W3.CSS Case Study
Building a Responsive Web Site From Scratch
In this chapter we will build a W3.CSS responsive website from scratch.
First, start with a simple HTML page, with an initial viewport and a link to W3.CSS.
Example
<html lang="en">
<title>W3.CSS Case</title>
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
<link rel="stylesheet" href="https://www.w3schools.com/w3css/5/w3.css">
<body>
<h1>My first W3.CSS website!</h1>
<p>This site will grow as we add more ...</p>
<p>This is another paragraph.</p>
<p>This is a paragraph.</p>
<p>This is another paragraph.</p>
</body>
</html>
Put Elements in Containers
To add common margins and padding, put the HTML elements inside containers (<div class="w3-container">)
Separate the header from the rest of the content, using two separate <div> elements:
Example
<h1>My First W3.CSS Website!</h1>
<p>This site will grow as we add more ...</p>
</div>
<div class="w3-container">
<p>This is another paragraph.</p>
<p>This is a paragraph.</p>
<p>This is another paragraph.</p>
</div>
Color Classes
Color classes define the color of elements.
This example adds a color to the first <div> element:
Example
<h1>My First W3.CSS Website!</h1>
<p>This site will grow as we add more ...</p>
</div>
<div class="w3-container">
<p>This is another paragraph.</p>
<p>This is a paragraph.</p>
<p>This is another paragraph.</p>
</div>
Size Classes
Size classes define the text size for elements.
This example adds a size to both header elements:
Example
<h1 class="w3-jumbo">My First W3.CSS Website!</h1>
<p class="w3-xxlarge">This site will grow as we add more ...</p>
</div>
<div class="w3-container">
<p>This is another paragraph.</p>
<p>This is a paragraph.</p>
<p>This is another paragraph.</p>
</div>
Use Semantic Elements
If you like to follow the HTML5 semantic recommendations. please do!
It does not matter for W3.CSS if you use <div> or <header>.
Example
<html lang="en">
<title>W3.CSS Case</title>
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
<link rel="stylesheet" href="https://www.w3schools.com/w3css/5/w3.css">
<body>
<header class="w3-container w3-light-grey">
<h1 class="w3-jumbo">My first W3.CSS website!</h1>
<p class="w3-xxlarge">This site will grow as we add more ...</p>
</header>
<div class="w3-container">
<p>This is another paragraph.</p>
<p>This is a paragraph.</p>
<p>This is another paragraph.</p>
</div>
<footer class="w3-container">
<p>This is my footer</p>
</footer>
</body>
</html>
Multicolumn Responsive Layout
With W3.CSS it is easy to create a multicolumn responsive layout.
The columns will rearrange themselves automatically when viewed on different screen sizes.
Some grid rules:
- Start with a row class <div class="w3-row-padding">
- Use predefined classes like "w3-third" to quickly make grid columns
- Place your text content inside the grid columns
This example shows how to create three columns of equal width:
Example
<div class="w3-third">
<p>Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor
incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.</p>
</div>
<div class="w3-third">
<p>Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor
incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.</p>
</div>
<div class="w3-third">
<p>Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor
incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.</p>
</div>
</div>
This example shows how to create four columns of equal width:
Example
<div class="w3-quarter">
<p>Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor
incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.</p>
</div>
<div class="w3-quarter">
<p>Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor
incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.</p>
</div>
<div class="w3-quarter">
<p>Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor
incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.</p>
</div>
<div class="w3-quarter">
<p>Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor
incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.</p>
</div>
</div>
Columns With Different Widths
This example creates a three-column layout where the column in the middle is wider than the first and last column:
Example
<div class="w3-quarter">
<p>Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor
incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.</p>
</div>
<div class="w3-half">
<p>Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor
incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.</p>
</div>
<div class="w3-quarter">
<p>Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor
incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.</p>
</div>
</div>
Navigation Bars
A navigation bar is a navigation header that is placed at the top of the page.
Example
<a href="#" class="w3-bar-item w3-button">Home</a>
<a href="#" class="w3-bar-item w3-button">Link 1</a>
<a href="#" class="w3-bar-item w3-button">Link 2</a>
<a href="#" class="w3-bar-item w3-button">Link 3</a>
</nav>
Side Navigation
With side navigation, you have several options:
- Always display the navigation pane to the left of the page content.
- Use a collapsible, "fully automatic" responsive side navigation.
- Open navigation pane over the left part of the page content.
- Open navigation pane over all of the page content.
- Slide the page content to the right when opening the navigation pane.
- Display the navigation pane on the right side instead of the left side
This example opens the navigation pane over the left part of the page content:
<a class="w3-bar-item w3-button" href="#">Link 1</a>
<a class="w3-bar-item w3-button" href="#">Link 2</a>
<a class="w3-bar-item w3-button" href="#">Link 3</a>
</nav>
JavaScript used to open and hide the menu:
document.getElementById("mySidebar").style.display = "block";
}
function w3_close() {
document.getElementById("mySidebar").style.display = "none";
}