Today we are going to create a responsive multi-column layout using Tailwind CSS. Sometimes is quiet difficult to create a responsive layout with Tailwind CSS, but with this tutorial you will learn how to do it. This tutorial will show you how to create a multi-column layout that takes up the full width of the screen.
A multi-column layout is a design pattern where content is organized into multiple columns that are displayed side by side. This approach allows for a structured and organized presentation of information, making it easier for users to navigate and consume content. Multi-column layouts are an essential part of web design and are widely used across various industries. They help in maximizing the use of screen space, especially on larger displays, and in creating visually appealing and easy-to-read content arrangements.
Examples of Multi-Column Layouts
Sidebar Layout:
Three-Column Layout:
Grid Layout:
#### Use Cases
E-commerce Websites:
News Websites:
Social Media Platforms:
Portfolio Websites:
Blogs:
Corporate Websites:
Educational Websites:
Magazines and Editorial Sites:
Real Estate Websites:
Dashboards and Admin Panels:
Using Tailwind CSS to create these multi-column layouts ensures that they are responsive, maintainable, and visually consistent across different devices and screen sizes.
div
element that is positioned using the flow-root
utility class.flex
: This class sets the flex container to be the main wrapper of the multi-column layout.min-h-full
: This class sets the minimum height of the main wrapper to be the full height of its parent container.flex-col
: This class sets the flex container to be a column.<div class="flex min-h-full flex-col">
<!-- This is where the content of your page goes -->
</div>
div
element that is positioned using the mx-auto
utility class. This ensures that the main column wrapper takes up the full width of its parent container.w-full
: This class sets the width of the main column wrapper to be the full width of its parent container.max-w-7xl
: This class sets the maximum width of the main column wrapper to be 7xl.grow
: This class sets the main column wrapper to grow to fill the available space.lg:flex
: This class sets the main column wrapper to be a flex container on large screens (e.g., desktops).<div class="flex min-h-full flex-col">
<div class="mx-auto w-full max-w-7xl grow lg:flex xl:px-2">
<!-- All content goes here -->
</div>
</div>
The first column wrapper will contain the left sidebar and the center column, this way we can easily control the width of the sidebar and the center column.
flex-1
: This class sets the width of the column wrapper to be the remaining space in the main column wrapper.xl:flex
: This class sets the column wrapper to be a flex container on extra large screens (e.g., large desktops).<div class="flex min-h-full flex-col">
<div class="mx-auto w-full max-w-7xl grow lg:flex xl:px-2">
<div class="flex-1 xl:flex">
<!-- All content goes here -->
</div>
</div>
</div>
border-b
: This class adds a border to the bottom of the sidebar.px-4
: This class adds horizontal padding of 4 pixels to the sidebar.py-6
: This class adds vertical padding of 6 pixels to the sidebar.sm:px-6
: This class adds horizontal padding of 6 pixels to the sidebar on small screens (e.g., mobile devices).lg:pl-8
: This class adds left padding of 8 pixels to the sidebar on large screens (e.g., desktops).xl:w-64
: This class sets the width of the sidebar to 64 pixels on extra large screens (e.g., large desktops).xl:shrink-0
: This class sets the width of the sidebar to 0 pixels on extra large screens (e.g., large desktops).xl:border-b-0
: This class removes the border from the bottom of the sidebar on extra large screens (e.g., large desktops).xl:border-r
: This class adds a border to the right of the sidebar on extra large screens (e.g., large desktops).xl:pl-6
: This class adds left padding of 6 pixels to the sidebar on extra large screens (e.g., large desktops).<div lass="border-b px-4 py-6 sm:px-6 lg:pl-8 xl:w-64 xl:shrink-0 xl:border-b-0 xl:border-r xl:pl-6">
<!-- Sidebar content page goes -->
</div>
px-4
: This class adds horizontal padding of 4 pixels to the center column.py-6
: This class adds vertical padding of 6 pixels to the center column.sm:px-6
: This class adds horizontal padding of 6 pixels to the center column on small screens (e.g., mobile devices).lg:pl-8
: This class adds left padding of 8 pixels to the center column on large screens (e.g., desktops).xl:flex-1
: This class sets the width of the center column to be the remaining space in the main column wrapper.xl:pl-6
: This class adds left padding of 6 pixels to the center column on extra large screens (e.g., large desktops).<div class="px-4 py-6 sm:px-6 lg:pl-8 xl:flex-1 xl:pl-6">
<!-- Center content page goes -->
</div>
shrink-0
: This class sets the width of the right sidebar to 0 pixels.border-t
: This class adds a border to the top of the right sidebar.px-4
: This class adds horizontal padding of 4 pixels to the right sidebar.py-6
: This class adds vertical padding of 6 pixels to the right sidebar.sm:px-6
: This class adds horizontal padding of 6 pixels to the right sidebar on small screens (e.g., mobile devices).lg:w-96
: This class sets the width of the right sidebar to 96 pixels on large screens (e.g., desktops).lg:border-l
: This class adds a border to the left of the right sidebar on large screens (e.g., desktops).lg:border-t-0
: This class removes the border from the top of the right sidebar on large screens (e.g., desktops).lg:pr-8
: This class adds right padding of 8 pixels to the right sidebar on large screens (e.g., desktops).xl:pr-6
: This class adds right padding of 6 pixels to the right sidebar on extra large screens (e.g., large desktops).<div class="shrink-0 border-t px-4 py-6 sm:px-6 lg:w-96 lg:border-l lg:border-t-0 lg:pr-8 xl:pr-6">
<!-- Right sidebar content page goes -->
</div>
This is how the full markup for the multi-column layout will look like, including the wrapper, the left sidebar, the center column, and the right sidebar. This markup ensures that the layout takes up the full width of the screen and has a responsive design.
<div class="flex min-h-full flex-col">
<!-- Main column wrapper -->
<div class="mx-auto w-full max-w-7xl grow lg:flex xl:px-2">
<!-- Left sidebar & main wrapper -->
<div class="flex-1 xl:flex">
<div class="border-b px-4 py-6 sm:px-6 lg:pl-8 xl:w-64 xl:shrink-0 xl:border-b-0 xl:border-r xl:pl-6">
<!-- Sidebar content goes here -->
</div>
<!-- Center column -->
<div class="px-4 py-6 sm:px-6 lg:pl-8 xl:flex-1 xl:pl-6">
<!-- Content column content goes here -->
</div>
</div>
<!-- Right sidebar -->
<div class="shrink-0 border-t px-4 py-6 sm:px-6 lg:w-96 lg:border-l lg:border-t-0 lg:pr-8 xl:pr-6">
<!-- Right sidebar content goes here -->
</div>
</div>
</div>
In this tutorial, we explored the concept of multi-column layouts and how to create a responsive multi-column layout using Tailwind CSS. We learned how to create a multi-column layout that takes up the full width of the screen and has a responsive design. We also learned how to create a sidebar and a center column in the multi-column layout. Finally, we learned how to create a right sidebar in the multi-column layout.
Hope you enjoyed this tutorial and have a great day!
/Michael Andreuzza
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