Both text-align: center and margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; can be used to center elements, but they apply to different types of elements and scenarios.
text-align: center
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Purpose: This property centers inline-level content (like text, inline elements, and inline-block elements) within a block-level container.
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Use Case: Use this when you want to center text or inline elements within a parent container.
margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;
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Purpose: This method centers block-level elements within their parent container by automatically adjusting the left and right margins to be equal.
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Use Case: Use this when you want to center a block-level element, like a div, with a specified width.
Note
When you turn an inline element into a block element using
display: block, and it doesn’t center withmargin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;, it is likely because the block element spans the full width of its parent container by default. To center a block element usingmargin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;, the element must have a defined width that is less than the width of its parent container.