Template:Columns list

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This template turns a list into a list with columns. It is a wrapper for {{div col}}, except it wraps the template by allowing for the content to be in the template rather than above and below.

Use

The width of each column may be specified using |colwidth= and a value in ems.

{{columns list|colwidth=width|
Text (usually a list)
}}

Here, width specifies the width of the columns, and determines dynamically the number of columns based on screen width; more columns will be shown on wider displays.

If |colwidth= is not specified, the default width of 30em will be used.

This template uses CSS3 multiple-column layout, which is not supported by all web browsers.

CSS3 multiple-column layout browser support      

Property	Internet Explorer	Firefox	Safari	Chrome	Opera
column-width column-count	≥ 10 (2012)	≥ 1.5 (2005)	≥ 3 (2007)	≥ 1 (2008)	≥ 11.1 (2011)
columns	≥ 10 (2012)	≥ 9 (2011)	≥ 3 (2007)	≥ 1 (2008)	≥ 11.1 (2011)
break-before break-after break-inside	≥ 10 (2012)	≥ 65 (2019)	≥ 10 (2016)	≥ 50 (2016)	≥ 37 (2016)

Examples

Here is an example:

{{columns list|colwidth=25em|
* [[George Washington]]
* [[John Adams]]
* [[Thomas Jefferson]]
* [[James Madison]]
* [[James Monroe]]
}}

which would render as:

• George Washington
• John Adams
• Thomas Jefferson
• James Madison
• James Monroe

HTML classes and CSS styles can also be added with the |class= and |style= parameters. For example:

{{columns list|colwidth=15em|style=width: 600px; font-style: italic;|
* [[All About Lily Chou-Chou]]
* [[April Story]]
* [[Hana and Alice|Hana & Alice]]
* [[Hōtai Club]]
* [[The Kon Ichikawa Story]]
* [[Love Letter (1995 film)|Love Letter]]
* [[New York, I Love You]]
* [[Picnic (1996 film)|Picnic]]
* [[Rainbow Song]]
* [[Swallowtail (film)|Swallowtail]]
}}

which would render as:

• All About Lily Chou-Chou
• April Story
• Hana & Alice
• Hōtai Club
• The Kon Ichikawa Story
• Love Letter
• New York, I Love You
• Picnic
• Rainbow Song
• Swallowtail

This template also works with numbered lists as its "text". For example:

{{columns list|colwidth=35em|
# [[George Washington]]
# [[John Adams]]
# [[Thomas Jefferson]]
# [[James Madison]]
# [[James Monroe]]
}}

1. George Washington
2. John Adams
3. Thomas Jefferson
4. James Madison
5. James Monroe

The template, in fact, works with everything since all it does is wrap the text provided around a block to be divided into columns by CSS. Do not stop at wikitext lists – more advanced lists generated by the HTML templates will work too!

Error messages

Use of the no-longer-supported parameter |cols=, or use of the first unnamed parameter (aka |1=) along with |2= or a second unnamed parameter for the template's content, will generate a red error message. To fix this error, use |colwidth= instead of attempting to specify the number of columns.

The presence of an equals sign within the template's content can also cause display problems and red error messages. To fix this problem, add |1= in front of the template's content.

This template may cause pages to exceed the post-expand include size limit if used on large lists. If so, use {{div col}} and {{div col end}} instead.

Tracking category

• Category:Pages using columns list with unknown parameters (0) (for pages in article space only)

See also

Column-generating template families

See also: Help:Advanced table features#Side-by-side columns of tables, images, lists. Straight divs (not part of templates) work on desktop monitors. More than one column will show up in cell phones too if the columns are narrow enough. Straight divs will do almost everything the templates below do, and do it better. And they comply with MOS:LTAB.

The templates listed here are not interchangeable. For example, using {{col-float}} with {{col-end}} instead of {{col-float-end}} would leave a <div>...</div> open, potentially harming any subsequent formatting.

• "Responsive/mobile suited" refers to whether more than one column will show up in cell phones. See tests here. Some templates need to be updated to work in cell phones too. Please use mobile-suited templates, or straight divs. For why, see WP:Access. See discussion.
• "Deprecated. Replace over time" is under discussion about whether templates without mobile capability should officially be called deprecated. In any case most uses of those templates can be replaced now by other templates or straight divs.

Column templates

Type	Family	Deprecated. Replace over time	Complies with MOS:LTAB	Handles wiki table code?	Responsive/ mobile suited	Dependent on media queries	Can form multiple columns	Visual Editor– suited	Start template	Column divider	End template
Float	"col-float"		Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	?	?	{{col-float}}	{{col-float-break}}	{{col-float-end}}
	"columns-start"		Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	?	?	{{columns-start}}	{{column}}	{{columns-end}}
Float	"stack"	See talk	?	?	?	Yes	No	?	{{stack}} or {{stack begin}}	?	{{stack end}}
Columns	"div col"		Yes	Yes	Yes	?	?	?	{{div col}}	instead use {{no col break}}	{{div col end}}
	"columns list"		Yes	No	Yes	?	?	?	{{columns list}} (wraps div col)	—	—
Flexbox	"flex columns"		Yes	No	Yes	?	?	?	{{flex columns}}	—	—
Flexbox	"flexbox wrap"		Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	?	{{flexbox wrap|start}}	{{flexbox wrap|break}}	{{flexbox wrap|end}}
Table	"col"	See talk	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	?	?	{{col-begin}}, {{col-begin-fixed}} or {{col-begin-small}}	{{col-break}} or {{col-2}} .. {{col-5}}	{{col-end}}

Horizontal list {{horizontal list|item1 |item2 }} item1 item2		Horizontal list {{flat list| * item1 * item2}} item1 item2		Horizontal list {{comma-separated list|item1 |item2 }} item1 item2
Bulleted list {{bulleted list|item1 |item2 }} item1 item2		Numeric ordered list {{Ordered list|first |second }} first second		Alphabetic ordered list {{Ordered list|list_style_type=lower-alpha |first |second }} first second
Unbulleted list {{unbulleted list|item1 |item2 }} item1 item2		Unbulleted list {{plain list| * item1 * item2}} item1 item2		Glossary or definition list {{glossary}} {{term|first term}} {{defn|first description}} {{term|second term}} {{defn|second description}} {{glossary end}} first term first description second term second description
Bulleted list to flow around an image [[File:Bad Title Example.png|left|thumb|100px]] {{flowing list| *item1 *item2}} item1 item2		Ordered list in columns {{columns list|colwidth=5em| # first # second}} first second

Turns a list into a list with columns. It is a wrapper for {{div col}}, except it wraps the template by allowing for the content to be in the template rather than above and below.

Template parameters[Edit template data]

Parameter		Description	Type	Status
Content	1	Specifies the content to divide into columns	String	optional
Columns / Column width	colwidth	Specifies the width of columns, and determines dynamically the number of columns based on screen width; more columns will be shown on wider displays. Default 30 Example 20em	String	optional
CSS style	style	Specifies any custom styling. Example width: 600px; font-style: italic;	String	optional
HTML class	class	Specifies any class or multiple space-delimited classes. Example plainlist nowrap	String	optional