HTML Layouts

HTML Layout Elements

Websites often display content in multiple columns (like a magazine or newspaper).
HTML5 offers new semantic elements that define the different parts of a web page:

<header> - Defines a header for a document or a section <nav> - Defines a container for navigation links <section> - Defines a section in a document <article> - Defines an independent self-contained article <aside> - Defines content aside from the content (like a sidebar) <footer> - Defines a footer for a document or a section <details> - Defines additional details <summary> - Defines a heading for the <details> element

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HTML Layout Techniques

There are four different ways to create multicolumn layouts. Each way has its pros and cons:

• HTML tables
• CSS float property
• CSS framework
• CSS flexbox

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Which One to Choose?

HTML Tables

The <table> element was not designed to be a layout tool! The purpose of the <table> element is to display tabular data. So, do not use tables for your page layout! They will bring a mess into your code. And imagine how hard it will be to redesign your site after a couple of months.

Tip: Do NOT use tables for your page layout!

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CSS Frameworks

If you want to create your layout fast, you can use a framework, like W3.CSS or Bootstrap.

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CSS Floats

It is common to do entire web layouts using the CSS float property. Float is easy to learn - you just need to remember how the float and clear properties work. Disadvantages: Floating elements are tied to the document flow, which may harm the flexibility. Learn more about float in our CSS Float and Clear chapter.

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CSS Flexbox

Flexbox is a new layout mode in CSS3.
Use of flexbox ensures that elements behave predictably when the page layout must accommodate different screen sizes and different display devices. Disadvantages: Does not work in IE10 and earlier.
Learn more about flexbox in our CSS Flexbox chapter.