Solved With :has(): Vertical Spacing in Long-Form Text

Managing vertical spacing in long-form text, especially within CMS-driven websites, presents a persistent challenge for developers. This is often tackled with custom CSS, but achieving consistent and predictable results can be surprisingly difficult. This article explores a modern solution leveraging the :has() CSS selector.

Firefox currently requires the layout.css.has-selector.enabled flag (in about:config) for :has() support.

The Complexity of Typographic Vertical Spacing

Simply applying top and bottom margins to elements like <code><p></p>, <h2></h2>, and <ul></ul> doesn't solve the problem. Ideal behavior requires:

• No extra space above the first element or below the last within a block of long-form text. This ensures predictable placement of surrounding elements.
• Consistent spacing between sections (a heading and its associated content). This means significant spacing before a heading, unless it immediately follows another heading.

Traditional Approaches and Their Limitations

The common solution involves wrapping long-form content in a div (e.g., .rich-text) and applying CSS to manage margins. However, this approach has drawbacks:

• Rigid HTML Structure: Requiring a wrapper class necessitates a specific HTML structure, potentially clashing with existing code or CMS-generated content. Precise control over first/last element margins further restricts structure (e.g., .rich-text > *:first-child).
• Mixed Margin Properties: Traditional solutions often mix margin-top and margin-bottom, leading to complexities with collapsing margins. This can be less intuitive and harder to maintain.
• Collapsing Margins: Collapsing margins, while sometimes beneficial, add complexity and can lead to unexpected behavior, especially when layout changes (e.g., switching to flexbox).

A Modern Solution with :has()

This article proposes a solution using :has(), aiming for improvements:

• No Wrapper Required: Eliminates the need for a wrapper class, simplifying HTML structure.
• Consistent Margin Direction: Uses a single margin direction (e.g., margin-bottom), enhancing readability and maintainability.
• Avoids Collapsing Margins: The approach minimizes reliance on collapsing margins.
• Cleaner CSS: Reduces the need for setting and then overriding styles.

Considerations and Caveats

• Browser Compatibility: :has() support is not universal; check browser compatibility before implementation.
• Limited Element Support: The example provided doesn't cover all typographic elements (e.g., <blockquote></blockquote>). This is easily extensible.
• Non-Typographic Elements: The solution focuses primarily on core text elements; handling other elements (images, tables) may require additional selectors.
• Heading Level Restrictions: The example doesn't handle consecutive headings of the same level or skipped heading levels.
• Specificity and ITCSS: The use of :where() allows for consistent specificity regardless of project structure. The approach suggests placing this CSS in the "elements" layer of an ITCSS architecture.

Conclusion

This :has() approach offers a cleaner, more flexible alternative to traditional methods for managing vertical spacing in long-form text. While not entirely simple, it addresses many limitations of previous approaches, resulting in more maintainable and predictable results. Feedback and improvements are welcome.

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