CSS 12 Column Grid Generator
The bootstrap-style twelve-column grid, written in real CSS Grid with no row or col classes.
Named areas. The CSS is a picture of the layout, and only the properties that actually change get repeated inside each media query.
.grid-12 {
display: grid;
grid-template-columns: minmax(0, 1fr) minmax(0, 1fr) minmax(0, 1fr) minmax(0, 1fr);
grid-template-rows: auto auto auto;
gap: 16px;
grid-template-areas:
"full full full full"
"half-a half-a half-a half-a"
"half-b half-b half-b half-b";
}
.grid-12 > .full { grid-area: full; }
.grid-12 > .half-a { grid-area: half-a; }
.grid-12 > .half-b { grid-area: half-b; }
@media (min-width: 900px) {
.grid-12 {
grid-template-columns: minmax(0, 1fr) minmax(0, 1fr) minmax(0, 1fr) minmax(0, 1fr) minmax(0, 1fr) minmax(0, 1fr) minmax(0, 1fr) minmax(0, 1fr) minmax(0, 1fr) minmax(0, 1fr) minmax(0, 1fr) minmax(0, 1fr);
grid-template-rows: auto auto;
gap: 24px;
grid-template-areas:
"full full full full full full full full full full full full"
"half-a half-a half-a half-a half-a half-a half-b half-b half-b half-b half-b half-b";
}
}
How this layout works
Twelve columns divide cleanly by 2, 3, 4 and 6, which is the entire reason the number stuck. In CSS Grid you write it once as repeat(12, minmax(0, 1fr)) on the container and then place children by line number — no .row, no .col-md-6, no wrapper per row.
The generator prints each track separately so you can edit them individually; collapsing the identical tracks back to repeat(12, minmax(0, 1fr)) in your stylesheet produces exactly the same grid.
Spans are line numbers, and line 13 is the right edge of a twelve-column grid — grid-column: 1 / 13 is full width. grid-column: span 6 says the same thing without pinning a start, which is usually what you want inside a component.
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 make a 12 column grid in CSS?
grid-template-columns: repeat(12, minmax(0, 1fr)). Children are then placed by line number — grid-column: span 6 for a half, span 4 for a third — with no row wrappers and no column classes.What is the last line number in a 12 column grid?
grid-column: 1 / 13, or 1 / -1 if you would rather not count.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 12 column grid 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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