Where We’re Starting From
Here’s some boilerplate HTML and CSS. In our example, we have a parent element with two floated child elements.
/* The CSS you're starting with may look similar to this.
* This doesn't solve our problem yet, but we'll get there shortly.
*/
.containing-div {
background-color: #d2b48c;
display: block;
height: auto;
}
.floating-div {
float: left;
width: 50%;
}
.floating-div ul {
display: inline-block;
height: auto;
}
<!-- The HTML you're starting with might look similar to this -->
<div class="containing-div">
<div class="floating-div">
<ul>
<li>List Item One</li>
<li>List Item Two</li>
<li>List Item Three</li>
<li>List Item Four</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div class="floating-div">
<ul>
<li>List Item Five</li>
<li>List Item Six</li>
<li>List Item Seven</li>
<li>List Item Eight</li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
Solution #1: overflow: auto
A solution that works in all modern browsers and in Internet Explorer back to IE8 is to add overflow: auto to the parent element. This also works in IE7, with scrollbars added.
/* Our Modified CSS.
* This is one way we can solve our problem.
*/
.containing-div {
background-color: #d2b48c;
display: block;
height: auto;
overflow: auto;
/*This is what we added!*/
}
.floating-div {
float: left;
width: 50%;
}
.floating-div ul {
display: inline-block;
height: auto;
}
Solution #2: Float Parent Container
Another solution that works in all modern browsers and back to IE7 is to float the parent container.
This may not always be practical, because floating your parent div may affect other parts of your page layout.
/* Modified CSS #2.
* Floating parent div.
*/
.containing-div {
background-color: #d2b48c;
display: block;
float: left;
/*Added*/
height: auto;
width: 100%;
/*Added*/
}
.floating-div {
float: left;
width: 50%;
}
.floating-div ul {
display: inline-block;
height: auto;
}
Method #3: Add Clearing Div Below Floated Elements
/*
* CSS to Solution #3.
*/
.containing-div {
background-color: #d2b48c;
display: block;
height: auto;
}
.floating-div {
float: left;
width: 50%;
}
.floating-div ul {
display: inline-block;
height: auto;
}
/*Added*/
.clear {
clear: both;
}
<!-- Solution 3, Add a clearing div to bottom of parent element -->
<div class="containing-div">
<div class="floating-div">
<ul>
<li>List Item One</li>
<li>List Item Two</li>
<li>List Item Three</li>
<li>List Item Four</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div class="floating-div">
<ul>
<li>List Item Five</li>
<li>List Item Six</li>
<li>List Item Seven</li>
<li>List Item Eight</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div class="clear"></div>
</div>
Method #4: Add Clearing Div To The Parent Element
This solution is pretty bulletproof for older browsers and newer browsers alike.
/*
* CSS to Solution #4.
*/
.containing-div {
background-color: #d2b48c;
display: block;
height: auto;
}
.floating-div {
float: left;
width: 50%;
}
.floating-div ul {
display: inline-block;
height: auto;
}
/*Added*/
.clearfix {
clear: both;
}
.clearfix:after {
clear: both;
content: "";
display: table;
}
<!-- Solution 4, make parent element self-clearing -->
<div class="containing-div clearfix">
<div class="floating-div">
<ul>
<li>List Item One</li>
<li>List Item Two</li>
<li>List Item Three</li>
<li>List Item Four</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div class="floating-div">
<ul>
<li>List Item Five</li>
<li>List Item Six</li>
<li>List Item Seven</li>
<li>List Item Eight</li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
from https://www.lockedownseo.com/parent-div-100-height-child-floated-elements/
