CSS Grid Kanban Board Layout Generator
Columns of equal width that scroll horizontally as a set, each with its own scrolling card list.
Named areas. The CSS is a picture of the layout, and only the properties that actually change get repeated inside each media query.
.board {
display: grid;
grid-template-columns: minmax(260px, 1fr);
grid-template-rows: auto 1fr;
gap: 12px;
grid-template-areas:
"board-head"
"col-todo";
}
.board > .board-head { grid-area: board-head; }
.board > .col-todo { grid-area: col-todo; }
.board > .col-doing { display: none; }
.board > .col-done { display: none; }
@media (min-width: 820px) {
.board {
grid-template-columns: minmax(280px, 1fr) minmax(280px, 1fr) minmax(280px, 1fr);
gap: 16px;
grid-template-areas:
"board-head board-head board-head"
"col-todo col-doing col-done";
}
.board > .col-doing { grid-area: col-doing; }
.board > .col-done { grid-area: col-done; }
}
How this layout works
A board is grid-auto-flow: column with grid-auto-columns: minmax(280px, 1fr). New columns extend the grid sideways instead of wrapping, which is exactly the behaviour a board wants and the one flex-wrap will not give you.
The board scrolls horizontally; each column scrolls vertically inside a fixed height. That means overflow-x: auto on the board, overflow-y: auto plus min-height: 0 on the card list, and a column grid of auto 1fr auto for header, cards and the add button.
Add scroll-snap-type: x mandatory to the board and scroll-snap-align: start to each column. On a touch screen that turns a vague drag into a column-by-column swipe.
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 build a kanban board with CSS Grid?
grid-auto-flow: column with grid-auto-columns: minmax(280px, 1fr). New columns extend the board sideways instead of wrapping, which is what a board needs and what flex-wrap will not do.How do I make each column scroll on its own?
auto 1fr auto for header, cards and footer, then put overflow-y: auto and min-height: 0 on the card list. The min-height: 0 is what lets it shrink enough to scroll.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 kanban board 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.
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