What is the function of the 'display' property in CSS?

The 'display' property in CSS is critical for controlling how an element is rendered on the webpage. This property defines the layout behavior of the element, determining whether it will be displayed as a block, inline, inline-block, flex, grid, or set to not display at all (none).

For instance, elements marked as 'block' take up the full width available and start on a new line, while 'inline' elements only occupy as much width as they require and do not start on a new line. The 'none' value effectively removes an element from the document flow, making it invisible. This level of control allows developers to manipulate the layout of a page dynamically, affecting how elements respond to their containing layouts and to one another.

In contrast, changing font size pertains to the 'font-size' property, adding shadows relates to properties such as 'box-shadow' or 'text-shadow,' and setting visibility refers to the 'visibility' property, which can make elements invisible while maintaining their space in the layout. These functions serve different purposes and do not affect how elements are structurally laid out or interact with each other in the flow of the document. Thus, distinguishing between these properties is crucial for effective web design and development.