columns
Baseline
Widely available
This feature is well established and works across many devices and browser versions. It’s been available across browsers since March 2017.
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.
Try it
columns: 2;
columns: 6rem auto;
columns: 12em;
columns: 3;
<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>
#example-element {
min-width: 21rem;
text-align: left;
}
Constituent properties
This property is a shorthand for the following CSS properties:
Syntax
/* 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
<length>or the keywordauto. The actual width may be wider or narrower to fit the available space. Seecolumn-width. <'column-count'>-
The ideal number of columns into which the element's content should be flowed, defined as an
<integer>or the keywordauto. If specified as an<integer>, it defines the maximum allowable number of columns. Seecolumn-count. <'column-height'>-
The height of the columns defined as a
<length>or the keywordauto. Seecolumn-height.
Note:
Setting a <column-height> value resets the column-wrap property to its initial value, auto. When <column-height> is set to a <length>, the column-wrap auto value resolves to wrap. When <column-height> is set to auto, it resolves to nowrap.
Formal definition
| Initial value | as each of the properties of the shorthand:
|
|---|---|
| Applies to | Block containers except table wrapper boxes |
| Inherited | no |
| Computed value | as each of the properties of the shorthand:
|
| Animation type | as each of the properties of the shorthand:
|
Formal syntax
columns =
[ <'column-width'> || <'column-count'> ] [ / <'column-height'> ]?
<column-width> =
auto |
<length [0,∞]> |
min-content |
max-content |
fit-content( <length-percentage> )
<column-count> =
auto |
<integer [1,∞]>
<column-height> =
auto |
<length [0,∞]>
<length-percentage> =
<length> |
<percentage>
<integer> =
<number-token>
Examples
Setting three equal columns
This example shows how to split a text container into three equal columns.
HTML
We include a basic <p> element containing text content.
<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.
.content-box {
columns: 3 auto;
}
Result
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 <p> element with some text.
<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 column-wrap value computes to wrap, which allows the columns to wrap onto multiple rows.
.content-box {
columns: 3 auto / 5em;
}
Result
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
| Specification |
|---|
| CSS Multi-column Layout Module Level 2 # propdef-columns |