| type | Layout Pattern |
|---|---|
| name | stack |
| title | stack |
| category | Stacking |
| description | Create consistent vertical rhythm between direct children. |
| primary_spatial_problem | Create consistent vertical rhythm between direct children. |
| secondary_spatial_problems | none |
| layout_axis | block |
| content_shape | mixed |
| responsiveness | fluid |
| constraints | Uses only local class hooks and explicit layout constraints. |
| scroll_ownership | No internal scroll container. |
| source_lineage | https://every-layout.dev/layouts/stack/ |
| lifecycle | generated |
| generated_from | scripts/generate-patterns.mjs, scripts/pattern-data.mjs |
Use this pattern when you need to create consistent vertical rhythm between direct children.
<section class="stack" aria-labelledby="stack-heading">
<h2 id="stack-heading">Release checklist</h2>
<p>Review copy, verify forms, and publish the notes in order.</p>
<button>Start review</button>
</section>.stack {
display: grid;
gap: 1rem;
}display,gapdefine the spatial behavior for this pattern.
- Removing
display,gapchanges the pattern from its documented layout responsibility back toward ordinary flow or an unsafe fixed arrangement.
- fluid responsiveness is part of the contract; change sizing values only when the new minimum, maximum, or wrap point is documented with the pattern.
- Keep the HTML class hooks and CSS selectors in one-to-one agreement.
No internal scroll container.
- Semantic role expectation: Preserve the HTML sample's landmark, list, navigation, form, figure, or article roles; layout classes must not replace semantic elements.
- DOM order expectation: Keep semantic elements, DOM order, reading order, and focus order independent from the visual placement created by the layout classes.
- Focus risk: Any interactive descendants follow DOM order; do not use this pattern to create a visual order that keyboard focus cannot follow.
- Scroll expectation: No internal scroll container.
- Cognitive risk: Low: the pattern should preserve ordinary reading flow when semantic order is already correct.
The CSS uses modern grid, flex, intrinsic sizing, logical properties, or positioning. If a target browser cannot support a property, fall back to ordinary block flow before adding decorative or script-driven layout behavior.
Use stack as the stable pattern root and compose additional layout behavior outside that root unless the child class is part of the documented relationship.
- Do not add color, border, shadow, typography, or animation rules to reusable pattern CSS.
- Do not use this pattern to repair unclear HTML structure; make the DOM roles legible first.
Parent: Stacking patterns in Pattern Categories. Next: Layout Recipes for screen-level composition, or return to the Layout Pattern Catalog when choosing another primitive.