Flexbox CSS Fundamentals: Creating Responsive Website Layouts

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In recent years, responsiveness has become one of, if not the most important considerations in web design. The internet world is often referred to as mobile-first due to users’ preference to complete tasks on mobile devices as opposed to computers and laptops.

While mobile browsing is, in most cases, a more efficient way to complete online tasks, it can make life slightly harder for UX teams and developers. While the early days of mobile browsing may have seen a lack of consideration for responsiveness, that’s certainly not acceptable in this day and age. Websites that fail to consider a responsive layout will be left behind.

This article will explore the issue of responsiveness and the effectiveness of Flexbox as a solution with examples of how Flexbox can be used to create more versatile websites and better user experiences.

The increasing importance of responsiveness

Responsive web design refers to a website’s ability to adapt to the circumstances in which it is being used. For instance, a website that is able to resize according to different devices and screen sizes is a good example of a responsive website.

Today, users are browsing on a variety of devices, including desktop, mobile and tablet. Mobile browsing in particular has grown by an exponential amount after the introduction of the iPhone. As a result, it’s important that websites function across different devices to ensure that the user receives a seamless experience regardless of the device being used.

What is Flexbox?

A solution to creating responsive websites lies in Flexbox, a CSS layout method that tackles the issue in the form of dynamic layouts that adjust to screen size. It works by aligning items in a container. The container can expand to fill space or shrink if overflowing. As a result, developers are left with a dynamic solution that automatically resizes accordingly.

Here are the key properties of Flexbox:

  • display: flex: Defines a flex container.
  • flex-direction: Defines the direction of items (row, column).
  • justify-content: Aligns items horizontally within the container.
  • align-items: Aligns items vertically within the container.
  • flex-wrap: Controls wrapping behavior of items.
  • flex-grow, flex-shrink, and flex-basis: Properties controlling item size and spacing within the container.

How to set up a Flexbox layout

Here is a simple step-by-step guide for setting up a basic Flexbox layout.

  1. Create a flex container using display: flex.
  2. Organise items inside the container using flex-direction.
  3. Use flex-wrap to allow items to wrap onto new lines when necessary.
  4. Control the sizing of items with flex-grow, flex-shrink, and flex-basis.

Here is how a simple Flexbox layout may look in terms of code:

HTML

<div class=”flex-container”>

    <div class=”flex-item”>Item 1</div>

    <div class=”flex-item”>Item 2</div>

    <div class=”flex-item”>Item 3</div>

</div>

CSS
.flex-container {

    display: flex;

    flex-wrap: wrap;

    justify-content: space-between;

}

.flex-item {

    flex: 1 1 200px;

    margin: 10px;

}

Flexbox and responsiveness

Setting up a Flexbox layout is likely a simple task for any experienced developer. But it’s important to understand Flexbox’s more advanced uses so it can be even more effective to you when it comes to creating responsive layouts.

For example, Flexbox could integrate with media queries to adjust layouts based on screen sizes. You may combine Flexbox and media queries to switch from a horizontal layout to a vertical layout on mobile.

Here are a few examples of how Flexbox can be used with example pieces of code.

Example 1: A Flexbox Grid Layout with 3 columns that switches to a single column on smaller screens.

HTML
<div class=”flex-container”>
    <div class=”flex-item”>1</div>
    <div class=”flex-item”>2</div>
    <div class=”flex-item”>3</div>
</div>

CSS
.flex-container {
    display: flex;
    flex-wrap: wrap;
}
.flex-item {
    flex: 1 1 200px;
}
@media (max-width: 600px) {
    .flex-container {
        flex-direction: column;
    }
}

Example 2: Using Flexbox to create a nav bar that stacks vertically on smaller screens.

HTML
<nav class=”flex-navbar”>
    <a href=”#”>Home</a>
    <a href=”#”>About</a>
    <a href=”#”>Contact</a>
</nav>

CSS
.flex-navbar {

    display: flex;
    justify-content: space-between;
}
@media (max-width: 600px) {
    .flex-navbar {
        flex-direction: column;
        align-items: center;
    }
}

Final Thoughts

Flexbox offers a robust solution to responsiveness. Done right, you’ll leave your users with a flexible website that runs smoothly across a range of different devices, helping to improve performance and user experience.

It’s also important to remember that it doesn’t matter what the purpose of your website is, all websites need to work across a variety of devices. Whether you are a health service offering treatment advice or an e-commerce website selling women’s clothing, some users will use desktop devices while others will use smartphones or tablets. You must cater to both.

The one obvious drawback of Flexbox is that it can seem overwhelming for novice developers. If you are trying to improve the responsiveness of your website, but don’t have much time to work with, consider reaching out to a leading web development agency in Manchester to see how they can assist you.