How to Stack Absolutely Positioned Elements Vertically Without Removing Absolute/Relative Positioning?

Positioning Dilemma: Overlapping Elements with Absolute Positioning

In web design, the use of absolute positioning can be useful for creating specific element layouts. However, it can also pose challenges, particularly when trying to stack elements one after the other vertically.

Consider the following CSS snippet:

body {
  position: relative;
  min-height: 2em;
  width: 100%;
}

.container {
  position: absolute;
}

.row {
  position: relative;
}

.col1,
.col2 {
  position: absolute;
}

And the corresponding HTML:

  <div class="container">
    <div>
<p>With this setup, the intention is to have the two <strong>.row</strong> elements stack vertically, rather than overlapping each other as they currently do. How can this be achieved without removing the absolute/relative positioning properties?</p>
<p><strong>Understanding CSS Positioning</strong></p>
<p>To find a solution, it's important to understand the different types of CSS positioning:</p>
<ul>
<li>
<strong>static</strong>: Elements flow normally in the document's layout.</li>
<li>
<strong>relative</strong>: Elements move based on top, right, bottom, and left offsets, but remain in the document flow.</li>
<li>
<strong>absolute</strong>: Elements are removed from the document flow and positioned relative to their closest <strong>positioned ancestor</strong> (not their parent).</li>
<li>
<strong>fixed</strong>: Elements are removed from the document flow and positioned relative to the viewport, scrolling with the page.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>The Problem with Overlapping Elements</strong></p>
<p>In our example, the <strong>.row</strong> and <strong>.col</strong> elements are positioned absolutely. This means they are taken out of the normal document flow and stack on top of each other. To resolve this, we need to find a way to keep them in the document flow while still maintaining the absolute positioning for specific layout purposes.</p>
<p><strong>The Solution: Double Nesting</strong></p>
<p>One unorthodox but effective solution is to create a second container element that positions the rows absolutely:</p>
<pre class="brush:php;toolbar:false">
  <div class="container">
    <div class="inner-container">
      <div>
<pre class="brush:php;toolbar:false">.container {
  position: relative;
  min-height: 2em;
  width: 100%;
}

.inner-container {
  position: absolute;
}

.row {
  position: relative;
}

.col1,
.col2 {
  position: absolute;
}

With this double nesting, the .inner-container now acts as the closest positioned ancestor for the .row elements. As a result, the rows stack vertically, preserving the original layout while resolving the overlapping issue.

Note: This solution maintains the absolute positioning for other layout purposes while achieving the desired vertical stacking of elements. However, it is not recommended for general use and should be used as a last resort when removing absolute/relative positioning is not an option.