CSS Grid vs Flexbox: When to Use Each Layout Method

Both CSS Grid and Flexbox are powerful layout tools, but knowing when to use each one can significantly improve your development workflow and code quality.

The Key Difference

Flexbox is one-dimensional - it works with either rows or columns at a time. CSS Grid is two-dimensional - it works with both rows and columns simultaneously.

When to Use Flexbox

1. Navigation Bars

Perfect for horizontal navigation with items that need to be evenly distributed:

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

2. Card Layouts

When you have a collection of cards that should wrap to new lines:

.card-container {
  display: flex;
  flex-wrap: wrap;
  gap: 1rem;
}

.card {
  flex: 1 1 300px; /* grow, shrink, basis */
}

3. Centering Content

The easiest way to center content both horizontally and vertically:

.center {
  display: flex;
  justify-content: center;
  align-items: center;
  height: 100vh;
}

When to Use CSS Grid

1. Page Layouts

Perfect for creating overall page structure:

.page-layout {
  display: grid;
  grid-template-areas: 
    "header header header"
    "sidebar main aside"
    "footer footer footer";
  grid-template-columns: 200px 1fr 200px;
  grid-template-rows: auto 1fr auto;
}

2. Complex Card Grids

When you need precise control over card placement:

.gallery {
  display: grid;
  grid-template-columns: repeat(auto-fit, minmax(250px, 1fr));
  gap: 1rem;
}

3. Form Layouts

Great for aligning form elements in a structured manner:

.form-grid {
  display: grid;
  grid-template-columns: 1fr 1fr;
  gap: 1rem;
}

.full-width {
  grid-column: 1 / -1;
}

Practical Examples

Component Layout (Flexbox)

.component {
  display: flex;
  align-items: center;
  gap: 1rem;
}

.component__content {
  flex: 1;
}

Dashboard Layout (Grid)

.dashboard {
  display: grid;
  grid-template-columns: 250px 1fr;
  grid-template-rows: 60px 1fr;
  height: 100vh;
}

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

Quick Decision Guide

Use Flexbox when:

• Aligning items in a single direction
• Distributing space between items
• Creating responsive components
• You need items to grow/shrink

Use Grid when:

• Creating two-dimensional layouts
• You need precise placement control
• Building complex, structured layouts
• Working with overlapping elements

Both tools are complementary - use them together for the best results!