default, text containers may not be accessible for users with disabilities. To fix this issue, you need to add the following code to your CSS:

.text {
  font-size: 16px;
  line-height: 1.5;
  color: #333;
}

This code sets the font-size, line-height, and color properties to make the text more readable for users with disabilities.

Common Issues and Solutions

Here are some common issues and solutions related to text containers:

Text container not displaying in columns: Make sure to use Flexbox and set the flex-direction property to column.
Text container not wrapping correctly: Make sure to use the word-wrap property to wrap text correctly.
Text container not being responsive: Make sure to use a responsive design and use media queries to adjust your layout for different screen sizes.
Text container not being accessible: Make sure to use accessible design principles and add the necessary code to make the text more readable for users with disabilities.

Additional Resources

Here are some additional resources related to text containers:

MDN Web Docs: Flexbox: Learn more about Flexbox and how to use it to create flexible and responsive layouts.
CSS-Tricks: Flexbox: Learn more about Flexbox and how to use it to create complex layouts.
W3Schools: CSS Flexbox: Learn more about Flexbox and how to use it to create flexible and responsive layouts.
WCAG 2.1: Web Content Accessibility Guidelines: Learn more about accessible design principles and how to make your text containers more accessible.

By following the tips and best practices outlined in this article, you'll be able to create responsive and accessible text containers that display their content in columns.