A presentation at Smashing Conference Freiburg 2022 in in Freiburg, Germany by Michelle Barker
Modern CSS Layout
💖 Drums 💖 CSS 💖 Windmills
css-irl.info
Multi-column Flexbox Custom properties Container queries aspect-ratio min() / max() / clamp() Grid :has() Logical properties Viewport units Subgrid Writing modes
“ Intrinsic web design Jen Simmons ”
Flex or Grid?
Flexbox One dimension Flexible layout Two dimensions Strict alignment Gap support Layout based on content Layout based on context Grid
centred
Flexbox
Grid 1fr auto 1fr
Flexbox
codepen.io/michellebarker/pen/qBxNWZP
grid-template-columns: 1fr repeat(10, minmax(0, 6rem)) 1fr; codepen.io/michellebarker/pen/qBxNWZP
grid-template-columns: 1fr repeat(10, minmax(0, 6rem)) 1fr; codepen.io/michellebarker/pen/qBxNWZP
codepen.io/michellebarker/pen/qBxNWZP
Aspect-ratio
Before ☹ .aspect-box { position: relative; } .aspect-box::before { display: block; content: ”; width: 100%; padding-bottom: calc(100% / (var(—-aspect-ratio, 3 / 2))); } .aspect-box > :first-child { position: absolute; top: 0; right: 0; bottom: 0; left: 0; } After ☺ .aspect-box { aspect-ratio: 3 / 2; }
Demo codepen.io/michellebarker/pen/ExEzvBx
min, max and clamp min(1rem, 2vw) max(1rem, 2vw)
min, max and clamp clamp(1rem, 2vw, 3rem)
Demo codepen.io/michellebarker/pen/ExEzvBx
Size Viewport width
utopia.fyi
Flex or Grid?
Demo codepen.io/michellebarker/pen/poVvabe
Container-relative units cqw query container width cqh query container height cqi query container inline size cqb query container block size cqmin smallest of ‘cqi’ or ‘cqb’ cqmax largest of ‘cqi’ or ‘cqb’
Browser support
container-query-poly ll fi fi github.com/GoogleChromeLabs/container-query-poly ll
Subgrid
.card { grid-row: span 3; display: grid; gap: 0; grid-template-rows: subgrid; }
.card { grid-row: span 3; display: grid; gap: 0; grid-template-rows: subgrid; }
No subgrid? No problem!
.card { /* Code for browsers without subgrid / } @supports (grid-template-columns: subgrid) { .card { grid-template-rows: subgrid; / Code for browsers that support subgrid */ } }
:has() (the parent selector)
.component blockquote { grid-column: 2 / span 4; grid-row: 2 / span 2; text-align: center; }
.component:has(img) img { grid-row: 1 / span 2; grid-column: 1 / span 3; } .component:has(img) blockquote { grid-row: 2 / span 2; grid-column: 3 / span 4; text-align: left; }
Demo codepen.io/michellebarker/pen/poVvabe
wpt.fyi/interop-2022
🥰 Thank you @MicheBarks / @CSSInRealLife
CSS layout has moved along in leaps and bounds in the past few years. Beyond flexbox and Grid, there is aspect-ratio, min, max and clamp functions, custom properties, and logical properties, all of which can help us solve common layout challenges. Plus a whole new range of features on the horizon (with some already landing in browsers!), including subgrid, container queries and the :has() pseudo-class (or “parent selector”).
As developers, the challenge is no longer whether something can be done in CSS, but which of these tools to reach for in our CSS toolbox! This session will aim to bring you up to speed with modern CSS layout, and demonstrate some creative use cases.
for free. You
can too.