CSS Flexbox Generator

Create flexible layouts with CSS Flexbox visual preview.

Generate CSS flexbox code with real-time visual preview. Control flex direction, justify-content, align-items, flex-wrap, and align-content. Copy CSS code instantly.

What is CSS Flexbox Generator?

CSS Flexbox Generator is a free online tool that helps you create flexible, responsive layouts using CSS Flexbox. Whether you're building navigation bars, card grids, or complex page layouts, this tool provides visual, real-time preview of flexbox properties and generates clean CSS code.

With our flexbox generator, you can:

Control flex direction - row, column, and reverse variants
Adjust justify-content - align items along main axis
Set align-items - align items along cross axis
Configure flex-wrap - control wrapping behavior
Manage align-content - align wrapped lines
Preview in real-time with 5 sample flex items
Copy instantly with ready-to-use CSS code

Understanding CSS Flexbox

Flexbox (Flexible Box Layout) is a one-dimensional layout method for arranging items in rows or columns. Items flex (expand) to fill additional space or shrink to fit into smaller spaces.

Flexbox Basics

Container Properties:

.container {
  display: flex;
  flex-direction: row;
  justify-content: center;
  align-items: center;
  flex-wrap: wrap;
}

Flex Direction

Controls the main axis direction:

flex-direction: row; /* Left to right (default) */
flex-direction: row-reverse; /* Right to left */
flex-direction: column; /* Top to bottom */
flex-direction: column-reverse; /* Bottom to top */

Justify Content

Aligns items along the main axis:

justify-content: flex-start; /* Start of container (default) */
justify-content: flex-end; /* End of container */
justify-content: center; /* Center of container */
justify-content: space-between; /* Equal space between items */
justify-content: space-around; /* Equal space around items */
justify-content: space-evenly; /* Equal space between and around */

Align Items

Aligns items along the cross axis:

align-items: stretch; /* Stretch to fill (default) */
align-items: flex-start; /* Start of cross axis */
align-items: flex-end; /* End of cross axis */
align-items: center; /* Center of cross axis */
align-items: baseline; /* Align baselines */

Flex Wrap

Controls wrapping behavior:

flex-wrap: nowrap; /* Single line (default) */
flex-wrap: wrap; /* Wrap to multiple lines */
flex-wrap: wrap-reverse; /* Wrap in reverse */

Align Content

Aligns wrapped lines:

align-content: stretch; /* Stretch lines (default) */
align-content: flex-start; /* Pack to start */
align-content: flex-end; /* Pack to end */
align-content: center; /* Pack to center */
align-content: space-between; /* Equal space between */
align-content: space-around; /* Equal space around */

Key Features

Complete Flexbox Control

Adjust all major flexbox container properties:

Flex Direction (4 options)
Justify Content (6 options)
Align Items (5 options)
Flex Wrap (3 options)
Align Content (6 options)

Visual Real-Time Preview

See flexbox layout changes instantly with 5 sample items in a bordered container.

Responsive Design Ready

Perfect for creating responsive layouts that adapt to different screen sizes.

Dark Theme Support

Works seamlessly in both light and dark modes.

Clean CSS Output

Generated code is formatted and ready to paste into your stylesheet.

How to Use the CSS Flexbox Generator

Step 1: Set Flex Direction

Choose how items flow in the container:

Row: Horizontal, left to right
Row Reverse: Horizontal, right to left
Column: Vertical, top to bottom
Column Reverse: Vertical, bottom to top

Step 2: Adjust Justify Content

Control spacing along the main axis:

Flex Start: Pack to start
Flex End: Pack to end
Center: Center items
Space Between: Space between items
Space Around: Space around items
Space Evenly: Equal spacing

Step 3: Set Align Items

Control alignment along the cross axis:

Stretch: Fill container height/width
Flex Start: Align to start
Flex End: Align to end
Center: Center alignment
Baseline: Align text baselines

Step 4: Configure Flex Wrap

Choose wrapping behavior:

No Wrap: Single line
Wrap: Wrap to multiple lines
Wrap Reverse: Wrap in reverse order

Step 5: Manage Align Content

For wrapped layouts, control line spacing:

Stretch: Stretch lines
Flex Start: Pack lines to start
Flex End: Pack lines to end
Center: Center lines
Space Between: Space between lines
Space Around: Space around lines

Step 6: Copy CSS Code

Click Copy to copy the generated flexbox CSS code.

Step 7: Reset if Needed

Click Reset to return to default flexbox values.

Common Use Cases and Examples

.nav {
  display: flex;
  flex-direction: row;
  justify-content: space-between;
  align-items: center;
}

Use for: Navigation menus, toolbars

Centered Content

.container {
  display: flex;
  justify-content: center;
  align-items: center;
  min-height: 100vh;
}

Use for: Hero sections, modals, centered layouts

Card Grid

.grid {
  display: flex;
  flex-wrap: wrap;
  justify-content: space-between;
  align-items: stretch;
}

Use for: Product grids, image galleries

.layout {
  display: flex;
  flex-direction: row;
}
.sidebar {
  flex: 0 0 250px;
}
.main {
  flex: 1;
}

Use for: Dashboard layouts, blog layouts

.footer {
  display: flex;
  flex-direction: row;
  justify-content: space-evenly;
  align-items: flex-start;
}

Use for: Footer sections, feature lists

Vertical Stack

.stack {
  display: flex;
  flex-direction: column;
  align-items: stretch;
  gap: 1rem;
}

Use for: Form layouts, vertical lists

Flexbox Best Practices

1. Use Flexbox for One-Dimensional Layouts

Flexbox excels at layouts in a single direction (row or column). For two-dimensional layouts, consider CSS Grid.

2. Combine with Gap Property

Modern browsers support the gap property for spacing:

.container {
  display: flex;
  gap: 1rem;
}

3. Use flex Shorthand on Items

Control individual item sizing:

.item {
  flex: 1; /* Grow to fill space */
  flex: 0 0 200px; /* Fixed width */
}

4. Responsive Flexbox

Change flex direction for mobile:

.container {
  display: flex;
  flex-direction: row;
}
@media (max-width: 768px) {
  .container {
    flex-direction: column;
  }
}

5. Avoid Flexbox for Entire Page Layouts

Use Flexbox for components, CSS Grid for page-level layouts.

6. Test Wrapping Behavior

Always test how your layout behaves when items wrap to multiple lines.

Browser Compatibility

CSS Flexbox is widely supported across all modern browsers:

Chrome: Version 29 and above - Full support (partial from v21)
Firefox: Version 28 and above - Full support (partial from v18)
Safari: Version 9 and above - Full support (partial from v6.1)
Edge: All versions - Full support
Opera: Version 17 and above - Full support
iOS Safari: Version 9 and above - Full support (partial from v7)
Android Browser: Version 4.4 and above - Full support

Note: Older browsers may require vendor prefixes. Modern browsers don't need them.

Advanced Flexbox Techniques

Auto Margins for Spacing

.container {
  display: flex;
}
.item:last-child {
  margin-left: auto; /* Push to right */
}

Flex Grow and Shrink

.item-1 {
  flex-grow: 2; /* Grows twice as much */
}
.item-2 {
  flex-grow: 1;
  flex-shrink: 0; /* Won't shrink */
}

Order Property

.item-1 {
  order: 2; /* Display second */
}
.item-2 {
  order: 1; /* Display first */
}

Align Self

Override align-items for individual items:

.item {
  align-self: flex-end; /* Different from container */
}

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is CSS Flexbox?

Flexbox is a CSS layout module that provides an efficient way to lay out, align, and distribute space among items in a container, even when their size is unknown or dynamic.

When should I use Flexbox vs Grid?

Use Flexbox for one-dimensional layouts (rows or columns). Use CSS Grid for two-dimensional layouts (rows and columns together).

What's the difference between justify-content and align-items?

justify-content aligns items along the main axis (horizontal for row, vertical for column). align-items aligns along the cross axis (perpendicular to main axis).

How do I center a div with Flexbox?

.container {
  display: flex;
  justify-content: center;
  align-items: center;
}

What does flex: 1 mean?

flex: 1 is shorthand for flex-grow: 1; flex-shrink: 1; flex-basis: 0; - it makes the item grow to fill available space.

Can I use Flexbox for responsive design?

Yes! Flexbox is excellent for responsive design. Combine with media queries to change flex-direction for different screen sizes.

What's the difference between flex-wrap: wrap and nowrap?

nowrap keeps all items on one line (may overflow). wrap allows items to wrap to multiple lines.

How do I create equal-width columns with Flexbox?

Set flex: 1 on all items: .item { flex: 1; }

What is align-content used for?

align-content aligns wrapped flex lines. It only works when flex-wrap: wrap is set and there are multiple lines.

Can I nest Flexbox containers?

Yes! Flex items can also be flex containers, allowing complex nested layouts.

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