CSS - column-width Property

CSS column-width property sets the width of a column in a multiple-column layout. This makes the container have as many columns that can fit in the space, with each column maintaining the column-width value specified. If the container's width is smaller than the column-width value specified, the width of the column will be smaller than the value specified.

Syntax

column-width: auto | length | initial | inherit;

Property Values

Value	Description
auto	The width of the column is decided by the browser. Default.
length	The width of the column is specified in length value. Different formats can be used (e.g. px, em, ch etc.). Number of columns will be minimum number that can display the entire content in the element.
initial	This sets the property to its default value.
inherit	This inherits the property from the parent element.

Examples of CSS Column Width Property

The following examples explain the column-width property with different values.

Column Width Property with Auto Value

To let the browser decide the width of the column, we use the auto value. The browser determines the width based on the content and the layout. This is shown in the following example.

Example

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>

<head>
   <style>
      .col-count-width {
         column-width: auto;
      }
   </style>
</head>

<body>
   <h2>
      CSS column-width property
   </h2>
   <p>
   <strong>
      column-width: auto
   </strong>
   </p>
   <div>
      <p class="col-count-width">
         TutorialsPoint is a comprehensive online learning 
         platform offering tutorials, guides, and resources
         on a wide range of subjects, including programming,
         web development, data science, and more. It provides
         free and paid courses, covering basics to advanced
         topics, with interactive examples and practical 
         exercises. The platform caters to learners of all 
         levels, from beginners to professionals, helping 
         them build skills through structured content and 
         hands-on practice. TutorialsPoint also features 
         coding playgrounds and forums for community support.
      </p>
   </div>
</body>

</html>

Column Width Property with Length Values

To set a column width manually, we can use length values (e.g., 10px, 10ch). The column will be at least as wide as specified, but may expand if needed to fit the content. The number of columns fitting within the specified width depends on the layout and content size. This is shown in the following example.

Example

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>

<head>
   <style>
      .col-width1 {
         column-width: 100px;
      }
      .col-width2 {
         column-width: 70px;
      }
      .col-width3 {
         column-width: 20ch;
      }
   </style>
</head>

<body>
   <h2>
      CSS column-width property
   </h2>
   <p>
   <strong>
      column-width: 100px
   </strong>
   </p>
   <div>
      <p class="col-width1">
         TutorialsPoint is a comprehensive online learning 
         platform offering tutorials, guides, and resources
         on a wide range of subjects, including programming,
         web development, data science, and more. It provides
         free and paid courses, covering basics to advanced
         topics, with interactive examples and practical 
         exercises. The platform caters to learners of all 
         levels, from beginners to professionals, helping 
         them build skills through structured content and 
         hands-on practice. TutorialsPoint also features 
         coding playgrounds and forums for community support.
      </p>
   </div>
   <p>
   <strong>
      column-width: 70px
   </strong>
   </p>
   <div>
      <p class="col-width2">
         TutorialsPoint is a comprehensive online learning 
         platform offering tutorials, guides, and resources
         on a wide range of subjects, including programming,
         web development, data science, and more. It provides
         free and paid courses, covering basics to advanced
         topics, with interactive examples and practical 
         exercises. The platform caters to learners of all 
         levels, from beginners to professionals, helping 
         them build skills through structured content and 
         hands-on practice. TutorialsPoint also features 
         coding playgrounds and forums for community support.
      </p>
   </div>
   <p>
   <strong>
      column-width: 20ch
   </strong>
   </p>
   <div>
      <p class="col-width3">
         TutorialsPoint is a comprehensive online learning 
         platform offering tutorials, guides, and resources
         on a wide range of subjects, including programming,
         web development, data science, and more. It provides
         free and paid courses, covering basics to advanced
         topics, with interactive examples and practical 
         exercises. The platform caters to learners of all 
         levels, from beginners to professionals, helping 
         them build skills through structured content and 
         hands-on practice. TutorialsPoint also features 
         coding playgrounds and forums for community support.
      </p>
   </div>
</body>

</html>

Supported Browsers

Property
column-width	50.0	10.0	52.0	9.0	37.0

css_reference.htm