How do you make an element invisible but still occupy space in the layout?

Using visibility: hidden; achieves the effect of making an element invisible while still allowing it to occupy space in the layout. This property essentially hides the element from view but does not remove it from the document flow, meaning other elements around it will still recognize its dimensions and position. As a result, the layout remains the same, but the hidden element does not show up visually.

In contrast, using display: none; would entirely remove the element from the layout, causing the surrounding elements to fill the space. The opacity: 0; property would render the element fully transparent, but it would still be interactive and take up space in the layout. Utilizing position: absolute; alters the positioning context of the element, which can lead to it being removed from normal document flow depending on its position settings. Thus, visibility: hidden; is the right approach for maintaining space in the layout while keeping the element invisible.