CSS Grid vs Flexbox: When to Use Each

Understanding Layout Systems

CSS Grid and Flexbox are powerful layout tools, but they serve different purposes.

Flexbox: One-Dimensional Layouts

Perfect for arranging items in a single direction:

.container {
  display: flex;
  justify-content: space-between;
  align-items: center;
  gap: 1rem;
}

.item {
  flex: 1;
}

CSS Grid: Two-Dimensional Layouts

Ideal for complex layouts with rows and columns:

.grid-container {
  display: grid;
  grid-template-columns: repeat(3, 1fr);
  grid-template-rows: auto;
  gap: 2rem;
}

.sidebar {
  grid-column: 1 / 2;
  grid-row: 1 / 3;
}

When to Use Flexbox

• Navigation bars
• Vertical or horizontal lists
• Centering elements
• Equal-height columns
• Small-scale layouts

When to Use CSS Grid

• Page layouts
• Card grids
• Complex responsive designs
• Overlapping elements
• Magazine-style layouts

Combining Both

Use Grid for overall page structure and Flexbox for component internals:

.page {
  display: grid;
  grid-template-columns: 250px 1fr;
}

.header {
  display: flex;
  justify-content: space-between;
  align-items: center;
}

Conclusion

Both Grid and Flexbox are essential modern CSS tools. Understanding their strengths helps you choose the right tool for each layout challenge.