The CSS justify-content
property defines how the browser distributes space between and around content items along the main-axis of a flex container, and the inline axis of a grid container.
The interactive example below demonstrates some of the values using Grid Layout.
The source for this interactive example is stored in a GitHub repository. If you'd like to contribute to the interactive examples project, please clone https://github.com/mdn/interactive-examples and send us a pull request.
The alignment is done after the lengths and auto margins are applied, meaning that, if in a Flexbox layout there is at least one flexible element, with flex-grow
different from 0
, it will have no effect as there won't be any available space.
Syntax
/* Positional alignment */ justify-content: center; /* Pack items around the center */ justify-content: start; /* Pack items from the start */ justify-content: end; /* Pack items from the end */ justify-content: flex-start; /* Pack flex items from the start */ justify-content: flex-end; /* Pack flex items from the end */ justify-content: left; /* Pack items from the left */ justify-content: right; /* Pack items from the right */ /* Baseline alignment */ /* justify-content does not take baseline values */ /* Normal alignment */ justify-content: normal; /* Distributed alignment */ justify-content: space-between; /* Distribute items evenly The first item is flush with the start, the last is flush with the end */ justify-content: space-around; /* Distribute items evenly Items have a half-size space on either end */ justify-content: space-evenly; /* Distribute items evenly Items have equal space around them */ justify-content: stretch; /* Distribute items evenly Stretch 'auto'-sized items to fit the container */ /* Overflow alignment */ justify-content: safe center; justify-content: unsafe center; /* Global values */ justify-content: inherit; justify-content: initial; justify-content: unset;
Values
start
- The items are packed flush to each other toward the start edge of the alignment container in the main axis.
end
- The items are packed flush to each other toward the end edge of the alignment container in the main axis.
flex-start
- The items are packed flush to each other toward the edge of the alignment container depending on the flex container's main-start side.
This only applies to flex layout items. For items that are not children of a flex container, this value is treated like
start
. flex-end
- The items are packed flush to each other toward the edge of the alignment container depending on the flex container's main-end side.
This only applies to flex layout items. For items that are not children of a flex container, this value is treated like
end
. center
- The items are packed flush to each other toward the center of the alignment container along the main axis.
left
- The items are packed flush to each other toward the left edge of the alignment container. If the property’s axis is not parallel with the inline axis, this value behaves like
start
. right
- The items are packed flush to each other toward the right edge of the alignment container in the appropriate axis. If the property’s axis is not parallel with the inline axis, this value behaves like
start
. normal
- The items are packed in their default position as if no
justify-content
value was set. This value behaves asstretch
in grid and flex containers. baseline first baseline
last baseline
- Specifies participation in first- or last-baseline alignment: aligns the alignment baseline of the box’s first or last baseline set with the corresponding baseline in the shared first or last baseline set of all the boxes in its baseline-sharing group.
The fallback alignment for
first baseline
isstart
, the one forlast baseline
isend
. space-between
- The items are evenly distributed within the alignment container along the main axis. The spacing between each pair of adjacent items is the same. The first item is flush with the main-start edge, and the last item is flush with the main-end edge.
space-around
- The items are evenly distributed within the alignment container along the main axis. The spacing between each pair of adjacent items is the same. The empty space before the first and after the last item equals half of the space between each pair of adjacent items.
space-evenly
- The items are evenly distributed within the alignment container along the main axis. The spacing between each pair of adjacent items, the main-start edge and the first item, and the main-end edge and the last item, are all exactly the same.
stretch
If the combined size of the items along the main axis is less than the size of the alignment container, any
auto
-sized items have their size increased equally (not proportionally), while still respecting the constraints imposed bymax-height
/max-width
(or equivalent functionality), so that the combined size exactly fills the alignment container along the main axis.Note:
stretch
is not supported by flexible boxes (flexbox).safe
- Used alongside an alignment keyword. If the chosen keyword means that the item overflows the alignment container causing data loss, the item is instead aligned as if the alignment mode were
start
. unsafe
- Used alongside an alignment keyword. Regardless of the relative sizes of the item and alignment container, and regardless of whether overflow which causes data loss might happen, the given alignment value is honored.
Formal definition
Initial value | normal
|
Applies to | flex containers |
Inherited | no |
Computed value | as specified |
Animation type | discrete |
Formal syntax
normal | <content-distribution> | <overflow-position>? [ <content-position> | left | right ]where <content-distribution> = space-between | space-around | space-evenly | stretch<overflow-position> = unsafe | safe<content-position> = center | start | end | flex-start | flex-end
Examples
Setting flex item distribution
CSS
#container {
display: flex;
justify-content: space-between; /* Can be changed in the live sample */
}
#container > div {
width: 100px;
height: 100px;
background: linear-gradient(-45deg, #788cff, #b4c8ff);
}
HTML
<div id="container">
<div></div>
<div></div>
<div></div>
</div>
<select id="justifyContent">
<option value="start">start</option>
<option value="end">end</option>
<option value="flex-start">flex-start</option>
<option value="flex-end">flex-end</option>
<option value="center">center</option>
<option value="left">left</option>
<option value="right">right</option>
<option value="baseline">baseline</option>
<option value="first baseline">first baseline</option>
<option value="last baseline">last baseline</option>
<option value="space-between" selected>space-between</option>
<option value="space-around">space-around</option>
<option value="space-evenly">space-evenly</option>
<option value="stretch">stretch</option>
</select>
JavaScript
var justifyContent = document.getElementById("justifyContent");
justifyContent.addEventListener("change", function (evt) {
document.getElementById("container").style.justifyContent =
evt.target.value;
});
Result
Specifications
Specification | Status | Comment |
---|---|---|
CSS Box Alignment Module Level 3The definition of 'justify-content' in that specification. | Working Draft | last ]? baseline, self-start, self-end, start, end, left, right, unsafe | safe values. |
CSS Flexible Box Layout ModuleThe definition of 'justify-content' in that specification. | Candidate Recommendation | Initial definition |
Browser compatibility
The compatibility table on this page is generated from structured data. If you'd like to contribute to the data, please check out https://github.com/mdn/browser-compat-data and send us a pull request.
Support in Flex layout
Update compatibility data on GitHub
Desktop | Mobile | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Supported in Flex Layout |
Chrome Full support 52 Full support 52 Partial support 29 Notes' Older versions of the specification treat absolute positioned children as though they are a 0 by 0 flex item. Later specification versions take the children out of the flow and set their positions based on align and justify properties. Chrome implements the new behavior beginning with Chrome 52. Full support 21 Prefixed' Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit- |
Edge Full support 12 Full support 12 Full support 12 Prefixed' Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit- |
Firefox Full support 20 Full support 20 Notes' Before Firefox 27, Firefox supported only single-line flexbox. No support 18 — 20 Disabled' From version 18 until version 20 (exclusive): this feature is behind the Prefixed' Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit- Full support 48 Prefixed' Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit-
Disabled' From version 48: this feature is behind the |
IE
Full support 11 |
Opera
Full support 12.1 |
Safari Full support 9 Full support 9 Full support 6.1 Prefixed' Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit- |
WebView Android Full support 52 Full support 52 Partial support 4.4 Notes' Older versions of the specification treat absolute positioned children as though they are a 0 by 0 flex item. Later specification versions take the children out of the flow and set their positions based on align and justify properties. Chrome implements the new behavior beginning with Chrome 52. Full support ≤37 Prefixed' Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit- |
Chrome Android Full support 52 Full support 52 Partial support 29 Notes' Older versions of the specification treat absolute positioned children as though they are a 0 by 0 flex item. Later specification versions take the children out of the flow and set their positions based on align and justify properties. Chrome implements the new behavior beginning with Chrome 52. Full support 25 Prefixed' Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit- |
Firefox Android Full support 20 Full support 20 Notes' Before Firefox 27, Firefox supported only single-line flexbox. No support 18 — 20 Disabled' From version 18 until version 20 (exclusive): this feature is behind the Prefixed' Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit- Full support 48 Prefixed' Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit-
Disabled' From version 48: this feature is behind the |
Opera Android
Full support 12.1 |
Safari iOS Full support 9 Full support 9 Full support 6.1 Prefixed' Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit- |
Samsung Internet Android Full support 6.0 Full support 6.0 Partial support 2.0 Notes' Older versions of the specification treat absolute positioned children as though they are a 0 by 0 flex item. Later specification versions take the children out of the flow and set their positions based on align and justify properties. Chrome implements the new behavior beginning with Chrome 52. Full support 1.5 Prefixed' Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit- |
baseline
|
Chrome
Full support 57 |
Edge
Full support 79 |
Firefox No support 45 — 60 No support 45 — 60 Notes' |
IE
No support No |
Opera
Full support 44 |
Safari
No support No |
WebView Android
Full support 57 |
Chrome Android
Full support 57 |
Firefox Android No support 45 — 60 No support 45 — 60 Notes' |
Opera Android
Full support 43 |
Safari iOS
No support No |
Samsung Internet Android
Full support 7.0 |
first baseline and last baseline
|
Chrome
No support No |
Edge
No support No |
Firefox No support 52 — 60 No support 52 — 60 Notes' |
IE
No support No |
Opera
No support No |
Safari
No support No |
WebView Android
No support No |
Chrome Android
No support No |
Firefox Android No support 52 — 60 No support 52 — 60 Notes' |
Opera Android
No support No |
Safari iOS
No support No |
Samsung Internet Android
No support No |
left and right
|
Chrome No support No No support No Notes' This value is recognized, but has no effect. |
Edge No support No No support No Notes' This value is recognized, but has no effect. |
Firefox
Full support 52 |
IE No support No No support No Notes' This value is recognized, but has no effect. |
Opera No support No No support No Notes' This value is recognized, but has no effect. |
Safari
Full support 9 |
WebView Android No support No No support No Notes' This value is recognized, but has no effect. |
Chrome Android No support No No support No Notes' This value is recognized, but has no effect. |
Firefox Android
Full support 52 |
Opera Android No support No No support No Notes' This value is recognized, but has no effect. |
Safari iOS
Full support 9 |
Samsung Internet Android No support No No support No Notes' This value is recognized, but has no effect. |
safe and unsafe
|
Chrome No support No No support No Notes' This value is recognized, but has no effect. |
Edge No support No No support No Notes' This value is recognized, but has no effect. |
Firefox
Full support 63 |
IE
No support No |
Opera No support No No support No Notes' This value is recognized, but has no effect. |
Safari No support No No support No Notes' This value is recognized, but has no effect. |
WebView Android No support No No support No Notes' This value is recognized, but has no effect. |
Chrome Android No support No No support No Notes' This value is recognized, but has no effect. |
Firefox Android
Full support 63 |
Opera Android No support No No support No Notes' This value is recognized, but has no effect. |
Safari iOS No support No No support No Notes' This value is recognized, but has no effect. |
Samsung Internet Android No support No No support No Notes' This value is recognized, but has no effect. |
space-evenly
|
Chrome
Full support 60 |
Edge
Full support 79 |
Firefox
Full support 52 |
IE
No support No |
Opera
Full support 47 |
Safari
Full support 11 |
WebView Android
Full support 60 |
Chrome Android
Full support 60 |
Firefox Android
Full support 52 |
Opera Android
Full support 44 |
Safari iOS
Full support 11 |
Samsung Internet Android
Full support 8.0 |
start and end
|
Chrome No support No No support No Notes' This value is recognized, but has no effect. |
Edge No support No No support No Notes' This value is recognized, but has no effect. |
Firefox
Full support 45 |
IE
No support No |
Opera No support No No support No Notes' This value is recognized, but has no effect. |
Safari
Full support 9 |
WebView Android No support No No support No Notes' This value is recognized, but has no effect. |
Chrome Android No support No No support No Notes' This value is recognized, but has no effect. |
Firefox Android
Full support 45 |
Opera Android No support No No support No Notes' This value is recognized, but has no effect. |
Safari iOS
Full support 9 |
Samsung Internet Android No support No No support No Notes' This value is recognized, but has no effect. |
stretch
|
Chrome
Full support 57 |
Edge
Full support 79 |
Firefox
Full support 52 |
IE
No support No |
Opera
Full support 44 |
Safari
Full support 9 |
WebView Android
Full support 57 |
Chrome Android
Full support 57 |
Firefox Android
Full support 52 |
Opera Android
Full support 43 |
Safari iOS
Full support 9 |
Samsung Internet Android
Full support 7.0 |
Legend
- Full support
- Full support
- No support
- No support
- See implementation notes.'
- See implementation notes.
- User must explicitly enable this feature.'
- User must explicitly enable this feature.
- Requires a vendor prefix or different name for use.'
- Requires a vendor prefix or different name for use.
Support in Grid layout
Update compatibility data on GitHub
Desktop | Mobile | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Supported in Grid Layout | Chrome
Full support 57 |
Edge
Full support 16 |
Firefox
Full support 52 |
IE
No support No |
Opera
Full support 44 |
Safari
Full support 10.1 |
WebView Android
Full support 57 |
Chrome Android
Full support 52 |
Firefox Android
Full support 52 |
Opera Android
Full support 43 |
Safari iOS
Full support 10.3 |
Samsung Internet Android
Full support 6.2 |
Legend
- Full support
- Full support
- No support
- No support
See also
- CSS Flexbox Guide: Basic Concepts of Flexbox
- CSS Flexbox Guide: Aligning items in a flex container
- CSS Grid Guide: Box alignment in CSS Grid layouts
- CSS Box Alignment
justify-content by Mozilla Contributors is licensed under CC-BY-SA 2.5.