Template:Columns-start

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The columns-start template and its child templates column and columns-end can be used to make a fixed number of columns (up to 5) that will span the entire page above a certain minimum width (100 ems for 5 columns, 80 for 4, 60 for 3 and 2). Below the minimum width, each column starting from the right will gracefully display below another one of the columns.

Use

The below examples are using the templates directly, so you can see what will happen if the minimum size is reached.

{{columns-start}}
Column 1 here
{{column}}
Column 2 here
{{columns-end}}

{{columns-start|num=3}}
Column 1 here
{{column}}
Column 2 here
{{column}}
Column 3 here
{{columns-end}}

{{columns-start|num=4}}
Column 1 here
{{column}}
Column 2 here
{{column}}
Column 3 here
{{column}}
Column 4 here
{{columns-end}}

{{columns-start|num=5}}
Column 1 here
{{column}}
Column 2 here
{{column}}
Column 3 here
{{column}}
Column 4 here
{{column}}
Column 5 here
{{columns-end}}

Parameters

Columns-start has these parameters:

|num=

Set the number of columns. Defaults to 2. The template will work with up to 5 columns. More than that should prefer a custom implementation or another solution (such as a wikitable for tabular content or {{div col}} for list content).

|class=

Apply another class to the set of columns, such as hlist. Default is none.

|bgcolor=

Set a background color. Default is transparent.

|width=

Set a total width in which all columns must appear. Default is 100%.

Template:Column has the same parameters where it is used as a "wrapper" template with numbered columns. Example:

{{column|num=2
|1=
Column 1 here
|2=
Column 2 here
}}

{{column|num=3
|
Column 1 here
|
Column 2 here
|
Column 3 here
}}

In the second example, be aware of the possible problem with a column that includes an equals sign. See Help:Templates#Equals for more information.

Otherwise, Template:Column must be used as above with Template:Columns-start.

Example

This is an example from List of Indonesia-related topics:

Palaces in Indonesia

• Istana Bogor
• Istana Luwu
• Istana Maimun
• Istana Merdeka
• Istana Negara, Jakarta
• Istana Wakil Presiden

Prisons

• Kambangan Island

Shopping malls

• Shopping malls in Jakarta
• Shopping malls in Bandung
• Shopping malls in Surabaya
• Shopping malls in Batam

Towers

• Monumen Nasional
• Wisma 46

Limitations

Tracked in Phabricator
Task T75182

Tracked in Phabricator
Task T23485

Using headings inside {{column}} in its wrapper form functions so long as there is some content beneath the 2nd and later heading. Secondly, headings will not carry an edit link. The below table may wrap (i.e. not display as columns) but displays the issue.

Content	Functional but missing edit links	Non-functional (missing content)
Wikitext	{{column |1= ==== Ex. heading 1 ==== ABC |2= ==== Ex. heading 2 ==== DEF }}	{{column |1= ==== Ex. heading 3 ==== |2= ==== Ex. heading 4 ==== }}
Rendered	Ex. heading 1 ABC Ex. heading 2 DEF	Ex. heading 3 ==== Ex. heading 4 ====

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}}