Summary
The problem is to create a responsive grid layout with a toggleable section that has a minimum height and a scrollbar that appears only when the content exceeds a certain number of lines. The grid should always be 100vh high and not grow when the toggleable section is expanded.
Root Cause
The root cause of this issue is that the grid container is set to overflow-y: auto, which causes the entire grid to scroll when the content of the toggleable section exceeds the grid’s height. To fix this, we need to set overflow-y: auto on the toggleable section instead of the grid container.
Why This Happens in Real Systems
This issue occurs in real systems because of the way CSS Grid handles overflow. When a grid container has overflow-y: auto, it will scroll the entire grid when the content of any grid item exceeds the grid’s height. To prevent this, we need to use overflow-y: auto on the individual grid items that need to scroll.
Real-World Impact
The real-world impact of this issue is that it can cause layout problems and user experience issues. For example, if the toggleable section is an interactive terminal, the user may expect the terminal to scroll independently of the rest of the grid. If the entire grid scrolls instead, it can be confusing and difficult to use.
Example or Code
#term {
overflow-y: auto;
max-height: 100vh;
display: flex;
flex-direction: column;
}
#content {
flex-grow: 1;
flex-shrink: 1;
overflow-y: auto;
max-height: 10em; /* adjust this value to set the minimum height */
}How Senior Engineers Fix It
Senior engineers fix this issue by using CSS Grid and flexbox to create a responsive layout that can handle overflow and scrolling. They use overflow-y: auto on the individual grid items that need to scroll, and set max-height to control the minimum height of the toggleable section.
Why Juniors Miss It
Juniors may miss this issue because they are not familiar with the nuances of CSS Grid and overflow. They may not understand how to use overflow-y: auto on individual grid items, or how to set max-height to control the minimum height of the toggleable section. Additionally, they may not have experience with responsive design and user experience principles, which can make it difficult to anticipate and fix this type of issue. Key takeaways include:
- Using overflow-y: auto on individual grid items
- Setting max-height to control the minimum height of the toggleable section
- Understanding CSS Grid and flexbox principles
- Considering responsive design and user experience principles when designing layouts.