What does the overflow property do in CSS?

The overflow property in CSS is vital for managing how content is displayed within an element's box when it exceeds the allocated space. This property can take several values, such as visible, hidden, scroll, and auto, each determining a different behavior for overflowing content.

When the value is set to "visible," any overflowing content becomes visible outside the element's box. Conversely, "hidden" will clip the overflow content and make it inaccessible. The "scroll" value allows for scrollbars to appear, enabling users to navigate the content that exceeds the box. Finally, "auto" will display scrollbars only if the content actually overflows, providing a cleaner interface when there's no excess content.

Understanding the role of the overflow property is essential for designing layouts that maintain aesthetic integrity and usability, especially in responsive design where content size can dynamically change.