Online CSS Multi Column Layout Generator

Create clean, newspaper-style layouts using modern CSS multi-column properties. This tool helps you quickly generate responsive column layouts for long text content without writing complex code. Adjust column count, width, spacing, and separators, and instantly preview the result with ready-to-use CSS.

Contents

  1. What is CSS Multi Column Layout?
  2. Multi Column Properties
  3. Live CSS Multi Column Generator
  4. Difference Between column-width and column-count

What is CSS Multi Column Layout?

CSS Multi-column layout allows you to split text content into multiple vertical columns, similar to newspapers or magazines. It improves readability and makes large blocks of text easier to scan. Using properties like column-count, column-width, and column-gap, you can control how content flows across columns.

CSS Multi Column Properties

Here are the core properties used in multi-column layouts:

  • column-count - Defines the number of columns
  • column-width - Sets the ideal width of each column
  • column-gap - Controls spacing between columns
  • column-rule - Adds a line between columns

Basic Example

HTML
<div class="multi-column">
  <p>
    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Praesent fringilla ultricies nisi, at pulvinar elit accumsan et. Suspendisse sem est, consectetur eu pulvinar ac, sollicitudin quis mi. In massa dui, lacinia id vestibulum pellentesque, vulputate ut elit. Aenean egestas ultricies augue, vel dignissim lorem rhoncus eget. Vestibulum dui orci, laoreet ac feugiat id, facilisis eget dolor.
  </p>
</div>
CSS
.multi-column {
  column-count: 3;
  column-gap: 20px;
}
.multi-column p {
  margin: 0;
}
Run code Try it yourself

Live CSS Multi Column Generator Tool

Use this interactive tool to generate CSS multi-column layouts in real time. Adjust the sliders to control column-count, column-width, column-gap, and column-rule, and instantly see how your text layout changes. Whether you want fixed columns or a responsive flow, this tool helps you fine-tune spacing, column size, and divider styles visually.

Use column-count when you need a fixed number of columns

Use column-width when you want a responsive, auto-adjusting layout

Text Align:
This generator lets you customize every aspect of your column layout. You can define the number of columns, adjust spacing between them, and even add vertical divider lines. It works instantly in your browser and provides clean, production-ready CSS code that you can copy and use in your projects.
Column rule
Your Text
Set Size:

HTML and CSS code:

HTML
<div class="multi-column"><p>Your paragraph text here...</p></div>
CSS
.multi-column {
    column-count: 4;
    column-gap: 20px;
    /** line border between columns **/
    column-rule: 1px #000000 solid;

    font-size: 14px;
    text-align: left;
    color: #000000;
    font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;
    background-color: #ffffff;
}
.multi-column p {
    margin: 0;
}
Run code Try it yourself

Difference Between column-width and column-count

The column-count and column-width properties both control multi-column layouts, but they work in fundamentally different ways. Understanding this difference helps you choose the right approach for fixed or responsive designs.

column-count (Fixed Layout)

CSS
.container {
  column-count: 3;
}

How it works:

  • Defines an exact number of columns
  • Browser divides available space equally
  • Column width adjusts automatically

Best for:

  • Structured layouts
  • Consistent column numbers across all screen sizes

column-width (Responsive Layout)

CSS
.container {
  column-width: 150px;
}

How it works:

  • Sets a minimum desired width for each column
  • Browser automatically calculates how many columns fit
  • Number of columns changes based on container size

Best for:

  • Responsive designs
  • Flexible content layouts

⚠️ Important Note

CSS
.container {
  column-count: 3;
  column-width: 150px;
}

When both are used together, the browser treats them as constraints, and the final layout may not behave as expected. In most cases, it is better to use only one depending on your layout goal.