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Asked: 2026-05-26T09:49:37+00:00

I am unsure how to position elements using css, as when I use methods

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I am unsure how to position elements using css, as when I use methods like the following, whenever I resize the browser, the elements stay in the same place instead of where I would like them to be on the resized document. Please can you tell me what I am doing wrong?!

.logo {
    left: 20px;
    top: 20px;
    position: absolute;
}

#header h1 {
    margin-top: 20px;
    margin-left: 500px;
    color:  rgb(127, 127, 126);
    line-height: 0px;
}

Please, have a fiddle – http://jsfiddle.net/hHGRc/

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1 Answer

  1. Editorial Team

    Within the (X)HTML DOM, CSS recognizes four types of positioning. By default, every element in HTML is positioned Statically. This means that it is positioned according to the place that it appears in the normal flow.

    Relative Positioning
    When an object is positioned relative, it means that it modifies the position based on the origin, which is where it would have been positioned in the normal flow (static). Relative also does something else special, however, and tells the browser that all of its children will be positioned according to this element, whether using relative or absolute.

    Absolute Positioning
    When an object is positioned absolute, it is placed according to the position of its nearest non-static positioned ancestor. If there is not one, then it uses the <body> to determine its position. This has the potential to break document flow, if its siblings or ancestors are not positioned absolute. If all are positioned absolute from the outer most top node to current node, then it will maintain the flow.

    Fixed Positioning
    This takes the element out of the flow and positions the object according to the Window object. This means that no matter the scroll state of the document, its size or any other property, it will always appear in that location. (This is how you get objects that scroll with you).

    Multiple solutions to your issue
    First, as described by others, you may add position:relative to the #header. It will, like explained above, make your header the nearest non-static ancestor and will use it and the basis for determining position. This is probably not ideal for you because you are an admitted novice and this one absolute could easily break enough flow that you may struggle with sibling elements.

    As an alternative, you may change the logo from position:absolute to position:relative. This will keep your logo in the flow, but move the logo according to where it appears naturally in your document flow. Chances are that unless you are using floats in your #header, this is probably the one you want, as it a) keeps flow, b) allows for use of child element floats without losing flow, c) achieves your ideal positioning, d) keeps inheritance from parent elements (when it is important).

    Another choice is to change the #header to position:absolute. This may alter the way everything interacts, however, unless you change all of your parent and sibling elements to position:absolute. Additionally, you may lose access to ancestor defined widths and heights, as they are only inherited if they are in the same flow. This is the 2nd best situation for you as you can simply add the rule body * { position:absolute; } and all will remain in the flow with you. However, it neglects to really teach you the things you need to learn about positioning and will simply be a crutch.

    Hope this helps,
    FuzzicalLogic

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