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Flexbox in CSS: A Complete Guide

Flexbox in CSS: A Complete Guide

The CSS Flexbox is a strong tool to design the layout with minimum code and maximum flexibility. Understanding Flexbox is so important to create a web page or mobile application in the modern web development era. In this blog, we will discuss Flexbox and its flexibility for creating websites. 

Table of Contents:

What is Flexbox?

CSS Flexbox layout provides you with a one-dimensional system, which allows you to arrange elements in either rows or columns. You can distribute the space between the items and alignment capacity. The items inside the flexbox allow you to grow, shrink, and wrap based on the availability of the space. Therefore, it is suitable for making responsive layouts. 

Why Use Flexbox?

  • You can use it to simplify complex layouts.
  • It handles both horizontal and vertical centering features.
  • You can eliminate float and clearfix.
  • It provides you with fine control over spacing, alignment, and sizing.
  • It is suitable for responsive design.
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Flex Container and Flex Item Properties

There are some properties available for flex containers and flex items. Let us discuss them below. 

Flex Container Properties

Property Definition Syntax
display Defines a flex container display: flex;
display: inline-flex;
flex-direction Sets the direction of the main axis flex-direction: row | row-reverse | column | column-reverse;
flex-wrap Controls whether items wrap onto multiple lines flex-wrap: nowrap | wrap | wrap-reverse;
flex-flow Shorthand for flex-direction and flex-wrap flex-flow: row wrap;
justify-content Aligns items along the main axis justify-content: flex-start | flex-end | center | space-between | space-around | space-evenly;
align-items Aligns items along the cross axis align-items: flex-start | flex-end | center | baseline | stretch;
align-content Aligns wrapped rows along the cross axis align-content: flex-start | flex-end | center | space-between | space-around | stretch;

Flex Item Properties

Property Definition Syntax
order Controls the visual order of flex items (lower values appear first) order: 0;
flex-grow Defines how much a flex item can grow relative to others flex-grow: 1;
flex-shrink Defines how much a flex item can shrink relative to others flex-shrink: 1;
flex-basis Sets the initial main size of a flex item flex-basis: auto | 0 | 100px;
flex Shorthand for flex-grow, flex-shrink, and flex-basis flex: 1 1 0;
flex: auto;
align-self Overrides align-items for individual flex items align-self: auto | flex-start | flex-end | center | baseline | stretch;

Common Flexbox Patterns

Centering an Item

You can center an item using CSS Flexbox properties.

Example:

Html

Output:

Centering an Item

Equal Width Columns

You can give the equal width column using the Flexbox. 

Example:

Html

Output:

Equal Width Columns

Sidebar Layout

The sidebar layout can be made using the CSS flexbox.

Example:

Html

Output:

Sidebar Layout

Flexbox Debugging Tips

  • You can use browser DevTools to inspect and adjust properties.
  • Apply background colors to visualize item spacing.
  • Use an outline for debugging without affecting the layout.

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Conclusion

It is the tool for designing the layout that gives you a responsive webpage. You can master its properties and understand its items for creating powerful and adaptive layouts in every screen size. You can refer to this blog if you need a refresher on Flexbox basics. 

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What is CSS Flexbox? – FAQs

Q1. What is Flexbox in CSS?

It is the layout model in CSS for arranging the items with flexibility in the container.

Q2. What properties are available for the container?

There are properties like display, flex-direction, justify-content, align-items, and flex-wrap.

Q3. What properties are available for items inside the container?

There are some properties available for the items, such as flex, align-self, and order.

Q4. What is the difference between justify-content and align-items?

You can use justify-content for aligning the items horizontally, and align-items are used for aligning vertically.

Q5. What is the purpose of flex-wrap?

You can use flex-wrap to control the items to wrap onto new lines.

About the Author

Kislay
Kislay
Technical Research Analyst - Full Stack Development

Kislay is a Technical Research Analyst and Full Stack Developer with expertise in crafting Mobile applications from inception to deployment. Proficient in Android development, IOS development, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, React, Angular, MySQL, and MongoDB, he’s committed to enhancing user experiences through intuitive websites and advanced mobile applications.