Multiple Columns

CSS3 introduces a few new modules that make multi-column layouts easier to create. The Multi-column Layout module deals with flowing the text of a single block into multiple columns, similar to newspaper layout. The Flexible Box Layout module deals with making blocks align horizontally or vertically with each other and making them more flexible to the available space than floats or positioning can be. There are also more experimental layout modules called Template Layout and Grid Positioning.

The CSS3 multi-column layout allows easy definition of multiple columns of text – just like in newspapers:

Browser Support

The numbers in the table specify the first browser version that fully supports the property.

Numbers followed by -webkit- or -moz- specify the first version that worked with a prefix.

Property	IE	Chrome	Mozilla	Safari	Opera
column-count	10.0	4.0 -webkit-	2.0 -moz-	3.1 -webkit-	15.0 -webkit- 11.1
column-gap	10.0	4.0 -webkit-	2.0 -moz-	3.1 -webkit-	15.0 -webkit- 11.1
column-rule	10.0	4.0 -webkit-	2.0 -moz-	3.1 -webkit-	15.0 -webkit- 11.1
column-rule-color	10.0	4.0 -webkit-	2.0 -moz-	3.1 -webkit-	15.0 -webkit 11.1
column-rule-style	10.0	4.0 -webkit-	2.0 -moz-	3.1 -webkit-	15.0 -webkit 11.1
column-rule-width	10.0	4.0 -webkit-	2.0 -moz-	3.1 -webkit-	15.0 -webkit 11.1
column-width	10.0	4.0 -webkit-	2.0 -moz-	3.1 -webkit-	15.0 -webkit 11.1

CSS3 Create Multiple Columns

The column-count property specifies the number of columns an element should be divided into. The following example will divide the text in the <div> element into 3 columns, as

div { -webkit-column-count: 3; /* Chrome, Safari, Opera */ -moz-column-count: 3; /* Firefox */ column-count: 3; }

CSS3 Specify the Gap Between Columns

The column-gap property specifies the gap between the columns. The following example specifies a 40 pixels gap between the columns, as

div { -webkit-column-gap: 40px; /* Chrome, Safari, Opera */ -moz-column-gap: 40px; /* Firefox */ column-gap: 40px; }

CSS3 Column Rules

The column-rule-style property specifies the style of the rule between columns, as

div { -webkit-column-rule-style: solid; /* Chrome, Safari, Opera */ -moz-column-rule-style: solid; /* Firefox */ column-rule-style: solid; }

The column-rule-width property specifies the width of the rule between columns, as

div { -webkit-column-rule-width: 1px; /* Chrome, Safari, Opera */ -moz-column-rule-width: 1px; /* Firefox */ column-rule-width: 1px; }

The column-rule-color property specifies the color of the rule between columns, as

div { -webkit-column-rule-color: lightblue; /* Chrome, Safari, Opera */ -moz-column-rule-color: lightblue; /* Firefox */ column-rule-color: lightblue; }

The column-rule property is a shorthand property for setting all the column-rule-* properties above. The following example sets the width, style, and color of the rule between columns, as

div { -webkit-column-rule: 1px solid lightblue; /* Chrome, Safari, Opera */ -moz-column-rule: 1px solid lightblue; /* Firefox */ column-rule: 1px solid lightblue; }

Specify The Column Width

The column-width property specifies a suggested, optimal width for the columns. The following example specifies that the suggested, optimal width for the columns should be 100px, as

h2 { -webkit-column-width: 100px; /* Chrome, Safari, Opera */ column-width: 100px; }

CSS3 Multi-columns Properties

The following table lists all the multi-columns properties:

Property	Description
column-count	Specifies the number of columns an element should be divided into
column-fill	Specifies how to fill columns
column-gap	Specifies the gap between the columns
column-rule	A shorthand property for setting all the column-rule-* properties
column-rule-color	Specifies the color of the rule between columns
column-rule-style	Specifies the style of the rule between columns
column-rule-width	Specifies the width of the rule between columns
column-span	Specifies how many columns an element should span across
column-width	Specifies a suggested, optimal width for the columns
columns	A shorthand property for setting column-width and column-count

Go To- Certified CSS3 Developer Tutorial