Css: Width and Max-Width

Width and max-width (css)

First, width defines the width of a specific element while max-width define the maximum size the element is allowed to have.

Second, width:100% use the parent's width to calculate the current width value whereas max-width:100% use its own original width to calculate the maximum size. So, the image with width: 100% could be larger its original size (scaled base on its parent width). On the other hand, the image with max-width: 100% could be smaller but never be scaled larger its original size (maximum valid width = 100% x original width). That's why it's called fluid image.

Let's say you put width: 700px for an image. When you re-size your screen the image stays stably 700px. Let's say you on a mobile phone and its screen width is less then 700px the image will not fit in the screen. So it will stretch out your page and make it not mobile-friendly. At the same time, when you set max-width:700px it will re-size up to 700px but when the screen goes smaller and the images don't fit in the screen it will automatically re-size it to fit the screen.

max-width changes its value automatically

with max-width, you tell the browser what is max-width of the element.
if the max-width of the element is bigger than 500px it will make the height of the element bigger.

with max-width, you set the maximum width and therefore it can be smaller but not bigger than 500px

How to combine a min-width with a max-width that equals to 100% if needed in CSS?

Its seems like clamp(MIN, VAL, MAX) is your answer in this case.
The clamp() CSS function clamps a value between an upper and lower bound. clamp() enables selecting a middle value within a range of values between a defined minimum and maximum. It takes three parameters: a minimum value, a preferred value, and a maximum allowed value. The clamp() function can be used anywhere a length, frequency, angle, time, percentage, number, or integer is allowed.

clamp(MIN, VAL, MAX) is resolved as max()(MIN, min()(VAL, MAX))

https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/CSS/clamp()

Why does max-width and width display a completely different result?

The difference between width: 100% and max-width:100% is that: First,
width define the width of the specific element while max-width define the
maximum size the element is allow to have link

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