HTML&CSS · December 20, 2023

Css Basic: page-break-before

CSS Basic: page-break-before

In the world of web development, CSS plays a crucial role in controlling the layout and presentation of web pages. One important CSS property that developers often use is page-break-before. This property allows you to control where a page break should occur when printing a web page. In this article, we will explore the basics of page-break-before and how it can be used effectively.

Understanding page-break-before

The page-break-before property is used to specify whether a page break should occur before an element when printing a web page. It accepts several values:

  • auto: The browser determines if a page break is needed before the element.
  • always: A page break is always inserted before the element.
  • avoid: A page break is avoided before the element.
  • left: A page break is forced to occur before the element, starting on a new left page.
  • right: A page break is forced to occur before the element, starting on a new right page.

By default, the value of page-break-before is auto, which means the browser decides whether to insert a page break based on its own algorithms.

Using page-break-before in Practice

Let's consider a practical example where we want to ensure that a new chapter always starts on a new page when printing a long document. We can achieve this by applying the page-break-before property to the heading element that represents the chapter title.

<h1 style="page-break-before: always;">Chapter 1: Introduction</h1>

In the above example, the page-break-before: always; rule ensures that a page break is inserted before the heading element, forcing it to start on a new page.

Similarly, if we want to avoid a page break before a specific element, we can use the avoid value:

<p style="page-break-before: avoid;">This paragraph should not be split across pages.</p>

The page-break-before: avoid; rule prevents a page break from occurring before the paragraph element, ensuring that it remains intact on a single page.

Browser Compatibility

It is important to note that the page-break-before property is not supported in all browsers. While most modern browsers support it, some older versions may not. Therefore, it is recommended to test your web pages across different browsers to ensure consistent behavior.

Conclusion

The page-break-before property is a useful tool for controlling page breaks when printing web pages. By using values like always or avoid, you can ensure that your content is presented in a readable and organized manner. However, it is important to consider browser compatibility and test your pages thoroughly to ensure consistent results.

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