CSS Grid Checkout Page Layout Generator
A single-column form beside a persistent order summary, with the summary first on mobile.
Named areas. The CSS is a picture of the layout, and only the properties that actually change get repeated inside each media query.
.checkout {
display: grid;
grid-template-columns: 1fr;
grid-template-rows: auto auto auto;
gap: 20px;
grid-template-areas:
"steps"
"summary"
"form";
}
.checkout > .steps { grid-area: steps; }
.checkout > .summary { grid-area: summary; }
.checkout > .form { grid-area: form; }
@media (min-width: 900px) {
.checkout {
grid-template-columns: minmax(0, 1fr) 360px;
grid-template-rows: auto auto;
gap: 48px;
grid-template-areas:
"steps summary"
"form summary";
}
}
How this layout works
The form stays one column even at desktop width. Multi-column checkout forms measurably increase errors — the eye loses the sequence — so the second column is for the summary, never for more fields.
On mobile the summary goes *above* the form, collapsed. Buyers want to confirm what they are paying for before they start typing, and a summary buried under four form sections is a summary nobody reads.
Reserve the width the summary needs. A fixed 360px beats a fractional track here: the totals column should not shift as the form grows or an error message appears.
Every property used here is listed in the CSS Grid cheat sheet, with the reason to reach for it.
Frequently asked questions
Should a checkout form be one column or two?
Where does the order summary go on a mobile checkout?
How do I center a grid in CSS?
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?
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?
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?
How to use it
-
Open the pattern
The checkout layout loads into the editor already responsive, with every breakpoint set up.
-
Change the tracks
Edit the column and row sizes in the Tracks panel. Anything valid in a track list works.
-
Redraw at another width
Move the ruler past a breakpoint marker and rearrange. Only the placement changes.
-
Copy the code
Take CSS, HTML, Tailwind or a shadcn component. The media queries are already written.