CSS Grid Generator
Design CSS Grid layouts visually — drag, resize, snap to cells, and export clean HTML/CSS. The full experience is coming soon.
Feature Highlights
A quick look at what’s coming.
Visual Grid Setup
Set columns, rows, and gaps with instant preview.
Drag to Place
Move items with snap-to-cell precision.
Resize Handles
Resize from corners with collision awareness.
Clean Code Export
Copy ready-to-use HTML and CSS.
Quick Copy
One-click copy for snippets and blocks.
Auto Save
Your layout persists in localStorage.
Mobile Friendly
Touch-friendly interactions and responsive preview.
Accessible UI
Keyboard navigation and ARIA-friendly controls.
Latest Updates
Progress notes as we build.
UI Refresh
New layout, polished cards, and improved placeholder experience.
Grid Scaffolding
Core grid rendering and controls prepared for interactions.
Code Output
Export sections structured for HTML and CSS snippets.
Tool Purpose & Audience
The CSS Grid Generator provides a visual interface for designing CSS Grid layouts — setting columns, rows, gaps, and item placement — and exporting clean, ready-to-use HTML and CSS code. It eliminates the need to mentally visualise grid coordinates by showing the layout live as you design.
Frontend developers, UI designers who write code, and web development learners use CSS Grid generators to prototype page layouts, dashboard structures, and component arrangements quickly — then copy the generated CSS into their projects without manually calculating grid-column and grid-row values.
Real-World Use Cases
- Page layout prototyping: Quickly prototype a full-page layout (header, sidebar, main content, footer) using CSS Grid placement — visualise the structure before writing any code, then export the CSS skeleton.
- Dashboard grid design: Analytics dashboards use CSS Grid to place cards and widgets in a structured 12-column or custom grid. Design the widget placement visually and export the grid-column/grid-row assignments.
- Magazine/editorial layouts: CSS Grid enables complex, overlapping editorial layouts that flexbox can't achieve. Use the generator to design asymmetric layouts with items spanning multiple columns and rows.
- Learning CSS Grid: Beginners use visual grid generators to understand how grid-template-columns, grid-column-start, and grid-row-end work by seeing the code update in real time as they place items.
Practical Input → Output Examples
1. Holy Grail layout
Input: 3 columns (200px auto 200px), 3 rows, header/footer spanning all columns
Output: grid-template-columns: 200px auto 200px; with header grid-column: 1 / -1 and footer grid-column: 1 / -1
The classic web layout (header, left sidebar, main, right sidebar, footer) generated as clean CSS Grid code — a layout that previously required complex float hacks.
2. Card grid with gaps
Input: repeat(3, 1fr) columns, auto rows, 1rem gap
Output: grid-template-columns: repeat(3, 1fr); gap: 1rem; with auto-placement for cards
A three-column card grid with equal-width columns using the fr unit — the fr unit distributes available space equally without needing to calculate percentages.
3. Feature item spanning multiple columns
Input: 4-column grid with first item spanning columns 1–3
Output: .item-1 { grid-column: 1 / 4; }
A featured article or hero card spanning 3 of 4 columns — the generator calculates the grid-column shorthand without you needing to count column lines manually.
Common Mistakes & Misunderstandings
Grid lines vs grid tracks: A 3-column grid has 4 column lines (numbered 1–4) and 3 column tracks. When using grid-column: 1 / 3, you're specifying start and end grid lines — not column numbers. This means grid-column: 1 / 3 spans 2 columns (tracks 1 and 2), not columns 1 through 3.
grid-template vs grid shorthand: The grid shorthand property sets both explicit (grid-template) and implicit (auto-placement) grid parameters. It's powerful but complex. For clarity, use grid-template-columns and grid-template-rows separately rather than the grid shorthand until you're comfortable with the syntax.
CSS Grid is not a replacement for Flexbox: Grid is designed for two-dimensional layout (rows and columns simultaneously); Flexbox works on one axis at a time. Use Grid for page-level layouts and complex component arrangements; use Flexbox for aligning items in a single row or column (navigation bars, button groups, card internals).
The fr unit and min-content: Columns set with fr units can shrink below their content's minimum size. If a grid column collapses unexpectedly, use minmax(0, 1fr) instead of just 1fr — this is a common bug in grid layouts where content overflows narrow columns.
What is a CSS Grid Generator?
It lets you visually design grid layouts by adjusting columns, rows, gaps, and placing elements on a canvas. It generates HTML and CSS you can copy instantly.
Can I drag and resize elements?
Yes. Elements can be moved and resized on the grid with snapping for precise placement.
Does it work on mobile?
Yes. The tool supports touch interactions for dragging and resizing on mobile devices.
Is data saved?
Your grid settings and layout persist in your browser via localStorage so you can continue later.