· 3 min read · Dec 25, 2022
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Font sizes can be specified using several different units of measurement, including pixels (px), points (pt), ems, and percentages. Here’s a brief overview of each unit:
1. Pixels (px): Pixels are a fixed unit of measurement that is based on the resolution of your screen. If you specify a font size in pixels, it will appear the same size on all devices, regardless of the screen size or resolution. However, this can be a problem for responsive design, as the font size will not adjust based on the size of the screen or user preferences.
.my-element {
font-size: 16px;
}
In this example, the font size of the element with the class “my-element” is set to 16 pixels. This font size will be fixed and will not change, regardless of the size of the screen or the user’s preferred font size settings.
2. Points (pt): Points are a traditional typographic unit of measurement that is based on the physical size of the font. Points are a unit of measurement used in print. They are based on an inch of a ruler, and one inch is equal to 72 points. Like pixels, points are a fixed unit of measurement that does not scale based on the size of the screen.
3. Ems (em): Ems are a relative unit of measurement that is based on the font size of the parent element. If you specify a font size in ems, the font size will be based on the font size of the parent element. This makes it easy to create scalable and responsive designs, as the font size will adjust based on the size of the screen or user preferences.
.parent-element {
font-size: 16px;
}
.child-element {
font-size: 1em;
}
Since 1 em is equal to the current font size, the font size of the child element will also be 16 pixels. If the user has their browser set to a larger font size, the font size of the child element will also increase, since it is based on the font size of the parent element. Similarly, if the screen size changes and the parent element’s font size adjusts accordingly, the child element’s font size will also adjust.
4. Percentages (%): Percentages are a relative unit of measurement that is based on the size of the parent element. If you specify a font size in percentages, the font size will be based on the size of the parent element. Like ems, this makes it easy to create scalable and responsive designs.
Conclusion
In general, it’s recommended to use relative units like ems or percentages for font sizes in responsive design, as they allow the font size to adjust based on the size of the screen or user preferences. This can help ensure that your design looks good on a wide range of devices.
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