CSS Grid

Overview

CSS Grid divides a container into rows and columns. Place items explicitly or let auto-placement flow. Grid excels at page layouts, dashboards, and complex responsive designs.

Syntax / Usage

.grid {
  display: grid;
  grid-template-columns: repeat(3, 1fr);
  grid-template-rows: auto 1fr auto;
  gap: 1.5rem;
}

/* Named areas */
.layout {
  display: grid;
  grid-template-areas:
    "header header"
    "sidebar main"
    "footer footer";
  grid-template-columns: 240px 1fr;
}

.header { grid-area: header; }
.sidebar { grid-area: sidebar; }
.main { grid-area: main; }

/* Span columns */
.featured {
  grid-column: span 2;
}

Examples

Responsive auto-fit cards:

.cards {
  display: grid;
  grid-template-columns: repeat(auto-fit, minmax(280px, 1fr));
  gap: 1.25rem;
}

Holy grail layout:

.app {
  display: grid;
  min-height: 100vh;
  grid-template-rows: auto 1fr auto;
  grid-template-columns: 1fr;
}

Common Mistakes

• Mixing flex and grid without clear responsibility per section
• Fixed pixel columns that break on mobile—use fr, minmax, or media queries
• Overlapping grid-area names causing placement bugs
• Forgetting gap replaces manual margins between cells

See Also

flexbox responsive-design box-model custom-properties