35

I have an outer div which contains three inner divs.

I want the left-most inner div to always determine the height of the outer div. If the other inner divs have less content [than the left-most div], they will have empty space. If they have more content [than the left-most div], they will get a scroll bar.

Some other questions on SO ask about setting the height of an outer div to be the height of the inner div. However, in my case I have multiple inner divs and I don't what the height of the outer div to ever be more or less than the height of the left-most div.

Is there any way to do this, especially using only CSS?

Outer div height of particular inner div

Giant Realistic Flying Tiger
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CodyBugstein
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  • This is so specific that I don't see how it can be done without Javascript, but I am willing to be surprised. :-) The script would be rather simple: One function to set height of #2 and #3 to be equal to #1, and you call this on load, resize and content changes. – KIKO Software Feb 23 '18 at 07:43
  • you have `multiple inner divs` in a single row with scrollbar...? – Bhuwan Feb 23 '18 at 07:44
  • there are many options, check https://css-tricks.com/fluid-width-equal-height-columns/ – Eliseo Feb 23 '18 at 07:46
  • @Bhuwan potentially, yes. I don't want `inner-div-2` or `inner-div-3` to be longer than `inner-div-1` – CodyBugstein Feb 23 '18 at 07:49
  • Hi to all, i am not sure if i understood it correctly, check this [fiddle](https://jsfiddle.net/gorez16rus/zmw24qtp/), parent allays will be the size of first child element, and 2nd and 3rd child will be maximum of 400px, you can then `max-height` – Timur Feb 23 '18 at 07:54

2 Answers2

57

An idea is to make some of the content out of the flow using absolute position so it won't have any impact on the height and then use flexbox for the main layout:

.container {
  display: flex;
  border: 1px solid;
  padding: 5px;
  box-sizing: border-box;
}

.container>div {
  flex: 1;
  margin: 5px;
  border: 1px solid;
  box-sizing: border-box;
}
div.inner {
  border-color:red;
}

.inner-alt {
  position: relative;
  overflow: auto;
}

.inner-alt>div {
  position: absolute;
  top: 0;
  right: 0;
  left: 0;
  bottom: 0;
}
<div class="container">
  <div class="inner">Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Donec dignissim ipsum orci, </div>
  <div class="inner-alt">
    <div>ut volutpat ligula finibus a. Maecenas ut pharetra ante. Nunc volutpat est eu odio vestibulum, eget bibendum risus commodo. Nullam tristique nibh sed iaculis vulputate. Vivamus ac tincidu</div>
  </div>
  <div class="inner-alt">
    <div>eget bibendum risus commodo. Nullam tristique nibh sed iaculis vulputate. Vivamus ac tincidu</div>
  </div>
</div>
<div class="container">
  <div class="inner">Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Donec dignissim ipsum orci, io vestibulum, eget bibendum risus commodo. Nullam tristique nibh sed iaculis vulputate</div>
  <div class="inner-alt">
    <div>ut volutpat ligula finibus a. Maecenas ut pharetra ante. Nunc volutpat est eu odio vestibulum, eget bibendum risus commodo. Nullam tristique nibh sed iaculis vulputate. Vivamus ac tincidu</div>
  </div>
  <div class="inner-alt">
    <div>eget bibendum risus commodo. Nullam tristique nibh sed iaculis vulputate. Vivamus ac tincidu</div>
  </div>
</div>
<div class="container">
  <div class="inner">Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Donec dignissim ipsum orci, io vestibulum, eget bibendum risus commodo. Nullam tristique nibh sed iaculis vulputate , eget bibendum risus commodo. Nullam tristique nibh sed iaculis vulputate</div>
  <div class="inner-alt">
    <div>ut volutpat ligula finibus a. Maecenas ut pharetra ante. Nunc volutpat est eu odio vestibulum, eget bibendum risus commodo. Nullam tristique nibh sed iaculis vulputate. Vivamus ac tincidu</div>
  </div>
  <div class="inner-alt">
    <div>eget bibendum risus commodo. Nullam tristique nibh sed iaculis vulputate. Vivamus ac tincidu</div>
  </div>
</div>

Here is another trick using height:0;min-height:100%

.container {
  display: flex;
  border: 1px solid;
  padding: 5px;
  box-sizing: border-box;
}

.container>div {
  flex: 1;
  margin: 5px;
  border: 1px solid;
  box-sizing: border-box;
}
div.inner {
  border-color:red;
}

.inner-alt {
  position: relative;
  overflow:auto;
}

.inner-alt>div {
  height:0;
  min-height:100%;
}
<div class="container">
  <div class="inner">Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Donec dignissim ipsum orci, </div>
  <div class="inner-alt">
    <div>ut volutpat ligula finibus a. Maecenas ut pharetra ante. Nunc volutpat est eu odio vestibulum, eget bibendum risus commodo. Nullam tristique nibh sed iaculis vulputate. Vivamus ac tincidu</div>
  </div>
  <div class="inner-alt">
    <div>eget bibendum risus commodo. Nullam tristique nibh sed iaculis vulputate. Vivamus ac tincidu</div>
  </div>
</div>
<div class="container">
  <div class="inner">Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Donec dignissim ipsum orci, io vestibulum, eget bibendum risus commodo. Nullam tristique nibh sed iaculis vulputate</div>
  <div class="inner-alt">
    <div>ut volutpat ligula finibus a. Maecenas ut pharetra ante. Nunc volutpat est eu odio vestibulum, eget bibendum risus commodo. Nullam tristique nibh sed iaculis vulputate. Vivamus ac tincidu</div>
  </div>
  <div class="inner-alt">
    <div>eget bibendum risus commodo. Nullam tristique nibh sed iaculis vulputate. Vivamus ac tincidu</div>
  </div>
</div>
<div class="container">
  <div class="inner">Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Donec dignissim ipsum orci, io vestibulum, eget bibendum risus commodo. Nullam tristique nibh sed iaculis vulputate , eget bibendum risus commodo. Nullam tristique nibh sed iaculis vulputate</div>
  <div class="inner-alt">
    <div>ut volutpat ligula finibus a. Maecenas ut pharetra ante. Nunc volutpat est eu odio vestibulum, eget bibendum risus commodo. Nullam tristique nibh sed iaculis vulputate. Vivamus ac tincidu</div>
  </div>
  <div class="inner-alt">
    <div>eget bibendum risus commodo. Nullam tristique nibh sed iaculis vulputate. Vivamus ac tincidu</div>
  </div>
</div>

The same idea as above without extra wrapper and using CSS grid:

.container {
  display: grid;
  grid-template-columns:1fr 1fr 1fr;
  grid-gap:10px;
  border: 1px solid;
  padding: 10px;
  box-sizing: border-box;
}

.container>div {
  border: 1px solid;
  box-sizing: border-box;
}
div.inner {
  border-color:red;
}

.inner-alt {
  overflow:auto;
  height:0;
  min-height:100%;
}
<div class="container">
  <div class="inner">Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Donec dignissim ipsum orci, </div>
  <div class="inner-alt">
    ut volutpat ligula finibus a. Maecenas ut pharetra ante. Nunc volutpat est eu odio vestibulum, eget bibendum risus commodo. Nullam tristique nibh sed iaculis vulputate. Vivamus ac tincidu</div>
 
  <div class="inner-alt">
    eget ibendum risus commodo. Nullam tristique nibh sed iaculis vulputate. Vivamus ac tincidu</div>
  
</div>
<div class="container">
  <div class="inner">Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Donec dignissim ipsum orci, io vestibulum, eget bibendum risus commodo. Nullam tristique nibh sed iaculis vulputate</div>
  <div class="inner-alt">
    <div>ut volutpat ligula finibus a. Maecenas ut pharetra ante. Nunc volutpat est eu odio vestibulum, eget bibendum risus commodo. Nullam tristique nibh sed iaculis vulputate. Vivamus ac tincidu</div>
  </div>
  <div class="inner-alt">
    eget bibendum risus commodo. Nullam tristique nibh sed iaculis vulputate. Vivamus ac tincidu</div>
</div>
<div class="container">
  <div class="inner">Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Donec dignissim ipsum orci, io vestibulum, eget bibendum risus commodo. Nullam tristique nibh sed iaculis vulputate , eget bibendum risus commodo. Nullam tristique nibh sed iaculis vulputate</div>
  <div class="inner-alt">
    ut volutpat ligula finibus a. Maecenas ut pharetra ante. Nunc volutpat est eu odio vestibulum, eget bibendum risus commodo. Nullam tristique nibh sed iaculis vulputate. Vivamus ac tincidu</div>
  <div class="inner-alt">
    eget bibendum risus commodo. Nullam tristique nibh sed iaculis vulputate. Vivamus ac tincidu</div>
</div>

We can also use contain: size that will do the same job as height:0; min-height:100%

.container {
  display: grid;
  grid-template-columns: 1fr 1fr 1fr;
  grid-gap: 10px;
  border: 1px solid;
  padding: 10px;
  box-sizing: border-box;
}

.container>div {
  border: 1px solid;
  box-sizing: border-box;
}

div.inner {
  border-color: red;
}

.inner-alt {
  overflow: auto;
  contain: size;
}
<div class="container">
  <div class="inner">Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Donec dignissim ipsum orci, </div>
  <div class="inner-alt">
    ut volutpat ligula finibus a. Maecenas ut pharetra ante. Nunc volutpat est eu odio vestibulum, eget bibendum risus commodo. Nullam tristique nibh sed iaculis vulputate. Vivamus ac tincidu</div>

  <div class="inner-alt">
    eget ibendum risus commodo. Nullam tristique nibh sed iaculis vulputate. Vivamus ac tincidu</div>

</div>
<div class="container">
  <div class="inner">Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Donec dignissim ipsum orci, io vestibulum, eget bibendum risus commodo. Nullam tristique nibh sed iaculis vulputate</div>
  <div class="inner-alt">
    <div>ut volutpat ligula finibus a. Maecenas ut pharetra ante. Nunc volutpat est eu odio vestibulum, eget bibendum risus commodo. Nullam tristique nibh sed iaculis vulputate. Vivamus ac tincidu</div>
  </div>
  <div class="inner-alt">
    eget bibendum risus commodo. Nullam tristique nibh sed iaculis vulputate. Vivamus ac tincidu</div>
</div>
<div class="container">
  <div class="inner">Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Donec dignissim ipsum orci, io vestibulum, eget bibendum risus commodo. Nullam tristique nibh sed iaculis vulputate , eget bibendum risus commodo. Nullam tristique nibh sed iaculis vulputate</div>
  <div class="inner-alt">
    ut volutpat ligula finibus a. Maecenas ut pharetra ante. Nunc volutpat est eu odio vestibulum, eget bibendum risus commodo. Nullam tristique nibh sed iaculis vulputate. Vivamus ac tincidu</div>
  <div class="inner-alt">
    eget bibendum risus commodo. Nullam tristique nibh sed iaculis vulputate. Vivamus ac tincidu</div>
</div>
Temani Afif
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    Brilliant! Any chance you could explain how the `height:0;min-height:100%;` method works? – Alecg_O Dec 15 '20 at 20:13
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    @Alecg_O (1) height:0 will make the element doesn't contribute to the height of its container so it's like you have an empty one (1) min-height:100% will force the element to be full height of the container where its height was defined by the other columns since we have a flexbox layout (or CSS grid one). In other words, we define the height of the container without its content and later we use that height for its content. – Temani Afif Dec 15 '20 at 20:20
-3

different ways. two examples:

.outer_div {
  position: relative;
  overflow: hidden;
  max-width: 300px;
  margin: 0 auto;
}
.inner_div {
  width: 33.33%;
}
.inner_div_1 {
  float: left;
  background: khaki;
}
.inner_div_2,
.inner_div_3 {
  background: darkkhaki;
  position: absolute;
  top: 0;
  height: 100%;
  overflow-y: auto;
}
.inner_div_2 {
  left: 33.33%;
}
.inner_div_3 {
  left: 66.66%;
}
<div class="outer_div">
  <div class="inner_div inner_div_1">
    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.
  </div>
  <div class="inner_div inner_div_2">
    Lorem ipsum.
  </div>
  <div class="inner_div inner_div_3">
    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.
  </div>
</div>

.outer_div {
  display: flex;
  flex-direction: row;
  max-width: 300px;
  margin: 0 auto;
  background : gray;
}
.inner_div {
  width: 33.33%;
}
.inner_div > div {
  position: relative;
  height: 100%;
}
.inner_div_1 span {
  background: khaki;
}
.inner_div_2 span,
.inner_div_3 span {
  background: darkkhaki;
  display: block;
  position: absolute;
  top: 0;
  left: 0;
  width: 100%;
  height: 100%;
  overflow-y: auto;
  overflow-x: hidden;
}
<div class="outer_div">
  <div class="inner_div inner_div_1">
    <span>
      Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.
    </span>
  </div>
  <div class="inner_div inner_div_2">
    <div>
      <span>
        Lorem ipsum.
      </span>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="inner_div inner_div_3">
    <div>
      <span>
        Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.
      </span>
    </div>
  </div>
</div>
Ilya B.
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