EM vs. REM
So, who wins the battle of EM versus REM? Well, it's not really a competition. They're just different tools with different strengths. The best approach often involves using both EMs and REMs strategically, depending on the specific needs of your project. It's like having a screwdriver and a wrench; both are useful, but you wouldn't try to hammer a nail with a wrench (unless you're really frustrated).
3. Strategic Sizing
Generally, REMs are favored for overall layout and typography, ensuring consistency across the website. Use REMs for setting font sizes, margins, padding, and other spacing properties to create a solid and predictable foundation. By controlling the root font size, you can easily scale the entire website, making it responsive and adaptable to different devices.
EMs, on the other hand, shine when you need to create localized scaling effects. They are particularly useful for components that need to adapt their size based on the surrounding text. For example, use EMs for sizing icons relative to the text within a button, or for adjusting the size of headings within a specific section of a page. This creates a more harmonious visual relationship between elements and ensures that everything looks proportional.
Consider a situation where you have a card component with a heading, some text, and a button. You might use REMs for the overall size of the card and the font sizes of the heading and text. However, you could use EMs to size the icon within the button, ensuring that it matches the button's text size. This combination of REMs and EMs allows you to create a flexible and visually appealing design.
Ultimately, the choice between EMs and REMs depends on your specific goals and the complexity of your project. Experiment with both units to see which ones work best for you. Don't be afraid to mix and match them to achieve the desired effect. The key is to understand how they work and to use them strategically to create a responsive and maintainable website.
