Below is a complete HTML file that mimics a minimalist version of the Google Translate interface. Notice that both the input and output areas are contained in a parent layout that lets them grow naturally. When either box’s content exceeds the viewport height, only the browser’s (single) vertical scrollbar appears, rather than each area having its own scrollbar.
You can copy this code into a file (e.g., index.html) and open it in your browser:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Google Translate Clone</title>
<style>
/* Reset default spacing */
* {
margin: 0;
padding: 0;
box-sizing: border-box;
}
/* Ensure the viewport and body take full height */
html, body {
height: 100%;
overflow-y: auto; /* Let the entire page scroll if needed */
font-family: Arial, sans-serif;
background-color: #f1f3f4; /* Light background similar to Google */
}
/* Main container that holds the header and translator panels */
.container {
min-height: 100%;
display: flex;
flex-direction: column;
}
/* A header bar styled in Google's blue */
.header {
background-color: #4285F4;
color: white;
padding: 20px;
text-align: center;
font-size: 24px;
}
/* The translator panel: a flex container to lay out the two main boxes side by side */
.translator {
flex: 1;
display: flex;
flex-direction: row;
gap: 20px;
padding: 20px;
}
/* Shared styling for both input and output areas */
.box {
flex: 1;
border: 1px solid #ccc;
border-radius: 4px;
padding: 10px;
background-color: white;
box-shadow: 0 1px 3px rgba(0,0,0,0.1);
/* Notice: no fixed height and no overflow settings here --
the boxes expand naturally as content increases. */
}
/* Make the input area look editable */
.input-box {
outline: none;
}
/* Using contenteditable’s pseudo-element to simulate placeholder text */
.input-box:empty:before {
content: "Enter text...";
color: #aaa;
}
/* Output box styling (you might later swap this out for a dynamic translation display) */
.output-box {
background-color: #f9f9f9;
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<div class="container">
<div class="header">Google Translate</div>
<div class="translator">
<!-- Input area: a contenteditable div that behaves like a textarea -->
<div class="box input-box" contenteditable="true">
<!-- Users type here -->
</div>
<!-- Output area: a regular div to display translation results -->
<div class="box output-box">
Translated text will appear here.
</div>
</div>
</div>
</body>
</html>
Unified Scrolling with a Flexible Container:
The <html> and <body> elements are set to height: 100% to ensure the page always occupies the full viewport.
We do not limit the height of the input (.input-box) or output (.output-box) areas.
This means when the user enters a lot of text, the boxes simply expand. The browser’s main scrollbar (associated with the <body>) becomes active once content exceeds the viewport. That way, you only ever have one vertical scrollbar controlling the entire page.
Flexbox Layout for Side-by-Side Panels:
The .translator container uses display: flex; with a flex-direction: row to display both the input and output areas side by side.
The gap and padding add spacing between elements in a clean, modern manner.
Both .box elements have flex: 1, ensuring they take equal available width.
Contenteditable Input Instead of a Fixed Textarea:
Instead of a <textarea>, we use a <div> with contenteditable="true" for the input area. This choice allows the element to grow naturally with its content, with no internal scrollbar.
The pseudo-element :empty:before simulates placeholder text, creating a user-friendly hint.
CSS for a Clean, Modern Look:
The header uses a Google-blue background with white text for a familiar look.
Shadows, borders, and rounded corners give a subtle, refined aesthetic reminiscent of modern web apps.
Responsive Considerations: On smaller screens, you might not want the two panels to sit side by side. By adding a simple media query, you could stack them vertically. For example:
@media (max-width: 600px) {
.translator {
flex-direction: column;
}
}
Dynamic Functionality: In a full application you would likely use JavaScript to handle text input, fetch translations from an API, and update the output box accordingly. This example, however, focuses solely on the HTML/CSS interface.
CSS Clarifications:
The key to creating a unified scrollbar experience is to let content determine its own height rather than constraining each panel with a fixed height and using internal scrolling (overflow-y: auto on the individual boxes). By allowing natural expansion, the page scales and only the browser’s scrollbar is used.
I hope this detailed explanation clears up your CSS confusion while also giving you a clean example to start with. Would you like to dive deeper into any additional aspects—perhaps dynamic resizing or responsive design adjustments?
By default, a native <textarea> does not grow automatically with its content as a contenteditable <div> can. Instead, it has a fixed size (or a set number of rows), and once the content exceeds its dimensions, an internal scrollbar appears.
However, it's not entirely impossible to have an auto-growing <textarea>—you just need to add a bit of JavaScript magic. Here’s a breakdown of the differences and a sample solution:
<textarea> Behaves DifferentlyFixed Dimensions by Default:
The <textarea> element is rendered with a default height or a specified number of rows. When input exceeds these dimensions, the browser shows an internal scrollbar to allow scrolling within the element.
No Native Auto-Resize in CSS:
There isn’t a pure CSS property that allows <textarea> elements to automatically adjust their height based on content. While you can disable the resize handle (using resize: none), that won’t make it expand automatically.
<textarea> Using JavaScriptWhile our design uses a contenteditable <div> for its natural growth capability, you can mimic this behavior with a <textarea> using JavaScript. The common approach is to listen for input events and adjust the element’s height based on its scroll height.
Here’s an example that demonstrates this behavior:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Auto-Growing Textarea Example</title>
<style>
/* Basic styling for the auto-growing textarea */
.auto-textarea {
width: 100%;
min-height: 50px;
padding: 10px;
border: 1px solid #ccc;
border-radius: 4px;
overflow: hidden; /* Hide default scrollbar */
resize: none; /* Prevent manual resizing */
box-sizing: border-box;
font-size: 16px;
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<textarea class="auto-textarea" placeholder="Type your text here..."></textarea>
<script>
// Function to auto-adjust the height of the textarea
function autoResize(textarea) {
textarea.style.height = 'auto'; // reset height
textarea.style.height = textarea.scrollHeight + 'px'; // set new height based on scrollHeight
}
const textarea = document.querySelector('.auto-textarea');
// Attach auto-resize function to input event
textarea.addEventListener('input', function() {
autoResize(textarea);
});
// Optionally, adjust on page load if there is pre-filled content:
window.addEventListener('load', function() {
autoResize(textarea);
});
</script>
</body>
</html>
CSS Setup:
overflow: hidden; prevents the textarea from showing an internal scrollbar.
resize: none; disables manual resizing by the user.
The min-height ensures the textarea has a sensible starting size, and box-sizing: border-box; guarantees that padding is included in the element’s total width and height.
JavaScript Function (autoResize):
The function resets the height to 'auto' so that shrinking content can reduce the height if needed.
It then sets the height to the scrollHeight of the textarea, effectively expanding the element to fit all the content.
Event Listener:
Every time the user types (the input event) the function recalculates the height, ensuring a smooth, dynamic growth.
In the design I provided earlier with a contenteditable <div>, we sidestepped the need for extra JavaScript because that element naturally grows with its content. With <textarea>, while it doesn't support that behavior out-of-the-box, you can implement it with JavaScript as shown above.
If you’re comfortable with JavaScript and looking to stick with a <textarea>, this approach gives you a seamless experience that mimics the auto-growing behavior of a contenteditable element. Interested in diving further into responsive design techniques or other dynamic adjustments?