Flexbox and Grid

Modern layout starts with one key question: are you arranging items in one dimension or two?

Use Flexbox When

• you need a row or column
• you want easy centering
• items should grow or shrink along one axis

.nav {
  display: flex;
  align-items: center;
  justify-content: space-between;
  gap: 1rem;
}

Use Grid When

• you need rows and columns together
• cards should line up cleanly
• layout areas matter more than item order

.cards {
  display: grid;
  grid-template-columns: repeat(auto-fit, minmax(220px, 1fr));
  gap: 1.25rem;
}

Flexbox Essentials

• justify-content controls the main axis
• align-items controls the cross axis
• flex-wrap allows wrapping when space is tight
• gap creates consistent spacing without margin hacks

Grid Essentials

• grid-template-columns defines column structure
• repeat() keeps code short
• minmax() makes layouts responsive
• gap works here too

A Useful Pattern

.page {
  display: grid;
  grid-template-columns: 18rem 1fr;
  min-height: 100vh;
}

@media (max-width: 900px) {
  .page {
    grid-template-columns: 1fr;
  }
}

This pattern works well for docs layouts, dashboards, and course pages.

Next Step

Continue to Responsive Units and Media Queries to make layouts adapt smoothly across screens.