GC Design SystemComponents
GC Design System Start to use Page templates overviewBasic page Components overviewAlertBreadcrumbsButtonCardCheckboxesContainerDate inputDate modifiedDetailsError messageError summaryFieldsetFile uploaderFooterGridHeaderHeadingIconInputLanguage toggleLinkNoticePaginationRadiosScreenreader-onlySearchSelectSide navigationSignatureStepperTableTextTextareaTheme and topic menuTop navigation CSS Shortcuts overview Reset styles Responsive layoutState Box sizingContainer sizingDisplayOverflowPositionVisibility FontFont familyFont sizeFont styleFont weightLine heightLink colourLink sizeLink text decorationList styleText alignText colourText overflowText transformWord break MarginPadding Align contentAlign itemsAlign selfFlexFlex directionFlex growFlex shrinkFlex wrapGapGrid columnsGrid rowsJustify contentJustify itemsJustify selfOrderPlace contentPlace itemsPlace self Background colourBorder colourBorder radiusBorder styleBorder width Icon namesIcon sizeImage CursorPointer eventsTransition Styles overviewDesign tokensColourSpacingTypography Contact usGet InvolvedFind a demo

Grid
<gcds-grid>

Also called: layout, columns, columns layout, grid container. A grid is a responsive, flexible column layout to position elements on a page.
  • GitHub
  • Figma

Grid component preview

Grid anatomy

  • The container holds all elements within the grid and spans their combined width. The container is responsive and can be centred.
  • The column, also called grid item, sets a boundary around its contents to contain it within the width set for that column.
  • The gap, sometimes called the gutter, defines the width of the space between the columns.
Image showing the grid anatomy with four separate rectangles representing the columns of a grid

Design and accessibility for grids

Adjust layouts to optimize the experience on different screen sizes

  • Optimize each grid component for the different screen sizes a person will use — or switch between — when they visit your site or use your product.
  • Adapt for mobile, tablet, and large screens by defining each viewport layout for that grid component.
    • Smaller screens, like mobile devices, typically display a single column layout.
    • Medium-sized screens, like tablets, a single or 2-column layout.
    • Larger screens, like desktop, a 3- or 4- column layout.
Tip: Keep grid layouts simple by designing for mobile, tablet, and desktop experiences that work with any screen size.

Limit width of content

  • Keep text line length below 75 characters for a comfortable, accessible reading length.
  • Limit column width to stop large screens from displaying lines of text that are overly long and difficult to read.
  • Avoid exceeding the maximum width of 71.25rem (1140px) wide.

Communicate meaning by adjusting spacing

Choose spacing to support ease of reading and help users better understand the messages you’re communicating.
  • Use smaller spacing tokens to group related concepts together.
  • Use larger spacing tokens to separate elements into logical groups.
Help us improve Have questions or a request? Give feedback on our contact form. Something's wrong? Raise it through GitHub with an account. You'll have access to the team's direct responses, progress made on your issue, and issues raised by others. Give feedback Report an issue on GitHub
2025-01-22