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How do you get centered content using Twitter Bootstrap?

html
responsive-design
flexbox
centering
Anton ShumikhinbyAnton Shumikhin·Sep 11, 2024
TLDR

Assuming gravity is on your side, centering content in Twitter Bootstrap employs the grid system and centering utility classes very well. For horizontal centering, cast your content into .container and .row, then use .justify-content-center or .text-center to realign columns or text respectively. For vertical alignment, slather some .d-flex and .align-items-center within the row. This snippet diagrams these steps:

<div class="container"> <div class="row justify-content-center"> <div class="col-md-auto"> <!-- Horizontally centered contentstill flat on earth --> </div> </div> <div class="row d-flex align-items-center" style="height: 200px;"> <div class="col-md-auto"> <!-- Vertically & horizontally centered contentEarth says hello! --> </div> </div> </div>

Use .justify-content-center to center block-level elements horizontally, and blend both .d-flex and .align-items-center to consummate alignment within Bootstrap's responsive gallery.

Block-level Centering

Block-level elements can be centered by auto-magically setting margins to auto. In Bootstrap 4, .center-block class got evicted in favor of utility classes like .mx-auto for horizontal centering and .my-auto for vertical when needed.

<div class="mx-auto" style="width: 200px;"> <!-- This block-level element is now the center of the universe horizontally --> </div>

Inline and Flex Elements Alignment Techniques

Inline elements? No worries, text-center got your six. For block or flex units with set dimensions, soft-pedal with mx-auto. Emerging flexbox containers? Use .d-flex synchronized with .justify-content-center for horizontal and .align-items-center for vertical alignment.

Mastering Offset Classes

Aligning columns within a row can also employ offset classes like offset-*. However, starting Bootstrap 4, that's about as useful as a screen door on a submarine because you get the modernized flexbox utility classes.

Making it better with specific solutions

Centering Within Fixed Width Elements

When your fixed-width elements act like stubborn kids, settling them down is as easy as setting the left and right margins to auto. This is useful when your content block or image just won't stay dressed in the center of the layout.

Going vertical with centering

Bootstrap 4 grinned mischievously and introduced flex utilities that made vertical alignment a piece of cake. Just apply .align-items-center to a .d-flex row and voila! This is particularly useful when stubborn content refuses to align within hero sections or vertically centered modals.

Responsively scaling centering techniques

Since Bootstrap is a responsive fellow, your centering methods should be the James Bond of different screen sizes. Bootstrap's responsive prefixes (e.g., md, lg) handcuffed to the centering classes should etch alignment across all devices.