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How do I use CSS flex property?
The flex
property in CSS is used to control the flexibility of elements inside a flex container. It is typically used in conjunction with a container element that has the display: flex
property. The flex
property defines how the item will grow, shrink, and the basis size of the flex item.
Here’s how to use the flex
property in CSS:
1. Set the Flex Container
To begin with, you need to define the container as a flex container by setting
display: flex
.
.container {
display: flex;
}
2. Use the flex
Property on Flex Items
The flex
property is shorthand for the following three properties:
flex-grow
: Defines how much the flex item will grow relative to the rest of the flex items.flex-shrink
: Defines how much the flex item will shrink relative to the rest of the flex items when there’s not enough space.flex-basis
: Defines the initial size of the flex item before the remaining space is distributed.
Syntax
.item {
flex: <flex-grow> <flex-shrink> <flex-basis>;
}
Example
.item1 {
flex: 1;
/* Item will grow and shrink equally with others */
}
.item2 {
flex: 2;
flex: 2;
/* Item will grow and shrink twice as fast as item1 */
}
}
.item3 {
flex: 0 1 150px;
flex: 0 1 150px;
/* Won’t grow, but will shrink if necessary to 150px */
}
}
Explanation:
- In the example above,
.item1
and.item2
are inside a flex container, and.item2
grows and shrinks twice as fast as.item1
. .item3
will initially be 150px wide, and it will shrink if necessary but won’t grow beyond that size.
Key Flexbox Properties
justify-content
: Aligns items horizontally.
.container {
justify-content: space-between;
}
align-items
: Aligns items vertically within the container.
.container {
align-items: center;
}
flex-direction
: Defines the direction of the main axis (row or column).
.container {
flex-direction: row;
/* horizontal */
}
Example in HTML and CSS:
<div class="container">
<div class="item item1">Item 1</div>
<div class="item item2">Item 2</div>
<div class="item item3">Item 3</div>
</div>
.container {
display: flex;
justify-content: space-around;
}
.item {
padding: 10px;
background-color: lightblue;
border: 1px solid blue;
}
padding: 10px;
background-color: lightblue;
border: 1px solid blue;
}
.item1 {
flex: 1;
}
flex: 1;
}
.item2 {flex: 2;
}.item3 {
flex: 0 1 150px;
}
}.item3 {
flex: 0 1 150px;
}
In this example:
- Items are laid out in a row (
flex-direction: row
is default). .item2
takes up more space because its flex value is larger than.item1
..item3
has a fixed basis of 150px but can shrink if necessary.
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