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CSS Flexbox Generator

Build flexbox layouts visually. Configure container and child properties, see changes in real time, and copy production-ready CSS.

auto_awesomeLayout Presets

visibilityLIVE PREVIEW

3 items
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Click an item to configure its individual flex properties

view_quiltCONTAINER PROPERTIES

12px

codeGENERATED CSS

.container {
  display: flex;
  flex-direction: row;
  justify-content: flex-start;
  align-items: stretch;
  flex-wrap: nowrap;
  gap: 12px;
}

How It Works

1
view_quilt

Set container properties like direction and alignment

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add_box

Add or remove flex items (3-8)

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Click items to configure individual properties

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Copy the generated CSS for your project

CSS Flexbox Explained

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Main Axis & Cross Axis

Flexbox layouts have two axes. The main axis is defined by flex-direction (row = horizontal, column = vertical). The cross axis is perpendicular. justify-content controls alignment on the main axis; align-items on the cross axis.

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Flex Grow & Shrink

flex-grow controls how much extra space an item absorbs (0 = none, 1+ = proportional). flex-shrink controls how much an item shrinks when space is insufficient. flex-basis sets the initial size before growing/shrinking.

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Wrapping & Gap

flex-wrap: wrap allows items to flow to the next line when the container is too narrow. The gap property adds consistent spacing between items without margin hacks, working in both row and column directions.

Flexbox vs Grid: When to Use Which

Flexbox is designed for one-dimensional layouts -- arranging items in a single row or column. It excels at distributing space among items and aligning them within a container. Use flexbox for navigation bars, card rows, centering content, and any layout where items flow in one direction. CSS Grid is designed for two-dimensional layouts, controlling both rows and columns simultaneously. Use Grid for page-level layouts, complex dashboards, and magazine-style designs. In practice, they work best together: Grid for the overall page structure, and Flexbox for the components within each grid area.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CSS Flexbox?expand_more
CSS Flexible Box Layout (Flexbox) is a layout model that provides an efficient way to distribute space and align items within a container. It works in one dimension at a time (row or column) and handles dynamic sizing, spacing, and alignment automatically. It is supported in all modern browsers.
What is the difference between justify-content and align-items?expand_more
justify-content controls alignment along the main axis (horizontal for row direction, vertical for column direction). align-items controls alignment along the cross axis (the perpendicular direction). Think of justify-content as left/right positioning in a row layout, and align-items as top/bottom positioning.
What does flex: 1 mean?expand_more
flex: 1 is shorthand for flex-grow: 1, flex-shrink: 1, flex-basis: 0%. It tells the item to grow proportionally to fill all available space. If two items both have flex: 1, they share available space equally. If one has flex: 2 and the other flex: 1, the first gets twice as much extra space.
How do I center something with Flexbox?expand_more
To center an item both horizontally and vertically, set the container to display: flex, justify-content: center, and align-items: center. This is the simplest and most reliable centering technique in CSS, replacing old hacks like transform: translate(-50%, -50%) and table-cell tricks.
What is the gap property?expand_more
The gap property (formerly grid-gap) sets spacing between flex/grid items. It works like margin between items but without adding space at the edges. You can set separate values for row-gap and column-gap, or use the shorthand gap for both. It is now supported in all modern browsers for Flexbox.
Can I nest flex containers?expand_more
Yes, you can nest flex containers freely. A flex item can also be a flex container for its children. This is a common pattern -- for example, a horizontal navbar (flex row) containing navigation links that are themselves flex rows. Each flex container independently controls its own layout.