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Created February 13, 2024 18:48
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margin: auto, centering and the parent container
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center-element-in-container.md

margin: auto, centering and the parent container

margin: auto; with respect to horizontal margin values (margin-left and margin-right) will center an element within its parent container if the parent container has a defined width.

Here's how it works:

  1. Block-level elements: By default, block-level elements like <div> occupy the full width of their parent container, so setting margin: auto; will center them horizontally within that parent container.

  2. Inline elements: Inline elements, by default, only occupy the space necessary for their content. To center them horizontally with margin: auto;, you typically need to change their display property to block or inline-block.

  3. Parent container's width: For margin: auto; to work and center an element, the parent container must have a defined width. If the parent container's width is not defined, the margin will not have any effect, and the element will appear as if it's aligned to the left.

So, if you want to center an element horizontally using margin: auto;, ensure that its parent container has a defined width. If the parent container doesn't have a defined width, you might need to set it explicitly or use other methods like flexbox or CSS grid to achieve centering.

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