Template:Columns/doc

This is a documentation subpage for Template:Columns. It contains usage information, categories and other content that is not part of the original template page.

{{Columns}} may be used to create up to ten columns across a page.

This template creates a table rather than actual columns. This means that it displays poorly on mobile devices or narrow screens and is sub-optimal in terms of accessibility. Approximately half of the readers of English Wikipedia articles are using mobile devices and may have trouble reading the content that is wrapped in this template. Please consider using one of the CSS-based column templates listed in the § See also section instead, or not using columns at all.

Syntax

Values for col1 and col2, i.e. the contents of the first and second columns, are expected.

{{Columns
| background =   <!-- Background (default is none) -->
| style =        <!-- Use to add extra overall CSS styling -->
| colwidth =     <!-- Width of each column (default 15.0em) -->
| gapbetween =   <!-- Gap (gutter) between each column (default 1.25em) -->
| col1width =    <!-- Use to set a custom width for col1 -->
| col1 =         <!-- (REQUIRED) First column's contents -->
| col2width =    <!-- Use to set a custom width for col2 (and so on) -->
| col2 =         <!-- (REQUIRED) Second column's contents -->
| col3width = 
| col3 = 
...
| col10width = 
| col10 = 
}}

The parameters  colstyle  and  col1style  to  col10style  may also be used to tailor all and/or individual columns' CSS styling.

Examples

Code

{{Columns
| col1 = This is a simple application of the columns template, demonstrating the default column widths
| col2 = and gaps between columns. See the next example for a more customized use of the template.
}}

Result

This is a simple application of the columns template, demonstrating the default column widths and gaps between columns. See the next example for a more customized use of the template.

---

Code

{{Columns |background=beige |colwidth=8.5em |gap<!--between-->=3.25em

| col1 =
* These
* columns
* are
* more
* complex

| col2 =
The<br />background<br />is<br />beige

| col3 =
; Each : column
; is   : 8.5 [[Em (typography)|''em'']]
; wide

| col4 =
{{{!}}
!colspan="2"{{!}} and
{{!-}}
{{!}} the {{!!}} gap
{{!-}}
{{!}}colspan="2"{{!}} between
{{!-}}
{{!}} each {{!!}} is
{{!-}}
!colspan="2" align="center"{{!}} 3.25 ''em''
{{!}}}
}}

Result

• These
• columns
• are
• more
• complex

The
background
is
beige

Each

column

is

8.5 em

wide

and
the	gap
between
each	is
3.25 em

See also

Column-generating template families

The templates listed here are not interchangeable. For example, using {{col-float}} with {{col-end}} instead of {{col-float-end}} would leave a HTML "div" (division) open, potentially harming any subsequent formatting.

Family	Type	Handles wiki  table code?	Responsive/ Mobile suited	Start template	Column divider	End template
"Col"	Table	Yes	No	{{Col-begin}}, {{Col-begin-fixed}} or {{Col-begin-small}}	{{Col-break}} or {{Col-2}} .. {{Col-5}}	{{Col-end}}
"Col-float"	CSS float	Yes	Yes	{{Col-float}}	{{Col-float-break}}	{{Col-float-end}}
"Columns"	Table	No	No	{{Columns}}	–	–
"Columns-list"	CSS columns	Yes	Yes	{{Columns-list}} (wrapper)	–	–
"Columns-start"	CSS float	Yes	Yes	{{Columns-start}}	{{Column}}	{{Columns-end}}
"Flex columns"	CSS flexbox	Yes	Yes	{{Flex columns}}	–	–
"Div col"	CSS columns	Yes	Yes	{{Div col}}	–	{{Div col end}}

I.e., can the columns handle the wiki markup {| | || |- |} used to create tables? If not, templates that produce these elements (such as {{(!}}, {{!}}, {{!!}}, {{!-}}, {{!)}}) or HTML tags (<table>...</table>, <tr>...</tr>, etc.) will need to be used instead.