The use of area names and templates in CSS Grid makes the organization and design of complex layouts easier. By naming different areas within your grid, you can handle element positioning more intuitively and legibly. In this section, we will explore how to name areas and use templates with grid-template-areas.

Defining Area Names

To define area names, we use the grid-template-areas property within the Grid container. This allows us to assign names to different sections of the Grid, making element placement easier.

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In this example, we have defined four areas: header, sidebar, and main.

desktop-image: Placeholder: Image showing a Grid with areas labeled as header, sidebar, and main

Assigning Areas to Elements

Once the areas are defined, we can assign grid elements to these areas using the grid-area property.

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Each element within the grid container is automatically placed in the location specified by its grid-area.

desktop-image: Placeholder: Image showing elements placed in the labeled areas

Templates with grid-template-areas

Using grid-template-areas not only facilitates layout organization but also allows for quick adjustments and design changes. You can easily redefine areas to modify the layout without moving individual elements.

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This code creates a more complex structure with three columns and two rows, but still uses the same area names.

desktop-image: Placeholder: Image showing a more complex layout using defined areas

Merging Multiple Areas

Grid areas can span multiple cells, which is useful for creating broader sections in your design.

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In this example, the header and footer span three columns, while the sidebar and main each occupy a row with an empty cell in the middle.

desktop-image: Placeholder: Image showing areas that span multiple cells, such as header and footer

Complete Example

To illustrate the use of area names and templates, here's a complete example:

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In this example, we created a layout with a header and footer that span the full width, and a sidebar and main that occupy the second row. This configuration makes it easy to change the layout without affecting the content of the elements.

Conclusion

Using area names and templates in CSS Grid is a powerful technique that offers great flexibility and organization in creating layouts. By naming and defining specific areas, you simplify the management and maintenance of your designs, allowing for quick and efficient adjustments.