Grid Align — Code Challenge
Put align grid items inside their areas into practice. Rebuild the example from its HTML, then compare your result with the CSS solution. Change the content and the viewport before calling it finished.
How it works
- Align-items and justify-items control items within their grid areas. Align-content and justify-content distribute the grid tracks as a whole when spare space exists.
- Grid works with rows and columns together. Tracks, grid lines, and item placement are separate concepts; inspect the grid overlay in developer tools.
- Keep source order meaningful. Visual placement should not make keyboard focus jump unpredictably around the page.
Your task
Use the HTML below to explore this rule: Align-items and justify-items control items within their grid areas. Align-content and justify-content distribute the grid tracks as a whole when spare space exists. Write your own CSS before opening the solution. Then replace the heading with a longer one and verify that the content is still readable.
Review the CSS solution
.layout { display: grid; grid-template-columns: repeat(2, minmax(0, 1fr)); align-items: start; justify-items: stretch; gap: 16px; }
A solution to compare
The HTML supplies the content; the CSS below styles it. Open both together in the playground, then change the lesson rules at the end of the stylesheet.
<div class="layout"><article class="card"><span class="badge">This Saturday</span><h2>Neighbourhood repair club</h2><p>Bring a small project. Share a useful skill.</p><a href="#booking">View the workshop</a></article><article class="card"><span class="badge">This Saturday</span><h2>Build a bird box</h2><p>Bring a small project. Share a useful skill.</p><a href="#booking">View the workshop</a></article><article class="card"><span class="badge">This Saturday</span><h2>Mend a favourite shirt</h2><p>Bring a small project. Share a useful skill.</p><a href="#booking">View the workshop</a></article></div>
body { margin: 0; padding: 24px; font-family: system-ui, sans-serif; color: #25332d; background: #f4f7f2; }
.card { padding: 20px; background: white; border: 1px solid #d4dfd6; }
h2 { margin-top: 0; }
p { line-height: 1.6; }
a { color: #17634c; }
.badge { display: inline-block; margin-bottom: 12px; font-size: .8rem; }
.layout { display: grid; gap: 16px; }
.photo { width: 100%; height: 160px; background: linear-gradient(135deg, #e4af6b, #668cba); }
button, input, select { font: inherit; padding: 8px; }
label { display: block; margin-block: 12px 4px; }
/* This lesson */
.layout { display: grid; grid-template-columns: repeat(2, minmax(0, 1fr)); align-items: start; justify-items: stretch; gap: 16px; }
Align-items and justify-items control items within their grid areas. Align-content and justify-content distribute the grid tracks as a whole when spare space exists.