How to Center Elements Horizontally and Vertically Using Flexbox

Flexbox is a useful CSS layout module that provides a flexible and efficient way to arrange and align elements within a container. One of the common use cases is to center elements both horizontally and vertically. In this guide, we will explore different approaches to achieve this using flexbox.

Method 1: Using flexbox properties

To center elements both horizontally and vertically using flexbox, you can make use of the following flexbox properties:

1. Set the parent container to display flex:

.container {
  display: flex;
  justify-content: center;
  align-items: center;
}

In the above example, the display: flex property is applied to the container element. This enables the flex layout for its child elements. By default, flex items are laid out in a row. To center them horizontally, we use the justify-content: center property. To center them vertically, we use the align-items: center property.

2. Apply width and height to the flex items:

.item {
  width: 200px;
  height: 200px;
}

In the above example, we set a fixed width and height for the flex items. Adjust these values based on your requirements.

Here's a complete example:

<div class="container">
  <div class="item">Centered Element</div>
</div>

.container {
  display: flex;
  justify-content: center;
  align-items: center;
}

.item {
  width: 200px;
  height: 200px;
}

Related Article: How to Vertically Center Text with CSS

Method 2: Using margin:auto

Another approach to center elements both horizontally and vertically using flexbox is by leveraging the margin: auto property. This method works when you have a single element or a limited number of elements to center.

1. Set the parent container to display flex:

.container {
  display: flex;
}

2. Apply auto margin to the flex items:

.item {
  margin: auto;
}

Here's a complete example:

<div class="container">
  <div class="item">Centered Element</div>
</div>

.container {
  display: flex;
}

.item {
  margin: auto;
}

Best Practices and Alternative Ideas

Related Article: How to Vertically Align Text in a Div with CSS

- Use the first method with justify-content: center and align-items: center when you have multiple elements to center within a container.

- Use the second method with margin: auto when you have a single element or a limited number of elements to center.

- Consider using a combination of flexbox and other CSS properties to achieve more complex centering requirements, such as centering elements only horizontally or only vertically.