---
layout: docs
title: Flex
description: Quickly manage the layout, alignment, and sizing of grid columns, navigation, components, and more with a full suite of responsive flexbox utilities. For more complex implementations, custom CSS may be necessary.
group: utilities
toc: true
---
## Enable flex behaviors
Apply `display` utilities to create a flexbox container and transform **direct children elements** into flex items. Flex containers and items are able to be modified further with additional flex properties.
{% capture example %}
I'm a flexbox container!
{% endcapture %}
{% include example.html content=example %}
{% capture example %}
I'm an inline flexbox container!
{% endcapture %}
{% include example.html content=example %}
Responsive variations also exist for `.d-flex` and `.d-inline-flex`.
{% for bp in site.data.breakpoints %}
- `.d{{ bp.abbr }}-flex`
- `.d{{ bp.abbr }}-inline-flex`{% endfor %}
## Direction
Set the direction of flex items in a flex container with direction utilities. In most cases you can omit the horizontal class here as the browser default is `row`. However, you may encounter situations where you needed to explicitly set this value (like responsive layouts).
Use `.flex-row` to set a horizontal direction (the browser default), or `.flex-row-reverse` to start the horizontal direction from the opposite side.
{% capture example %}
Flex item 1
Flex item 2
Flex item 3
Flex item 1
Flex item 2
Flex item 3
{% endcapture %}
{% include example.html content=example %}
Use `.flex-column` to set a vertical direction, or `.flex-column-reverse` to start the vertical direction from the opposite side.
{% capture example %}
Flex item 1
Flex item 2
Flex item 3
Flex item 1
Flex item 2
Flex item 3
{% endcapture %}
{% include example.html content=example %}
Responsive variations also exist for `flex-direction`.
{% for bp in site.data.breakpoints %}
- `.flex{{ bp.abbr }}-row`
- `.flex{{ bp.abbr }}-row-reverse`
- `.flex{{ bp.abbr }}-column`
- `.flex{{ bp.abbr }}-column-reverse`{% endfor %}
## Justify content
Use `justify-content` utilities on flexbox containers to change the alignment of flex items on the main axis (the x-axis to start, y-axis if `flex-direction: column`). Choose from `start` (browser default), `end`, `center`, `between`, or `around`.
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
{% highlight html %}
...
...
...
...
...
{% endhighlight %}
Responsive variations also exist for `justify-content`.
{% for bp in site.data.breakpoints %}
- `.justify-content{{ bp.abbr }}-start`
- `.justify-content{{ bp.abbr }}-end`
- `.justify-content{{ bp.abbr }}-center`
- `.justify-content{{ bp.abbr }}-between`
- `.justify-content{{ bp.abbr }}-around`{% endfor %}
## Align items
Use `align-items` utilities on flexbox containers to change the alignment of flex items on the cross axis (the y-axis to start, x-axis if `flex-direction: column`). Choose from `start`, `end`, `center`, `baseline`, or `stretch` (browser default).
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
{% highlight html %}
...
...
...
...
...
{% endhighlight %}
Responsive variations also exist for `align-items`.
{% for bp in site.data.breakpoints %}
- `.align-items{{ bp.abbr }}-start`
- `.align-items{{ bp.abbr }}-end`
- `.align-items{{ bp.abbr }}-center`
- `.align-items{{ bp.abbr }}-baseline`
- `.align-items{{ bp.abbr }}-stretch`{% endfor %}
## Align self
Use `align-self` utilities on flexbox items to individually change their alignment on the cross axis (the y-axis to start, x-axis if `flex-direction: column`). Choose from the same options as `align-items`: `start`, `end`, `center`, `baseline`, or `stretch` (browser default).
Flex item
Aligned flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Aligned flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Aligned flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Aligned flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Aligned flex item
Flex item
{% highlight html %}
Aligned flex item
Aligned flex item
Aligned flex item
Aligned flex item
Aligned flex item
{% endhighlight %}
Responsive variations also exist for `align-self`.
{% for bp in site.data.breakpoints %}
- `.align-self{{ bp.abbr }}-start`
- `.align-self{{ bp.abbr }}-end`
- `.align-self{{ bp.abbr }}-center`
- `.align-self{{ bp.abbr }}-baseline`
- `.align-self{{ bp.abbr }}-stretch`{% endfor %}
## Fill
Use the `.flex-fill` class on a series of sibling elements to force them into equal widths while taking up all available horizontal space. [Especially useful for equal-width, or justified, navigation]({{ site.baseurl }}/docs/{{ site.docs_version }}/components/navs/#working-with-flex-utilities).
{% capture example %}
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
{% endcapture %}
{% include example.html content=example %}
Responsive variations also exist for `flex-fill`.
{% for bp in site.data.breakpoints %}
- `.flex{{ bp.abbr }}-fill`{% endfor %}
## Grow and shrink
Use `.flex-grow-*` utilities to toggle a flex item's ability to grow to fill available space. In the example below, the `.flex-grow-1` elements uses all available space it can, while allowing the remaining two flex items their necessary space.
{% capture example %}
Flex item
Flex item
Third flex item
{% endcapture %}
{% include example.html content=example %}
Use `.flex-shrink-*` utilities to toggle a flex item's ability to shrink if necessary. In the example below, the second flex item with `.flex-shrink-1` is forced to wrap it's contents to a new line, "shrinking" to allow more space for the previous flex item with `.w-100`.
{% capture example %}
{% endcapture %}
{% include example.html content=example %}
Responsive variations also exist for `flex-grow` and `flex-shrink`.
{% for bp in site.data.breakpoints %}
- `.flex{{ bp.abbr }}-{grow|shrink}-0`
- `.flex{{ bp.abbr }}-{grow|shrink}-1`{% endfor %}
## Auto margins
Flexbox can do some pretty awesome things when you mix flex alignments with auto margins. Shown below are three examples of controlling flex items via auto margins: default (no auto margin), pushing two items to the right (`.mr-auto`), and pushing two items to the left (`.ml-auto`).
**Unfortunately, IE10 and IE11 do not properly support auto margins on flex items whose parent has a non-default `justify-content` value.** [See this StackOverflow answer](https://stackoverflow.com/a/37535548) for more details.
{% capture example %}
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
{% endcapture %}
{% include example.html content=example %}
### With align-items
Vertically move one flex item to the top or bottom of a container by mixing `align-items`, `flex-direction: column`, and `margin-top: auto` or `margin-bottom: auto`.
{% capture example %}
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
{% endcapture %}
{% include example.html content=example %}
## Wrap
Change how flex items wrap in a flex container. Choose from no wrapping at all (the browser default) with `.flex-nowrap`, wrapping with `.flex-wrap`, or reverse wrapping with `.flex-wrap-reverse`.
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
{% highlight html %}
...
{% endhighlight %}
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
{% highlight html %}
...
{% endhighlight %}
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
{% highlight html %}
...
{% endhighlight %}
Responsive variations also exist for `flex-wrap`.
{% for bp in site.data.breakpoints %}
- `.flex{{ bp.abbr }}-nowrap`
- `.flex{{ bp.abbr }}-wrap`
- `.flex{{ bp.abbr }}-wrap-reverse`{% endfor %}
## Order
Change the _visual_ order of specific flex items with a handful of `order` utilities. We only provide options for making an item first or last, as well as a reset to use the DOM order. As `order` takes any integer value (e.g., `5`), add custom CSS for any additional values needed.
{% capture example %}
First flex item
Second flex item
Third flex item
{% endcapture %}
{% include example.html content=example %}
Responsive variations also exist for `order`.
{% for bp in site.data.breakpoints %}{% for i in (0..12) %}
- `.order{{ bp.abbr }}-{{ i }}`{% endfor %}{% endfor %}
## Align content
Use `align-content` utilities on flexbox containers to align flex items *together* on the cross axis. Choose from `start` (browser default), `end`, `center`, `between`, `around`, or `stretch`. To demonstrate these utilities, we've enforced `flex-wrap: wrap` and increased the number of flex items.
**Heads up!** This property has no effect on single rows of flex items.
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
{% highlight html %}
...
{% endhighlight %}
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
{% highlight html %}
...
{% endhighlight %}
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
{% highlight html %}
...
{% endhighlight %}
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
{% highlight html %}
...
{% endhighlight %}
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
{% highlight html %}
...
{% endhighlight %}
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
Flex item
{% highlight html %}
...
{% endhighlight %}
Responsive variations also exist for `align-content`.
{% for bp in site.data.breakpoints %}
- `.align-content{{ bp.abbr }}-start`
- `.align-content{{ bp.abbr }}-end`
- `.align-content{{ bp.abbr }}-center`
- `.align-content{{ bp.abbr }}-around`
- `.align-content{{ bp.abbr }}-stretch`{% endfor %}