To fully understand and make the most out of CSS Grid, it is essential to familiarize oneself with several key concepts and terminologies. In this section, we will break down these basic concepts to lay a solid foundation.

Grid Container and Grid Items

The Grid container is the parent element that applies display: grid;. All the elements within this container become Grid items and behave according to the Grid Layout rules.

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Tracks

Tracks are the rows and columns that make up the Grid. They are defined using properties like grid-template-rows and grid-template-columns.

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This code creates a Grid with two rows and two columns. The first row has a height of 100px and the second row has a height of 200px. The columns are in a ratio of 1:2.

Cells

Cells are the individual units in the Grid where Grid items are placed. Each cell is defined by the intersection of a row and a column.

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Gaps

Gaps are the spaces between the rows and columns of the Grid. They can be adjusted using the properties row-gap, column-gap, and gap.

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Grid Lines

Grid lines are the divisions that separate the rows and columns. Each line has a number that can be used to position Grid items.

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Grid Areas

Grid areas are rectangular sections within the Grid that can span multiple cells. They are defined using area names.

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A Complete Example

Let's see how these concepts apply in a more detailed example:

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In this example, we create a grid with a header, a sidebar, a main section, and a footer, using the grid-template-areas property to define the layout areas.

Conclusion

The basic concepts of CSS Grid such as containers, items, tracks, cells, gaps, lines, and areas are fundamental to building complex and responsive layouts. Understanding and mastering these concepts will allow you to make the most out of CSS Grid in your projects.