Flex vs. Text-Align: When Should You Use Flexbox for Horizontal Alignment?

Beyond Text Alignment: The Power of Flex vs. Text-Align

The ability to align elements horizontally is crucial for web design. However, the question arises: when is it appropriate to use "flex" and "justify-content" instead of "text-align"?

The Distinction: Box vs. Text

"Flex" and "justify-content" operate within the realm of flexbox, which governs the layout of boxes and block-level elements. "Text-align," on the other hand, affects the alignment of text and inline-level elements.

Multiple Elements: Where Differences Emerge

When dealing with a single element, both approaches achieve similar results. However, with multiple elements, a clear difference becomes evident.

Consider the following example:

.parent-flex {
  display: flex;
  justify-content: flex-end;
}
.parent-normal {
  text-align: right;
}

<div class="parent-flex">some text here <button>Awesome button!</button>
</div>

<div class="parent-normal">some text here <button>Awesome button!</button>
</div>

In this scenario, the button is successfully aligned to the right in both cases. However, if we remove the extra text:

<div class="parent-flex"><button>Awesome button!</button></div>

<div class="parent-normal"><button>Awesome button!</button></div>

We notice that in the "flex" example, the button stretches to fill the entire space, while in the "text-align" version, it remains in its original position.

Bootstrap's Migration to Flexbox

The Bootstrap framework made a conscious decision to transition from "text-align" to "flex" for aligning elements in modals' footers between versions 3 and 4. This shift was driven by the need for a reliable and flexible layout system that could handle scenarios involving multiple elements and variable content widths.

Conclusion

While "text-align" remains a valuable technique for text alignment, it is insufficient in situations where the alignment of multiple block-level elements is required. In such scenarios, the power and flexibility of Flexbox, with its "flex" and "justify-content" properties, make it the preferred choice for precise and dynamic layouts.

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