Grid System for Windows UI

A well-defined grid system is fundamental to creating visually appealing, consistent, and user-friendly interfaces on Windows. It provides a structural backbone for arranging elements, ensuring alignment and balance across your application.

Core Concepts

The Windows grid system is based on a 12-column layout. This flexible structure allows for a variety of arrangements and responsive behaviors. Key principles include:

Consistency: Elements should align to the grid lines, creating a sense of order.
Hierarchy: Use grid spans to emphasize important content or actions.
Responsiveness: The grid should adapt to different screen sizes and orientations.

The 12-Column Grid

Our standard grid utilizes 12 columns, with gutters between them to maintain visual separation. This allows for flexible layouts that can accommodate various content needs.

Basic 12-Column Example

Full Width (Span 12)

Half Width (Span 6)

One Third (Span 4)

Quarter (Span 3)

Two Thirds (Span 8)

One Third (Span 4)

Span 2

Span 4

Span 3

Responsive Grid

To ensure your application looks great on all devices, leverage the responsive capabilities of the grid. By default, elements stack vertically on small screens. As the screen size increases, they rearrange according to predefined breakpoints.

Responsive Grid Example

On small screens, these items will stack. On medium screens, they will form 4 columns. On large screens, they will form 8 columns.

Item 1

Item 2

Item 3

Item 4

Item 5

Item 6

Item 7

Item 8

Implementation Notes

When implementing the grid system in your application, consider the following:

Gutters: Maintain consistent spacing (gutters) between grid items to prevent visual clutter.
Content Flow: Design your layouts so that content reflows gracefully within the grid.
Breakpoints: Define responsive breakpoints that align with common device sizes and user interaction contexts.