CSS Grid Settings Page Layout Generator
Section navigation beside a single column of setting groups, with a save bar that stays visible.
Named areas. The CSS is a picture of the layout, and only the properties that actually change get repeated inside each media query.
.settings {
display: grid;
grid-template-columns: 1fr;
grid-template-rows: auto auto auto auto;
gap: 16px;
grid-template-areas:
"heading"
"sections"
"panel"
"savebar";
}
.settings > .heading { grid-area: heading; }
.settings > .sections { grid-area: sections; }
.settings > .panel { grid-area: panel; }
.settings > .savebar { grid-area: savebar; }
@media (min-width: 880px) {
.settings {
grid-template-columns: 220px minmax(0, 640px);
grid-template-rows: auto 1fr auto;
gap: 32px;
grid-template-areas:
"heading heading"
"sections panel"
"sections savebar";
}
}
How this layout works
Settings pages are a two-column shell around a one-column form. The left column is navigation between sections; the right is a stack of labelled groups, never a second column of fields.
The save bar belongs in its own row rather than at the end of the form, so it can be sticky at the bottom. A visitor who has changed one toggle halfway down a long page should not have to scroll to find Save.
On mobile the section nav becomes horizontal scrolling tabs above the content. That is a placement change plus grid-auto-flow: column on the nav itself — the page grid does not need to know.
Every property used here is listed in the CSS Grid cheat sheet, with the reason to reach for it.
Frequently asked questions
How should a settings page be laid out?
What happens to the section nav on mobile?
grid-auto-flow: column on the nav itself.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 settings page 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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