Mastering CSS Grid Layout

Introduction to CSS Grid

CSS Grid Layout is a two-dimensional layout system that has revolutionized how we design web layouts. Unlike Flexbox, which is primarily one-dimensional, Grid allows you to control both rows and columns simultaneously.

Basic Grid Concepts

• Grid Container and Grid Items
• Grid Lines, Tracks, and Cells
• Grid Areas
• Explicit vs. Implicit Grids

Creating Your First Grid

      .container {
        display: grid;
        grid-template-columns: repeat(3, 1fr);
        grid-template-rows: auto 1fr auto;
        gap: 20px;
      }
      

Advanced Grid Techniques

Once you understand the basics, you can leverage these advanced techniques:

• Named Grid Areas
• Auto-placement Algorithms
• Responsive Grids with minmax()
• Grid Template Areas
• Alignment and Justification

Real-World Example

      .dashboard {
        display: grid;
        grid-template-areas:
          "header header header"
          "sidebar main main"
          "sidebar stats stats"
          "footer footer footer";
        grid-template-columns: 250px 1fr 1fr;
        grid-template-rows: auto 1fr auto auto;
        min-height: 100vh;
      }

      .header { grid-area: header; }
      .sidebar { grid-area: sidebar; }
      .main { grid-area: main; }
      .stats { grid-area: stats; }
      .footer { grid-area: footer; }
      

Browser Support and Fallbacks

CSS Grid is now supported in all modern browsers, but it's still good practice to provide fallbacks for older browsers. Feature queries using @supports can help with this.