cssgridgenerator
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CSS Grid Alternating Feature Rows Generator

Zig-zag rows of image and copy that swap sides, without reordering the HTML.

Open in
1000px

Drag across the grid to draw an area. Arrow keys nudge, Shift + arrows resize.

space to pan · ⌘scroll to zoom
1minmax(0, 1fr)2minmax(0, 1fr)3
1auto2auto3
image-11 / 1 / 2 / 2
copy-11 / 2 / 2 / 3
image-22 / 2 / 3 / 3
copy-22 / 1 / 3 / 2

Reading orderAt Desktop, copy-2 is the first thing seen but image-2 is the first thing focused. Placement has moved the layout out of document order, so keyboard and screen reader users get a different sequence from everyone else.

Seenimage-1 → copy-1 → copy-2 → image-2

Focusedimage-1 → copy-1 → image-2 → copy-2

Usually the fix is in the markup, not in CSS: reorder the children so the HTML reads the way the page does, then place them back where you want them. Reaching for order or row-reverse instead moves the picture without moving the focus, which is the bug rather than the cure.

It is not always wrong. A full-height sidebar beside a topbar diverges by construction, and the accepted answer there is a skip link to the main content rather than a reordered document. WCAG 2.2 SC 1.3.2 asks that the sequence be meaningful — not that it be identical.

Named areas. The CSS is a picture of the layout, and only the properties that actually change get repeated inside each media query.

.alternating {
  display: grid;
  grid-template-columns: 1fr;
  grid-template-rows: auto auto auto auto;
  gap: 16px;
  grid-template-areas:
    "image-1"
    "copy-1"
    "image-2"
    "copy-2";
}

.alternating > .image-1 { grid-area: image-1; }
.alternating > .copy-1 { grid-area: copy-1; }
.alternating > .image-2 { grid-area: image-2; }
.alternating > .copy-2 { grid-area: copy-2; }

@media (min-width: 820px) {
  .alternating {
    grid-template-columns: minmax(0, 1fr) minmax(0, 1fr);
    grid-template-rows: auto auto;
    gap: 48px;
    grid-template-areas:
      "image-1 copy-1"
      "copy-2  image-2";
  }
}

How this layout works

The zig-zag is placement only. Row one puts the image in column 1, row two puts it in column 2, and the DOM stays in a single sensible order — image, copy, image, copy.

This is the pattern where order and flex-direction: row-reverse cause real accessibility bugs, because they change the visual order without changing focus order. Grid placement has the same problem if you use it carelessly; here each row is a self-contained pair, so reading order inside a row is all that matters.

When it stacks, the image goes above the copy in every row. Alternating on mobile makes the page feel like it is missing a column rather than reading as a deliberate rhythm.

Every property used here is listed in the CSS Grid cheat sheet, with the reason to reach for it.

Frequently asked questions

How do I alternate image and text sides without reordering the HTML?
Change the placement, not the source. Row one puts the image in column 1, row two puts it in column 2, and the DOM stays in a single sensible order. This is the accessible version of flex-direction: row-reverse.
Should alternating rows still alternate on mobile?
No. In one column the image goes above the copy every time — alternating at phone width just makes the page feel like a column is missing.
How do I center a grid in CSS?
Use justify-content: center on the grid container to centre the whole grid inside it, and margin-inline: auto with a max-width to centre the container in the page. These are different jobs: the first moves the tracks within the container, the second moves the container itself.
How do I center items inside a CSS grid?
Set place-items: center on the container. That is shorthand for align-items plus justify-items, and it centres every item inside its own cell on both axes. For a single item, use place-self: center on that item instead.
How do I make a CSS grid responsive?
Use grid-template-columns: repeat(auto-fill, minmax(260px, 1fr)) and it reflows at every width with no media queries at all. Add breakpoints only when the exact column count matters, or when the layout has to change shape rather than just wrap.
When should I use CSS Grid instead of Flexbox?
Use Grid when things must line up in two directions at once, and Flexbox when content flows along one axis. A page skeleton or dashboard is Grid; a navbar or row of buttons is Flexbox. They nest: Grid for the page, Flexbox inside the cells.

How to use it

  1. Open the pattern

    The alternating feature rows loads into the editor already responsive, with every breakpoint set up.

  2. Change the tracks

    Edit the column and row sizes in the Tracks panel. Anything valid in a track list works.

  3. Redraw at another width

    Move the ruler past a breakpoint marker and rearrange. Only the placement changes.

  4. Copy the code

    Take CSS, HTML, Tailwind or a shadcn component. The media queries are already written.

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