Display utilities in Bootsrap

Introduction

Display utilities help you quickly show or hide elements on your webpage. They make your page look good on all devices without writing extra CSS.

You want to hide a menu on small screens but show it on larger screens.

You need to completely hide a button, removing its space from the page.

You want to change an element from block to inline without writing CSS.

You want to show a message only on mobile devices.

You want to quickly toggle visibility during development.

Syntax

Bootsrap

class="d-{value} d-{breakpoint}-{value}"

d- controls display like block, inline, none, etc.

{breakpoint} is optional and controls when the display applies (e.g., sm, md, lg, xl, xxl).

Examples

This element is hidden everywhere.

Bootsrap

<div class="d-none">Hidden on all screens</div>

Shows block on small screens, hides on medium and larger.

Bootsrap

<div class="d-block d-md-none">Visible only on small screens</div>

Inline display on small and medium, hidden on large screens.

Bootsrap

<span class="d-inline d-lg-none">Inline on small and medium, hidden on large</span>

Element uses flex display on all screen sizes.

Bootsrap

<p class="d-flex">Flex container always visible</p>

Sample Program

This page shows four boxes with different display utilities. The first box is hidden everywhere. The second shows only on small screens. The third is inline on small and medium but hidden on large. The last is always visible as a flex container.

Bootsrap

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="UTF-8">
  <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
  <title>Bootstrap Display Utilities Example</title>
  <link href="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/bootstrap@5.3.0/dist/css/bootstrap.min.css" rel="stylesheet">
</head>
<body>
  <main class="container mt-4">
    <h1>Display Utilities Demo</h1>
    <div class="d-none bg-primary text-white p-2 mb-2">Hidden on all screens</div>
    <div class="d-block d-md-none bg-success text-white p-2 mb-2">Visible only on small screens (block)</div>
    <div class="d-inline d-lg-none bg-warning text-dark p-2 mb-2">Inline on small/medium, hidden on large</div>
    <div class="d-flex bg-info text-white p-2 mb-2">Flex container always visible</div>
  </main>
</body>
</html>

Important Notes

Use d-none to hide elements completely.

Combine display utilities with breakpoints like d-md-block to control visibility on different screen sizes.

Remember that hidden elements with d-none are removed from the layout and not focusable.

Summary

Display utilities let you quickly show or hide elements without writing CSS.

You can control display on different screen sizes using breakpoint classes.

They help make your site responsive and user-friendly on all devices.

Practice

1. What does the Bootstrap class d-none do to an element?

easy

A. It hides the element on all screen sizes.

B. It makes the element visible only on small screens.

C. It changes the element's color to none.

D. It disables the element's interaction.

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the d-none class purpose

   The d-none class in Bootstrap sets the CSS property display: none; which hides the element completely.

2. Step 2: Confirm effect on all screen sizes

   Since no breakpoint is specified, d-none applies to all screen sizes, hiding the element everywhere.

3. Final Answer:

   It hides the element on all screen sizes. -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   d-none = hide element always [OK]

Hint: Remember: d-none means display none everywhere [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking d-none only hides on small screens
• Confusing d-none with color or interaction changes
• Assuming it disables the element

2. Which of the following is the correct Bootstrap class to make an element visible only on medium and larger screens?

easy

A. d-none d-md-block

B. d-md-none

C. d-block d-md-none

D. d-sm-block d-md-none

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand breakpoint classes for visibility

   d-none hides the element on all screens, and d-md-block shows it as block starting from medium screens and up.

2. Step 2: Combine classes to show only on medium and larger

   Using d-none d-md-block hides the element on small and extra small screens, then shows it on medium and larger.

3. Final Answer:

   d-none d-md-block -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Hide all + show md+ = d-none d-md-block [OK]

Hint: Use d-none to hide, then d-md-block to show from md up [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using d-md-none which hides on medium screens
• Confusing d-block and d-none order
• Using wrong breakpoints like d-sm-block d-md-none

3. What will be the visible behavior of this element?

<div class="d-none d-lg-block">Hello</div>

medium

A. Visible on all screen sizes

B. Hidden on large screens and above

C. Visible only on large screens and above

D. Hidden on all screen sizes

Solution

1. Step 1: Analyze the classes d-none and d-lg-block

   d-none hides the element on all screen sizes by default. d-lg-block overrides this to show the element as block starting at large screens (lg) and above.

2. Step 2: Determine visibility on screen sizes

   From extra small to medium screens, the element is hidden. From large screens and up, it becomes visible as a block element.

3. Final Answer:

   Visible only on large screens and above -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   d-none + d-lg-block = show lg+ only [OK]

Hint: d-none hides all, d-lg-block shows from large screens [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking it is visible on all screens
• Confusing d-lg-block as hiding on large screens
• Ignoring the effect of d-none

4. You want to hide an element only on small screens but it remains visible everywhere. Which Bootstrap class usage is incorrect?

medium

A. d-sm-none d-md-block

B. d-block d-sm-none

C. d-none d-md-block

D. d-none d-sm-block

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the goal and class effects

   To hide only on small screens, the element should be visible by default and hidden on small screens only.

2. Step 2: Analyze each option's effect

   d-none d-sm-block hides the element on all screens by default, then shows it from small screens and up. This means it is hidden only on extra small screens, not small screens.

3. Final Answer:

   d-none d-sm-block -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Hide all then show sm+ hides xs only, not sm [OK]

Hint: Check which breakpoint hides vs shows carefully [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Mixing up small (sm) and extra small (xs) breakpoints
• Using d-none without proper show class
• Assuming d-sm-block hides on small screens

5. You want a paragraph to be hidden on extra small and small screens, visible as block on medium and large screens, and inline on extra large screens. Which class set achieves this?

hard

A. d-none d-md-inline d-xl-block

B. d-none d-md-block d-xl-inline

C. d-none d-sm-block d-lg-inline

D. d-sm-none d-md-block d-lg-inline

Solution

1. Step 1: Break down the requirements by screen size

   Extra small (xs) and small (sm): hidden
   Medium (md) and large (lg): visible as block
   Extra large (xl): visible as inline

2. Step 2: Match classes to requirements

   d-none hides on all by default (xs and sm included). d-md-block shows block from medium and up (md, lg, xl). d-xl-inline overrides to inline only on extra large screens.

3. Step 3: Verify other options

   Other options either hide wrong breakpoints or use incorrect display types at breakpoints.

4. Final Answer:

   d-none d-md-block d-xl-inline -> Option B

5. Quick Check:

   Hide all, show block md+, inline xl = d-none d-md-block d-xl-inline [OK]

Hint: Use d-none to hide, then override with d-md-block and d-xl-inline [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using d-sm-none hides only small, not extra small
• Mixing inline and block classes at wrong breakpoints
• Forgetting to hide on extra small screens