Beginner Topic 9 of 51 Web Development
CSS Grid
Two-dimensional CSS layout system.
How it works
CSS Grid is a two-dimensional layout system that places items into rows and columns. The container defines tracks with grid-template-columns and grid-template-rows, using units like fr, minmax and repeat with auto-fit, and items can span tracks or be positioned by line numbers or named areas. Alignment properties and gap control spacing. Subgrid lets nested grids share the parent's tracks.
Step-by-step walkthrough
- display: grid defines rows and columns.
- Header spans all columns.
- Sidebar takes the left column.
- Content takes the right area.
- Footer spans the bottom, and grid-template-areas names the whole layout.
Where it is used
Page layouts, dashboards, image galleries, magazine-style designs and forms with aligned labels use grid. Combined with flexbox, it handles most layouts without hacks.
Common pitfall
Mixing implicit and explicit tracks leads to unexpected rows, so set grid-auto-rows when needed. Items with fixed widths can overflow fr tracks, which need minmax(0, 1fr). Ordering visually with grid can desynchronize focus order from visual order, hurting accessibility. Choose grid for two-dimensional alignment and flexbox for one-dimensional flows.
Where it fits in the course
CSS Grid is topic 9 of 51 in Web Development, rated Beginner. It follows Flexbox. The next topic is Responsive Design.
Practice and explore
- Open the interactive lesson, with a mini quiz.
- Take the Web Development quiz.
How to study this topic
- Read the explanation above and restate the definition in your own words.
- Open the interactive lesson and answer its mini quiz.
- Read the common pitfall, then write a short example that avoids it.
- Check your understanding in the Web Development quiz, and revisit the topic if you miss a question.
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Related topics
- Flexbox (Web Development)
- Responsive Design (Web Development)
- Box Model (Web Development)
- Media Queries (Web Development)