multicolumn

Multicolumn is a layout concept in which content is divided into two or more vertical columns within a page, region, or container. The technique is used to improve readability by shortening line length and to fit more text into a given width. Columns are typically equal in width, separated by a configurable gap, and may be drawn with a line between them.

In web design, CSS offers a multi-column layout module that lets content flow automatically from one column to the next. Core properties include column-count (the number of columns), column-width (a preferred width), and column-gap (the space between columns). column-rule can draw a dividing line, and column-fill and column-span control how content fills and how elements can span across columns. Browsers implement these features with varying support and behavior; fallbacks often use manual column boxes or alternative layout methods.

Other environments include the LaTeX multicols package, which provides the multicols environment to typeset text in a fixed number of columns with optional balancing and column widths. Desktop publishing and word processors such as Microsoft Word also offer a Columns feature to split pages into multiple columns for the document body; layout programs like Adobe InDesign provide extensive multi-column text frames.

Advantages of multicolumn include improved readability for long passages and more compact page layouts. Drawbacks can include awkward breaks for images or figures, uneven column heights in certain flows, and complex responsive behavior in digital media. Multicolumn remains a standard technique in print and digital typography for newsletters, magazines, and responsive articles.