There are three common ways to implement CSS multi-column layout: 1. Use columns attribute to automatically divide text content, which is simple and efficient but cannot accurately control the content of each column; 2. Use Flexbox, which is suitable for horizontal arrangement, which is flexible in control but requires manual calculation of width; 3. Use CSS Grid, which is suitable for complex layout, which is powerful but has high learning costs. The selection method should be determined based on the content type and layout requirements.
To implement CSS multi-column layout, there are actually several common ways, and which one is mainly based on your specific needs. The most direct way is to use the columns attribute of CSS, which is simple and efficient. If you need more granular control, you can also use Flexbox or Grid.
1. Use columns attribute (the easiest way)
This is the most direct method, suitable for scenarios where text content is automatically divided into columns, such as article and news layout.
You can write this way:
.multi-column {
columns: 3 auto;
}The meaning of this code is: divided into 3 columns, and each column has its height automatically adjusted.
You can also set the number of columns and column width separately:
columns: 3; /* 3 columns*/ columns: 200px; /* 200px width per column */ columns: 3 200px; /* Up to 3 columns, each column width is 200px */
Notice:
- Content will be automatically divided into columns
- Can't accurately control the content distribution of each column
- Not suitable for complex layout structures
2. Use Flexbox (a container suitable for horizontal arrangement)
Flexbox is more suitable for controlling the horizontal arrangement of multiple sub-elements, such as navigation bars, card lists, etc.
Basic writing method:
.container {
display: flex;
gap: 10px;
}This will arrange the child elements horizontally and will not wrap lines by default. If you want to control the number of columns, you can calculate it in combination with the width:
- For example, if you want to arrange it into 3 columns, you can do this:
.container {
display: flex;
flex-wrap: wrap;
}
.column {
flex: 0 0 calc(33.33% - 7px); /* 3 columns, consider gap spacing*/
}advantage:
- Flexible control
- Can be used with responsive design
shortcoming:
- Need to manually calculate the width
- Visually misaligned when column heights are inconsistent
3. Use CSS Grid (suitable for complex layouts)
Grid is the most powerful layout method, especially suitable for two-dimensional layout (both rows and rows are controlled).
Basic writing method:
.grid-container {
display: grid;
grid-template-columns: repeat(3, 1fr);
gap: 10px;
}The above code will create a 3-column equal width grid layout.
More complex structures can also be controlled like this:
grid-template-columns: 200px 1fr 1fr; /* The first column has fixed width, and the last two columns are adaptable*/
advantage:
- Accurately control the number of columns, column width, and row height
- Support responsive layout
shortcoming:
- Learning costs are slightly higher
- Compatibility with old browsers
4. Precautions and FAQs
- Problem of content breaking : The
columnsmethod may break the line in an inappropriate position. You can usebreak-inside: avoid;to avoid elements being truncated. - Responsive design : On the mobile side, you may need to adjust the number of columns and can be used in conjunction with media queries.
- Browser Compatibility :
columnsare well supported in modern browsers, but may not be supported in some older versions.
Basically these methods. Which method to choose depends on your content type and layout requirements. Use columns for simple text segmentation, and use Flexbox or Grid for structured containers, each with applicable scenarios.
The above is the detailed content of How to create a multi-column layout in CSS?. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!
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