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columns

files/en-us/web/css/reference/properties/columns/index.md

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The columns CSS shorthand property sets the maximum number of columns to use when drawing an element's contents, along with the minimum width and maximum height of the element's columns.

{{InteractiveExample("CSS Demo: columns")}}

css
columns: 2;
css
columns: 6rem auto;
css
columns: 12em;
css
columns: 3;
html
<section id="default-example">
  <p id="example-element">
    London. Michaelmas term lately over, and the Lord Chancellor sitting in
    Lincoln's Inn Hall. Implacable November weather. As much mud in the streets
    as if the waters had but newly retired from the face of the earth, and it
    would not be wonderful to meet a Megalosaurus, forty feet long or so,
    waddling like an elephantine lizard up Holborn Hill.
  </p>
</section>
css
#example-element {
  min-width: 21rem;
  text-align: left;
}

Constituent properties

This property is a shorthand for the following CSS properties:

  • {{cssxref("column-count")}}
  • {{cssxref("column-width")}}
  • {{cssxref("column-height")}}

Syntax

css
/* Column width */
columns: 18em;

/* Column count */
columns: auto;
columns: 2;

/* Column width and count */
columns: 2 auto;
columns: auto 12em;
columns: auto auto;

/* Column width and/or count, and column height */
columns: 18em / 10em;
columns: 2 / 90vh;
columns: 2 auto / 300px;

/* Global values */
columns: inherit;
columns: initial;
columns: revert;
columns: revert-layer;
columns: unset;

The columns property value may be specified as a <column-count> and/or a <column-width> value, in any order, optionally followed by a <column-height> value preceded by a forward slash (/).

Values

  • <'column-width'>
    • : The ideal column width, defined as a {{cssxref("<length>")}} or the keyword auto. The actual width may be wider or narrower to fit the available space. See {{cssxref("column-width")}}.
  • <'column-count'>
    • : The ideal number of columns into which the element's content should be flowed, defined as an {{cssxref("<integer>")}} or the keyword auto. If specified as an <integer>, it defines the maximum allowable number of columns. See {{cssxref("column-count")}}.
  • <'column-height'>
    • : The height of the columns defined as a {{cssxref("<length>")}} or the keyword auto. See {{cssxref("column-height")}}.

[!NOTE] Setting a <column-height> value resets the {{cssxref("column-wrap")}} property to its initial value, auto. When <column-height> is set to a <length>, the {{cssxref("column-wrap")}} auto value resolves to wrap. When <column-height> is set to auto, it resolves to nowrap.

Formal definition

{{cssinfo}}

Formal syntax

{{csssyntax}}

Examples

Setting three equal columns

This example shows how to split a text container into three equal columns.

HTML

We include a basic {{htmlelement("p")}} element containing text content.

html
<p class="content-box">
  This is a bunch of text split into three columns using the CSS
  <code>columns</code>
  property. The text is equally distributed over the columns.
</p>

CSS

We set a columns property value on the paragraph that includes a <column-count> value of 3 and a <column-width> value of auto.

css
body {
  width: 60%;
  margin: 0 auto;
}
css
.content-box {
  columns: 3 auto;
}

Result

{{EmbedLiveSample('three_equal_columns', 'auto', 120)}}

Note how the text is split up into three columns.

Creating wrapping, fixed height columns

This example demonstrates including a <column-height> value with the columns shorthand property to split a text container into fixed-height columns that wrap onto new lines when the container inline edge is reached.

HTML

We include a basic {{htmlelement("p")}} element with some text.

html
<p class="content-box">
  This is a bunch of text split into three columns using the CSS
  <code>columns</code> property. This includes a <code>column-count</code> value
  of <code>3</code>, a <code>column-width</code> value of <code>auto</code>, and
  a <code>column-height</code> value of <code>5em</code>. The
  <code>column-wrap</code> value is set to its initial value, <code>auto</code>;
  when a <code>column-height</code> value is included,
  <code>column-wrap: auto</code> resolves to <code>wrap</code>, which allows the
  columns to wrap onto multiple rows. The text is equally distributed over the
  columns, and placed into multiple rows.
</p>

CSS

We set a columns property value on the paragraph that includes a <column-count> value of 3, a <column-width> value of auto, and a <column-height> value of 5em. Because the <column-height> is set to a <length>, the paragraph's {{cssxref("column-wrap")}} value computes to wrap, which allows the columns to wrap onto multiple rows.

css
.content-box {
  columns: 3 auto / 5em;
}
css
body {
  width: 60%;
  margin: 0 auto;
}
css
@supports not (columns: 3 auto / 5em) {
  body::before {
    content: "Your browser does not support the 'column-height' property.";
    background-color: wheat;
    position: fixed;
    inset: 40% 0;
    height: fit-content;
    text-align: center;
    padding: 1rem 0;
  }
}

Result

{{EmbedLiveSample('fixed-height', 'auto', 320)}}

Note how the text is split up into three columns. Each column is 5em high. After every third column, the columns wrap onto a new line in the block direction.

Specifications

{{Specifications}}

Browser compatibility

{{Compat}}

See also