HTML Layout Elements and Techniques

Websites often display content in multiple columns (like a magazine or a newspaper).

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HTML Layout Elements

HTML has several semantic elements that define the different parts of a web page:

• <header> - Defines a header for a document or a section
• <nav> - Defines a set of navigation links
• <section> - Defines a section in a document
• <article> - Defines an independent, self-contained content
• <aside> - Defines content aside from the content (like a sidebar)
• <footer> - Defines a footer for a document or a section
• <details> - Defines additional details that the user can open and close on demand
• <summary> - Defines a heading for the <details> element

HTML Layout Techniques

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

• CSS framework
• CSS float property
• CSS flexbox
• CSS grid

CSS Float Layout

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.

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CSS Grid Layout

The CSS Grid Layout Module offers a grid-based layout system, with rows and columns, making it easier to design web pages without having to use floats and positioning.