Introduction to the container model

Learn about the box model and how it shapes web design.

The entire online content is structured employing the container model. HTML components (such as blocks of paragraphs, division elements, sections, etc.) are depicted within containers, and website designs assemble these elements one above the other, resembling containers piled up.

This tutorial will cover:

  1. The utilization of containers on the web
  2. Applying containers for adaptable designs
  3. Implementing nested containers
  4. Customizing containers

Utilization of containers on the web

Every HTML component (e.g., paragraphs, division elements, sections) is represented in containers on the web. Envision an invisible border enclosing each component, containing that entity within a container. You can design components and website layouts using these concealed containers (e.g., you can append space around a component’s container or introduce a border to a component’s container). These containers reside next to each other or are stacked atop one another, depending on their attributes.

Applying containers for adaptable designs

Online content doesn’t function like a presentation, where elements can be placed manually anywhere. Presentations are designed to be viewed at a single resolution and lack responsiveness on diverse devices and browsers.

Web layouts operate more akin to a textual document, where content naturally streams from the top-left corner of the page, heading to the subsequent line (i.e., wrapping) upon reaching the right-hand edge of the document. The content is responsive as it conforms to varying resolutions. For instance, when resizing a text document window, the content format will adjust automatically, without altering the dimensions of the content.

Initially, the container model might seem inflexible, but it provides significant adaptability when crafting responsive designs for different devices and screen dimensions. Learn more about responsive design.

Ewan Mak
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