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Css table-cell equal width

html
responsive-design
css-layout
flexbox
Nikita BarsukovbyNikita Barsukov·Dec 31, 2024
TLDR

Set your table to table-layout: fixed; and bestow width:25% unto your <th> or <td> elements to achieve equally distributed width among four columns.

table { table-layout: fixed; /* Orchestra conductor raises his baton */ width: 100%; /* The stage is set to its full capacity */ } th, td { width: 25%; /* And each performer gets an equal share of the stage */ }
<table> <tr><th>Col 1</th><th>Col 2</th><th>Col 3</th><th>Col 4</th></tr> <!-- Rows with <td> following similar structure --> </table>

Down to the nuts and bolts

Starting off, let's appreciate that aim here is not a mere exercise in creativity—it's knitting an elixir of usability, consistent design, and a table layout that's cross-browser friendly.

Commanding table behavior

The table-layout: fixed; CSS property is your maestro, ensuring each cell, or td, is disciplined. Paired with a solid width on the table and the cells, your measurements are sacrosanct, preventing any content from dictating the dimensions.

Browser chorus

Our collective objective is a symphony that plays well across browsers. Like any audience, this one has quirks; Chrome and IE8 are quite forgiving, while Safari 6 may throw a tantrum when you least expect it. Keep a strong ensemble of test suites for the browsers you aim to conquer.

Wrangling with divs and tables

If there's a desire to only use CSS behemoths, you might consider replacing the humble table with divs. While data in a table listens well to the conductor, divs have to be disciplined using display: table; and display: table-cell;, with table-layout: fixed; maintaining the harmony.

Keeping things crystal

A border property does wonders and helps define the edges, increasing "user see-ability". Steer clear from properties that overcomplicate, like max-width: 0;, which might cause the harmony to go out of tune.

The finer points of table-cell width

The beauty of an HTML/CSS table layout lies not only in setting it up, but in maintaining its structure, handling variations in content types and volume.

Going modern with CSS layout tricks

A symphony of modern CSS layouts is incomplete without Flexbox and Grid. These experts provide a more refined control and ensure your cells conduct themselves well in both simple and complex compositions. Use flex-grow: 1; in Flexbox or grid-template-columns: repeat(4, 1fr); in Grid, for those equal signatures.

Precision through advanced CSS

Padding or borders causing cells to look uneven? Use box-sizing: border-box; to keep them from affecting the actual width.

A drum kit (🥁) sprawling into other cells isn't part of the plan. For addressing content overflow, bring in overflow: auto; to create scrollable areas within cells.