Understanding Text Overflow Ellipsis

In CSS, the `text-overflow` property allows developers to specify how to signal or tell users that some text has overflowed its element. By default, the overflowed text is clipped, and a character may be only partially rendered. This is because the `overflow` property of the element is set to `hidden`, which means the text is cut off at the edge of the container.

However, using CSS Level 3, developers can specify a custom string to represent the clipped content. For example, instead of clipping the text at the overflow point, you can tell the browser to add a horizontal ellipsis character (U+2026) to represent the clipped content. This is particularly useful when dealing with right-to-left text directions.

When using `text-overflow`, it's essential to clip the text that overflows its container. Without additional styles, the `text-overflow` property has no effect on the element. For instance, if you have an element with `white-space: nowrap`, and a single word is too long to fit, the text will overflow without being clipped or hidden.

The `text-overflow` property determines how to handle inline text that overflows its block container by specifying how overflowed text is signaled to the user. This can be done using various methods, including adding an ellipsis character or displaying three dots “…” in browsers that don't support the ellipsis character.

In summary, the `text-overflow` property provides a way to handle inline text that overflows its block container by specifying how overflowed text is signaled to the user. By using custom strings and CSS Level 3 specifications, developers can effectively manage text overflow and provide users with clear indicators of clipped content.

Text overflow ellipsis