Multi-Column List Template

An efficient layout that automatically breaks a single long list into multiple columns.

This template is perfect for sitemaps, indexes, or any extensive list of links that would otherwise require excessive scrolling.

A screenshot of a single list flowing automatically into three columns.

Get Source Code Preview

About this Template

This component uses the native CSS multi-column layout module to reformat a standard unordered list. With just a few lines of CSS, a long, single-column list is automatically distributed into a responsive, multi-column format. It is a highly efficient way to present long lists of data in a compact and user-friendly way, and it requires no complex markup or JavaScript.

Features

Efficient CSS Columns: Uses the column-count property to achieve the layout.
Simple Semantic HTML: The layout is applied to a standard ul, maintaining a clean and simple document structure.
Responsive by Design: Media queries are used to adjust the number of columns based on the viewport width.
Unbreakable List Items: Uses the break-inside: avoid; rule to prevent list items from splitting unattractively across columns.
Self-Contained Code: All styles are scoped to the .multi-column-template parent class to prevent style conflicts.

Code Breakdown

The entire structure consists of a single unordered list (ul) with the class .multi-column-list. All the work is done by the CSS.

On the .multi-column-list class, we initially set column-count: 1 for the mobile-first approach. We also define a column-gap for spacing and an optional column-rule to draw a line between columns. Inside media queries, we simply change the value of column-count to 2 or 3 for larger screens, and the browser handles the rest, automatically distributing the list items.

Code

Here's the full code for the template:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
    <meta charset="UTF-8">
    <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
    <title>Multi-Column List</title>
    <style>
        /* ==========================================================================
           Styles for Demo Preview Only
           ========================================================================== */
        body {
            font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif;
            background-color: #f1f5f9;
            color: #475569;
            margin: 0;
            padding: 2rem;
            display: flex;
            justify-content: center;
        }

/* ==========================================================================
           Multi-Column List Component Styles - Copy from here
           ========================================================================== */
        .multi-column-template {
            --mcol-font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif;
            --mcol-primary-text-color: #334155;
            --mcol-accent-color: #0ea5e9;
            --mcol-bg-color: #ffffff;
            --mcol-border-color: #e5e7eb;

font-family: var(--mcol-font-family);
            color: var(--mcol-primary-text-color);
            width: 100%;
            max-width: 900px;
            background-color: var(--mcol-bg-color);
            border: 1px solid var(--mcol-border-color);
            border-radius: .5rem;
            padding: 2rem;
        }

.multi-column-template *,
        .multi-column-template *::before,
        .multi-column-template *::after {
            box-sizing: border-box;
        }

.multi-column-template .list-header {
            margin: 0 0 1.5rem 0;
            padding-bottom: 1.5rem;
            text-align: center;
            border-bottom: 1px solid var(--mcol-border-color);
        }

.multi-column-template .list-header h2 {
            font-size: 1.75rem;
            margin: 0;
        }

.multi-column-list {
            list-style: none; /* Removes default bullets */
            padding: 0;      /* Removes default browser padding */
            margin: 0;
            
            /* CSS Column Properties */
            column-count: 1; /* Default to a single column */
            column-gap: 2rem;
            column-rule: 1px solid var(--mcol-border-color);
        }

.multi-column-list li {
            padding: .5rem 0;
            break-inside: avoid-column; /* Prevents list items from breaking across columns */
        }
        
        .multi-column-list a {
            text-decoration: none;
            color: inherit;
            transition: color 0.2s ease;
        }
        
        .multi-column-list a:hover {
            color: var(--mcol-accent-color);
        }
        
        /* Responsive column adjustments */
        @media (min-width: 640px) {
            .multi-column-list {
                column-count: 2;
            }
        }
        
        @media (min-width: 1024px) {
            .multi-column-list {
                column-count: 3;
            }
        }
    </style>
</head>
<body>

<div class="multi-column-template">
    <header class="list-header">
        <h2>Core Competencies & Skills</h2>
    </header>

<ul class="multi-column-list">
        <li><a href="#">Advanced Googling</a></li>
        <li><a href="#">Interpreting Vague Feedback</a></li>
        <li><a href="#">Faking Enthusiasm in Meetings</a></li>
        <li><a href="#">Aggressive Typing Sounds</a></li>
        <li><a href="#">Remembering Obscure Movie Quotes</a></li>
        <li><a href="#">Blaming the Cache</a></li>
        <li><a href="#">Muting Own Mic (Eventually)</a></li>
        <li><a href="#">Overthinking a Simple Email</a></li>
        <li><a href="#">Pretending to Understand Blockchain</a></li>
        <li><a href="#">Surviving on Office Coffee</a></li>
        <li><a href="#">Crafting the Perfect Out-of-Office Reply</a></li>
        <li><a href="#">Synchronized Sighing</a></li>
        <li><a href="#">Snack Proximity Awareness</a></li>
        <li><a href="#">Ignoring "Unread" Count</a></li>
        <li><a href="#">Parallel Parking (Virtual Carts)</a></li>
        <li><a href="#">Questionable GIF Selection</a></li>
        <li><a href="#">Explaining "It Worked On My Machine"</a></li>
        <li><a href="#">Finding the "any" key</a></li>
        <li><a href="#">Antique JPEG Restoration</a></li>
        <li><a href="#">Forgetting Passwords at Critical Moments</a></li>
    </ul>
</div>

</body>
</html>

View Output