Difference Between Margin and Padding

When to use margin vs padding in CSS

TL;DR: By default I use margin everywhere, except when I have a border or background and want to increase the space inside that visible box.

To me, the biggest difference between padding and margin is that vertical margins auto-collapse, and padding doesn't.

Consider two elements one above the other each with padding of 1em. This padding is considered to be part of the element and is always preserved.

So you will end up with the content of the first element, followed by the padding of the first element, followed by the padding of the second, followed by the content of the second element.

Thus the content of the two elements will end up being 2em apart.

Now replace that padding with 1em margin. Margins are considered to be outside of the element, and margins of adjacent items will overlap.

So in this example, you will end up with the content of the first element followed by 1em of combined margin followed by the content of the second element. So the content of the two elements is only 1em apart.

This can be really useful when you know that you want to say 1em of spacing around an element, regardless of what element it is next to.

The other two big differences are that padding is included in the click region and background color/image, but not the margin.

div.box > div { height: 50px; width: 50px; border: 1px solid black; text-align: center; }div.padding > div { padding-top: 20px; }div.margin > div { margin-top: 20px; }

<h3>Default</h3><div class="box">  <div>A</div>  <div>B</div>  <div>C</div></div>
<h3>padding-top: 20px</h3><div class="box padding">  <div>A</div>  <div>B</div>  <div>C</div></div>
<h3>margin-top: 20px; </h3><div class="box margin">  <div>A</div>  <div>B</div>  <div>C</div></div>

What is difference between CSS margin and padding?

In short padding make "space" inside your box, and margin do this outside of your box.

This picture explain it pretty good :)

enter image description here

what the difference between margin and padding in Container widget using Flutter framework?

Padding: is the inner space of the element to the edge

Margin: is the space between widgets together

Sample Image

Difference between a View's Padding and Margin

To help me remember the meaning of padding, I think of a big coat with lots of thick cotton padding. I'm inside my coat, but me and my padded coat are together. We're a unit.

But to remember margin, I think of, "Hey, give me some margin!" It's the empty space between me and you. Don't come inside my comfort zone -- my margin.

To make it more clear, here is a picture of padding and margin in a TextView:

enter image description here

xml layout for the image above

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="match_parent"
    android:orientation="vertical" >

    <TextView
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:layout_margin="10dp"
        android:background="#c5e1b0"
        android:textColor="#000000"
        android:text="TextView margin only"
        android:textSize="20sp" />

    <TextView
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:layout_margin="10dp"
        android:background="#f6c0c0"
        android:textColor="#000000"
        android:text="TextView margin only"
        android:textSize="20sp" />

    <TextView
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:background="#c5e1b0"
        android:padding="10dp"
        android:textColor="#000000"
        android:text="TextView padding only"
        android:textSize="20sp" />

    <TextView
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:background="#f6c0c0"
        android:padding="10dp"
        android:textColor="#000000"
        android:text="TextView padding only"
        android:textSize="20sp" />

    <TextView
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:layout_margin="10dp"
        android:background="#c5e1b0"
        android:textColor="#000000"
        android:padding="10dp"
        android:text="TextView padding and margin"
        android:textSize="20sp" />

    <TextView
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:layout_margin="10dp"
        android:background="#f6c0c0"
        android:textColor="#000000"
        android:padding="10dp"
        android:text="TextView padding and margin"
        android:textSize="20sp" />

    <TextView
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:background="#c5e1b0"
        android:textColor="#000000"
        android:text="TextView no padding no margin"
        android:textSize="20sp" />

    <TextView
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:background="#f6c0c0"
        android:textColor="#000000"
        android:text="TextView no padding no margin"
        android:textSize="20sp" />

</LinearLayout>

Gravity vs layout_gravity
Match_parent vs wrap_content

what's the difference between padding and margin?

Padding is the space INSIDE an element (inside the border of the element).

Margin is the space OUTSIDE(Around) an element.

Android beginner difference between padding and margin

Padding is for inside/within components. Eg. TextView , Button, EditText etc.

Eg. space between the Text and Border

Margin is to be applied for the on-outside of the components.

Eg. space between left edge of the screen and border of your component

Visual representation is great in : Difference between a View's Padding and Margin

With Padding, i have seen a difference in 2.2, 2.3 and say 4.3, 4.4

in such cases:

<RelativeLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="match_parent"
    android:paddingBottom="@dimen/activity_vertical_margin"
    android:paddingLeft="@dimen/activity_horizontal_margin"
    android:paddingRight="@dimen/activity_horizontal_margin"
    android:paddingTop="@dimen/activity_vertical_margin"
    tools:context=".MainActivity" >

    <Button
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:layout_centerHorizontal="true"
        android:text="ASDFGHJKL" />

    <TextView
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:paddingLeft="15dp"
        android:text="@string/hello_world" />

</RelativeLayout>

Also, check the use of dimens:

http://developer.android.com/guide/topics/resources/more-resources.html

Using Margin vs Padding?

Margin is the space around elements.

Padding is the space around the elements contents.

So margin is outside the element.

Padding is inside.

You can use margin when you are placing elements near each other

You can use padding when you are changing how a element interacts with other elements.
(not a good explanation)

Also pixel is the pixels on the screen.
Rem is "Relative to font-size of the root element" (w3schools) https://www.w3schools.com/cssref/css_units.asp

Hope this helps.

Margin or padding what is recommended?

One important difference (asides from margin means outside and padding means inside): Margins of adjacent elements overlap, when paddings don't. Take this example:

<p>Lorem ipsum</p>
<p>Dolor sic amet</p>

If you use margin:

p { margin: 10px 0; }

The space between these 2 paragraphs will be 10px.

But if you go:

p { padding: 10px 0; }

The contents will be 20px separated.