grid

Predefined classes

In addition to our semantic mixins, Bootstrap includes an extensive set of prebuilt classes for quickly creating grid columns. It includes options for device-based column sizing, reordering columns, and more.

Example: Stacked-to-horizontal

Using a single set of .col-md-* grid classes, you can create a basic grid system that starts out stacked on mobile devices and tablet devices (the extra small to small range) before becoming horizontal on desktop (medium) devices. Place grid columns within any .row.

col-md-1

col-md-8

col-md-4

col-md-6

<div class="row">
  <div class="col-md-1">col-md-1</div>
  <div class="col-md-1">col-md-1</div>
  <div class="col-md-1">col-md-1</div>
  <div class="col-md-1">col-md-1</div>
  <div class="col-md-1">col-md-1</div>
  <div class="col-md-1">col-md-1</div>
  <div class="col-md-1">col-md-1</div>
  <div class="col-md-1">col-md-1</div>
  <div class="col-md-1">col-md-1</div>
  <div class="col-md-1">col-md-1</div>
  <div class="col-md-1">col-md-1</div>
  <div class="col-md-1">col-md-1</div>
</div>
<div class="row">
  <div class="col-md-8">col-md-8</div>
  <div class="col-md-4">col-md-4</div>
</div>
<div class="row">
  <div class="col-md-4">col-md-4</div>
  <div class="col-md-4">col-md-4</div>
  <div class="col-md-4">col-md-4</div>
</div>
<div class="row">
  <div class="col-md-6">col-md-6</div>
  <div class="col-md-6">col-md-6</div>
</div>

Example: Mobile and desktop

Don’t want your columns to simply stack in smaller devices? Use the extra small and medium device grid classes by adding .col-sm-* and .col-md-* to your columns. See the example below for a better idea of how it all works.

.col-sm-12 .col-md-8

.col-sm-6 .col-md-4

.col-sm-6

<!-- Stack the columns on mobile by making one full-width and the other half-width -->
<div class="row">
  <div class="col-sm-12 col-md-8">.col-sm-12 .col-md-8</div>
  <div class="col-sm-6 col-md-4">.col-sm-6 .col-md-4</div>
</div>

<!-- Columns start at 50% wide on mobile and bump up to 33.3% wide on desktop -->
<div class="row">
  <div class="col-sm-6 col-md-4">.col-sm-6 .col-md-4</div>
  <div class="col-sm-6 col-md-4">.col-sm-6 .col-md-4</div>
  <div class="col-sm-6 col-md-4">.col-sm-6 .col-md-4</div>
</div>

<!-- Columns are always 50% wide, on mobile and desktop -->
<div class="row">
  <div class="col-sm-6">.col-sm-6</div>
  <div class="col-sm-6">.col-sm-6</div>
</div>

Example: Mobile, tablet, desktop

Build on the previous example by creating even more dynamic and powerful layouts with tablet .col-sm-* classes.

.col-sm-12 .col-sm-6 .col-md-8

.col-sm-6 .col-md-4

.col-sm-6 .col-sm-4

<div class="row">
  <div class="col-sm-12 col-sm-6 col-md-8">.col-sm-12 .col-sm-6 .col-md-8</div>
  <div class="col-sm-6 col-md-4">.col-sm-6 .col-md-4</div>
</div>
<div class="row">
  <div class="col-sm-6 col-sm-4">.col-sm-6 .col-sm-4</div>
  <div class="col-sm-6 col-sm-4">.col-sm-6 .col-sm-4</div>
  <!-- Optional: clear the XS cols if their content doesn't match in height -->
  <div class="clearfix hidden-sm-up"></div>
  <div class="col-sm-6 col-sm-4">.col-sm-6 .col-sm-4</div>
</div>

Example: Column wrapping

If more than 12 columns are placed within a single row, each group of extra columns will, as one unit, wrap onto a new line.

.col-sm-9

.col-sm-4
Since 9 + 4 = 13 > 12, this 4-column-wide div gets wrapped onto a new line as one contiguous unit.

.col-sm-6
Subsequent columns continue along the new line.

<div class="row">
  <div class="col-sm-9">.col-sm-9</div>
  <div class="col-sm-4">.col-sm-4<br>Since 9 + 4 = 13 &gt; 12, this 4-column-wide div gets wrapped onto a new line as one contiguous unit.</div>
  <div class="col-sm-6">.col-sm-6<br>Subsequent columns continue along the new line.</div>
</div>

Example: Responsive column resets

With the four tiers of grids available you’re bound to run into issues where, at certain breakpoints, your columns don’t clear quite right as one is taller than the other. To fix that, use a combination of a .clearfix and our responsive utility classes.

.col-sm-6 .col-sm-3

<div class="row">
  <div class="col-sm-6 col-sm-3">.col-sm-6 .col-sm-3</div>
  <div class="col-sm-6 col-sm-3">.col-sm-6 .col-sm-3</div>

  <!-- Add the extra clearfix for only the required viewport -->
  <div class="clearfix hidden-sm-up"></div>

  <div class="col-sm-6 col-sm-3">.col-sm-6 .col-sm-3</div>
  <div class="col-sm-6 col-sm-3">.col-sm-6 .col-sm-3</div>
</div>

In addition to column clearing at responsive breakpoints, you may need to reset offsets, pushes, or pulls. See this in action in the grid example.

.col-sm-5 .col-md-6

.col-sm-5 .offset-sm-2 .col-md-6 .offset-md-0

.col.col-sm-6.col-md-5.col-lg-6

.col-sm-6 .col-md-5 .offset-md-2 .col-lg-6 .offset-lg-0

<div class="row">
  <div class="col-sm-5 col-md-6">.col-sm-5 .col-md-6</div>
  <div class="col-sm-5 offset-sm-2 col-md-6 offset-md-0">.col-sm-5 .offset-sm-2 .col-md-6 .offset-md-0</div>
</div>

<div class="row">
  <div class="col-sm-6 col-md-5 col-lg-6">.col.col-sm-6.col-md-5.col-lg-6</div>
  <div class="col-sm-6 col-md-5 offset-md-2 col-lg-6 offset-lg-0">.col-sm-6 .col-md-5 .offset-md-2 .col-lg-6 .offset-lg-0</div>
</div>

Example: Offsetting columns

Move columns to the right using .offset-md-* classes. These classes increase the left margin of a column by * columns. For example, .offset-md-4 moves .col-md-4 over four columns.

.col-md-4

.col-md-4 .offset-md-4

.col-md-3 .offset-md-3

.col-md-6 .offset-md-3

<div class="row">
  <div class="col-md-4">.col-md-4</div>
  <div class="col-md-4 offset-md-4">.col-md-4 .offset-md-4</div>
</div>
<div class="row">
  <div class="col-md-3 offset-md-3">.col-md-3 .offset-md-3</div>
  <div class="col-md-3 offset-md-3">.col-md-3 .offset-md-3</div>
</div>
<div class="row">
  <div class="col-md-6 offset-md-3">.col-md-6 .offset-md-3</div>
</div>

Example: Nesting columns

To nest your content with the default grid, add a new .row and set of .col-sm-* columns within an existing .col-sm-* column. Nested rows should include a set of columns that add up to 12 or fewer (it is not required that you use all 12 available columns).

Level 1: .col-sm-9

Level 2: .col-sm-8 .col-sm-6

Level 2: .col-sm-4 .col-sm-6

<div class="row">
  <div class="col-sm-9">
    Level 1: .col-sm-9
    <div class="row">
      <div class="col-sm-8 col-sm-6">
        Level 2: .col-sm-8 .col-sm-6
      </div>
      <div class="col-sm-4 col-sm-6">
        Level 2: .col-sm-4 .col-sm-6
      </div>
    </div>
  </div>
</div>

Example: Column ordering

Easily change the order of our built-in grid columns with .push-md-* and .pull-md-* modifier classes.

.col-md-9 .push-md-3

.col-md-3 .pull-md-9

<div class="row">
  <div class="col-md-9 push-md-3">.col-md-9 .push-md-3</div>
  <div class="col-md-3 pull-md-9">.col-md-3 .pull-md-9</div>
</div>

Customizing the grid

Using our built-in grid Sass variables and maps, it’s possible to completely customize the predefined grid classes. Change the number of tiers, the media query dimensions, and the container widths—then recompile.

Columns and gutters

The number of grid columns and their horizontal padding (aka, gutters) can be modified via Sass variables. $grid-columns is used to generate the widths (in percent) of each individual column while $grid-gutter-widths allows breakpoint-specific widths that are divided evenly across padding-left and padding-right for the column gutters.

$grid-columns:               12 !default;
$grid-gutter-width-base:     30px !default;
$grid-gutter-widths: (
  xs: $grid-gutter-width-base,
  sm: $grid-gutter-width-base,
  md: $grid-gutter-width-base,
  lg: $grid-gutter-width-base,
  xl: $grid-gutter-width-base
) !default;

Grid tiers

Moving beyond the columns themselves, you may also customize the number of grid tiers. If you wanted just three grid tiers, you’d update the $grid-breakpoints and $container-max-widths to something like this:

$grid-breakpoints: (
  sm: 480px,
  md: 768px,
  lg: 1024px
);

$container-max-widths: (
  sm: 420px,
  md: 720px,
  lg: 960px
);

When making any changes to the Sass variables or maps, you’ll need to save your changes and recompile. Doing so will out a brand new set of predefined grid classes for column widths, offsets, pushes, and pulls. Responsive visibility utilities will also be updated to use the custom breakpoints.