Utilities
Layout grid
Use our flexible grid system to structure website content. The grid is mobile-first, powered by flexbox, and based on a 12-column system.
How it works
The grid system uses a series of containers, rows, and columns to lay out and align content. The following row and corresponding code are an example of and in-depth look at how the grid comes together.
<div class="grid-container">
<div class="grid-row">
<div class="tablet:grid-col">tablet:grid-col</div>
<div class="tablet:grid-col">tablet:grid-col</div>
<div class="tablet:grid-col">tablet:grid-col</div>
</div>
</div>This example code creates three equal-width columns on tablet, desktop, and widescreen devices by using our predefined grid classes. Those columns are centered in the page with the parent grid-container container.
The following sections break the layout grid down and describe how it works.
Containers, rows, and columns
- Containers:
grid-containercenters the container and gives it a maximum width ofdesktop(1024px). If you would like the grid to span the full width of the page, do not usegrid-container.grid-containercan also accept any breakpoint width, liketablet-lgorwidescreen. Set the default max width with$theme-grid-container-max-widthin your USWDS settings configuration using unit tokens.- By default,
grid-containerhas apadding-xof 2 units at narrow widths, and a padding-x of 4 units atdesktopand wider. Control these values by customizing$theme-site-margins-mobile-width,$theme-site-margins-widthand$theme-site-margins-breakpointin your USWDS settings configuration using unit tokens.
- Rows: Columns must have a
grid-rowas a parent. - Columns:
grid-col-[1-12]indicates the number of columns the item spans out of a possible 12 per row. So, if you want three equal-width columns across, usegrid-col-4for each item.
Additional functionality
- Equal-width columns: With flexbox, grid columns without a specified width will display as equal-width columns. For example, four instances of
grid-colwill display as one-quarter-width columns across all sizes. Refer to the auto-layout columns section for more examples. - Gutters: Rows and columns don’t have any gutters by default, but gutters can be added by including
grid-gap-sm,grid-gap, orgrid-gap-lgat the row level. Refer to gutters for more info. - Media queries: Grid breakpoints are based on minimum-width media queries, meaning they apply to that specific width and all greater widths (e.g.,
tablet:col-4applies to tablet, desktop, and widescreen devices but not atmobile-lgor any width below the tablet breakpoint). Refer to responsive variants for a full list. - Sass mixins: You can use predefined grid classes (like
grid-col-4) for presentational markup or Sass mixins for more semantic markup.
Responsive variants
| Width | Size | Utility class | Columns | Gutters | Nestable |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smallest | ≥0px | .grid-col | 12 | 0 | Yes |
| Mobile large | ≥480px | .mobile-lg:grid-col | 12 | 0 | Yes |
| Tablet | ≥640px | .tablet:grid-col | 12 | 0 | Yes |
| Desktop | ≥1024px | .desktop:grid-col | 12 | 0 | Yes |
Auto layout columns
Variable-width content
.grid-col-auto items fit the natural width of their content.
.grid-col and .grid-col-fill items flex to fill the available space as illustrated in the following example row and code.
<div class="grid-container">
<div class="grid-row">
<div class="grid-col-auto">.grid-col-auto</div>
<div class="grid-col-fill">.grid-col</div>
<div class="grid-col-fill">.grid-col</div>
<div class="grid-col-auto">.grid-col-auto</div>
</div>
</div>Responsive classes
Same at all breakpoints
For columns that should maintain the same proportion at any viewport width, use the .grid-col and .grid-col-* classes. Specify a numbered class when you need a column of a specific width; otherwise, use .grid-col.
.grid-col-[1-12] sets a fixed width of [n] grid columns in a 12-column grid.
<div class="grid-row">
<div class="grid-col-1">.grid-col-1</div>
<div class="grid-col-2">.grid-col-2</div>
<div class="grid-col-3">.grid-col-3</div>
<div class="grid-col-4">.grid-col-4</div>
<div class="grid-col-2">.grid-col-2</div>
</div>
<div class="grid-row">
<div class="grid-col-8">.grid-col-8</div>
<div class="grid-col-2">.grid-col-2</div>
<div class="grid-col-2">.grid-col-2</div>
</div>Stacked columns at narrow widths
Columns are full-width until the narrowest breakpoint specified in a .grid-col class. For instance, using a single set of tablet:grid-col-* classes, you can create a basic grid system that starts out stacked before displaying as columns at the tablet breakpoint (tablet:) as illustrated in the following rows and corresponding code.
<div class="grid-row">
<div class="tablet:grid-col">.tablet:grid-col</div>
<div class="tablet:grid-col">.tablet:grid-col</div>
<div class="tablet:grid-col">.tablet:grid-col</div>
</div>
<div class="grid-row">
<div class="tablet:grid-col-4">.tablet:grid-col-4</div>
<div class="tablet:grid-col-8">.tablet:grid-col-8</div>
</div>Mix and match
Don’t want your columns to simply stack in some breakpoints? Use a combination of different classes for each breakpoint as needed. See the following example rows and corresponding code for a better idea of how it all works.
<!-- Stack the columns on mobile by making one full-width and the other half-width -->
<div class="grid-row">
<div class="tablet:grid-col-8">.tablet:grid-col-8</div>
<div class="grid-col-6 tablet:grid-col-4">.col-6 .tablet:grid-col-4</div>
</div>
<!-- Columns start at 50% wide on mobile and bump up to 33.3% wide on desktop -->
<div class="grid-row">
<div class="grid-col-6 tablet:grid-col-4">.col-6 .tablet:grid-col-4</div>
<div class="grid-col-6 tablet:grid-col-4">.col-6 .tablet:grid-col-4</div>
<div class="grid-col-6 tablet:grid-col-4">.col-6 .tablet:grid-col-4</div>
</div>
<!-- Columns are always 50% wide, on mobile and desktop -->
<div class="grid-row">
<div class="grid-col-6">.col-6</div>
<div class="grid-col-6">.col-6</div>
</div>Offsetting columns
.grid-offset-[1-12] offsets an item by the specified number of grid columns as shown in the following example.
<div class="grid-row">
<div class="grid-col-8 grid-offset-4">.grid-col-8.grid-offset-4</div>
</div>Column wrapping
Items wrap when the sum of the grid columns is more than 12 as shown in the following example.
<div class="grid-row">
<div class="grid-col-8">.grid-col-8</div>
<div class="grid-col-3">.grid-col-3</div>
<div class="grid-col-5">.grid-col-5</div>
</div>Gutters
Default gutter
Add grid-gap to a grid row to add a gap (or gutter) between each column in the row. The default gap width is 2 units and 4 units at desktop and higher. Customize the width of the gap by adjusting the value of $theme-column-gap in project settings as shown in the following example.
<div class="grid-row grid-gap">
<div class="grid-col-4">
<div>.grid-col-4</div>
</div>
<div class="grid-col-4">
<div>.grid-col-4</div>
</div>
<div class="grid-col-4">
<div>.grid-col-4</div>
</div>
</div>Large gutter
grid-gap-lg adds a larger gap (or gutter) between each column in a row than `grid-gap`. The default large-gap width is 32px (4 spacing units). Customize the width of the large gap by adjusting the value of $theme-column-gap-lg in project settings. There is also a .grid-gap-sm (2px) set with $theme-column-gap-sm. Also, you can add the following system values with grid-gap:
grid-gap-2pxgrid-gap-05grid-gap-1grid-gap-2grid-gap-3grid-gap-4grid-gap-5grid-gap-6
The following example row and code illustrate large gutters.
<div class="grid-row grid-gap-lg">
<div class="grid-col-4">
<div>.grid-col-4</div>
</div>
<div class="grid-col-4">
<div>.grid-col-4</div>
</div>
<div class="grid-col-4">
<div>.grid-col-4</div>
</div>
</div>Sass mixins
When generating your CSS from USWDS source files, you have the option of customizing many system defaults by modifying project theme variables. USWDS also provides grid mixins for adding grid functionality to custom semantic component CSS.
Variables
Variables and maps determine the number of columns, gutter width, and media-query point at which to begin floating columns. We use variables to generate the predefined grid classes documented on this page, as well as for the custom mixins noted under Spacing settings and Utilities settings.
Spacing settings
// Values are set as units tokens.
$theme-column-gap-sm: 2px;
$theme-column-gap-md: 2;
$theme-column-gap-lg: 3;
$theme-column-gap-mobile: 2;
$theme-column-gap-desktop: 4;
$theme-grid-container-max-width: 'desktop';
$theme-site-margins-breakpoint: 'desktop';
$theme-site-margins-width: 4;
$theme-site-margins-mobile-width: 2;Utilities settings
// Turn on or off breakpoints
$theme-utility-breakpoints: (
'card': false, // 160px
'card-lg': false, // 240px
'mobile': false, // 320px
'mobile-lg': true, // 480px
'tablet': true, // 640px
'tablet-lg': false, // 880px
'desktop': true, // 1024px
'desktop-lg': false, // 1200px
'widescreen': false, // 1400px
);Mixins
Mixins can be used in conjunction with grid variables to add grid functionality to semantic component Sass.
// Creates a wrapper for a series of rows
// $container-size can be mobile, mobile-lg, tablet, tablet-lg, desktop, desktop-lg, or widescreen
@include grid-container;
@include grid-container($container-size);
// Creates a wrapper for a series of columns
@include grid-row;
// Specify the width between columns
// $gap-size can be sm, md, lg, 2px, 05, 1, 3, 4, 6
@include grid-gap;
@include grid-gap($gap-size);
// Make the element full-width
@include u-width(full);
// Specify the number of columns the element should span
// $columns can be auto, fill, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
@include grid-col;
@include grid-col($columns);
// Get fancy by offsetting or changing the display order
// $offset can be none, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11
@include grid-offset($offset);
// $order can be first, last, initial, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11
@include u-order($order);Example usage
You can modify the variables to your custom values or just use the mixins with their default values. Here’s an example of using the default settings to create a two-column layout with a gap.
.example-container {
@include grid-container;
}
.example-row {
@include grid-row;
// Add column gaps
&.content-row {
@include grid-gap;
}
}
.example-content-main {
@include u-width(full);
@include at-media(tablet) {
@include grid-col(6);
}
@include at-media(desktop) {
@include grid-col(8);
}
}
.example-content-secondary {
@include u-width(full);
@include at-media(tablet) {
@include grid-col(6);
}
@include at-media(desktop) {
@include grid-col(4);
}
}Latest updates
Meaningful code and guidance updates are listed in the following table:
| Date | USWDS version | Affects | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-03-11 | N/A |
|
Updated value of |
| 2021-12-02 | N/A |
|
Updated value of |
