[html] Prevent flex items from stretching

Sample:

_x000D_
_x000D_
div {_x000D_
  display: flex;_x000D_
  height: 200px;_x000D_
  background: tan;_x000D_
}_x000D_
span {_x000D_
  background: red;_x000D_
}
_x000D_
<div>_x000D_
  <span>This is some text.</span>_x000D_
</div>
_x000D_
_x000D_
_x000D_

I have two questions, please:

  1. Why does it basically happen to the span?
  2. What is the right approach to prevent it from stretching without affecting other flex items in a flex container?

This question is related to html css flexbox

The answer is


You don't want to stretch the span in height?
You have the possiblity to affect one or more flex-items to don't stretch the full height of the container.

To affect all flex-items of the container, choose this:
You have to set align-items: flex-start; to div and all flex-items of this container get the height of their content.

_x000D_
_x000D_
div {_x000D_
  align-items: flex-start;_x000D_
  background: tan;_x000D_
  display: flex;_x000D_
  height: 200px;_x000D_
}_x000D_
span {_x000D_
  background: red;_x000D_
}
_x000D_
<div>_x000D_
  <span>This is some text.</span>_x000D_
</div>
_x000D_
_x000D_
_x000D_

To affect only a single flex-item, choose this:
If you want to unstretch a single flex-item on the container, you have to set align-self: flex-start; to this flex-item. All other flex-items of the container aren't affected.

_x000D_
_x000D_
div {_x000D_
  display: flex;_x000D_
  height: 200px;_x000D_
  background: tan;_x000D_
}_x000D_
span.only {_x000D_
  background: red;_x000D_
  align-self:flex-start;_x000D_
}_x000D_
span {_x000D_
    background:green;_x000D_
}
_x000D_
<div>_x000D_
  <span class="only">This is some text.</span>_x000D_
  <span>This is more text.</span>_x000D_
</div>
_x000D_
_x000D_
_x000D_

Why is this happening to the span?
The default value of the property align-items is stretch. This is the reason why the span fill the height of the div.

Difference between baseline and flex-start?
If you have some text on the flex-items, with different font-sizes, you can use the baseline of the first line to place the flex-item vertically. A flex-item with a smaller font-size have some space between the container and itself at top. With flex-start the flex-item will be set to the top of the container (without space).

_x000D_
_x000D_
div {_x000D_
  align-items: baseline;_x000D_
  background: tan;_x000D_
  display: flex;_x000D_
  height: 200px;_x000D_
}_x000D_
span {_x000D_
  background: red;_x000D_
}_x000D_
span.fontsize {_x000D_
  font-size:2em;_x000D_
}
_x000D_
<div>_x000D_
  <span class="fontsize">This is some text.</span>_x000D_
  <span>This is more text.</span>_x000D_
</div>
_x000D_
_x000D_
_x000D_

You can find more information about the difference between baseline and flex-start here:
What's the difference between flex-start and baseline?


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