How do you make HTML tables fit any screen?

1 Use relative units

One of the simplest ways to make your HTML tables fit any screen is to use relative units instead of absolute units for the width and height of your table elements. Relative units, such as percentages, ems, or rems, are based on the size of the parent element, the font size, or the root element, respectively. This means that they will adjust to the available space and scale accordingly. For example, you can use width: 100% to make your table take up the full width of its container, or width: 50% to make it half as wide.

2 Use media queries

Another way to make your HTML tables fit any screen is to use media queries, which are rules that apply different styles depending on the screen size, orientation, or resolution. Media queries can help you change the layout, font size, padding, or border of your table elements to suit different devices and scenarios. For example, you can use @media (max-width: 600px) to apply a different style to your table when the screen width is less than 600 pixels, such as reducing the font size or hiding some columns.

3 Use overflow properties

Sometimes, you may have a table that contains too much data or too many columns to fit on a small screen, even with relative units or media queries. In this case, you can use overflow properties, which control how the content that exceeds the boundaries of an element is handled. For example, you can use overflow: scroll to add a horizontal scrollbar to your table, or overflow: hidden to clip the excess content. Alternatively, you can use overflow-wrap: break-word or word-break: break-all to break long words or lines within the table cells.

4 Use flexbox or grid

Another way to make your HTML tables fit any screen is to use flexbox or grid, which are modern layout techniques that allow you to create flexible and responsive layouts with ease. Flexbox and grid can help you align, distribute, and reorder your table elements in various ways, depending on the available space and your design goals. For example, you can use flexbox to make your table rows wrap into columns on smaller screens, or use grid to create a complex grid layout with different sizes and spans for your table cells.

5 Use responsive table plugins

Finally, if you want to save some time and effort, you can use responsive table plugins, which are ready-made solutions that can make your HTML tables fit any screen with minimal coding. Responsive table plugins can offer various features and options, such as sorting, filtering, pagination, scrolling, resizing, or collapsing. Some of the popular responsive table plugins are DataTables, FooTable, Responsive Tables, and Tablesaw. However, before you use any plugin, make sure to check its compatibility, performance, and documentation.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?