How Can I Create a Responsive List Separator for Horizontal Lists Using Only CSS?

Creating a Responsive List Separator for Horizontal Lists

In the context of responsive web design, maintaining the visual consistency of elements across different viewport sizes can be challenging. One common issue is the appearance of separators between list items when the viewport is narrow. This article addresses how to remove these separators.

Understanding the Problem

When a list of elements is displayed horizontally, separators (such as pipes) may appear between items. As the viewport narrows, these elements may break down into multiple lines, leaving behind unsightly separators.

Creating a CSS-Only Solution

One CSS-only solution leverages the collapsing behavior of trailing and line trailing white space. By strategically placing whitespace between list items, we can eliminate separators and maintain a pristine visual display.

Example Code

The following code illustrates this technique:

document.write(`<div>`
+ `word<b > </b>`.repeat(42)
+ `</div>`);

b {
    background: red;
    outline: 1px solid blue;
}
div {
    resize: both;
    overflow: hidden;
}

In this example, a series of words with trailing whitespace is wrapped in a