Prefer shrinking over growing in a flex container with flex-flow: row wrap

Question

Displaying an image gallery of different sized images and ratio with the following specs:

No blanks (margins) between images.
Respecting the original ratio as much as possible.
Images surrounded by a link.
Non-JS solution.
Images could be cropped a bit.
Portable solution.
Set of images displayed is random.
Images must be displayed from left to right (prevents using columns).

I achieved that with the following flexbox solution:

section {
  display: flex;
  flex-flow: row wrap;
  justify-content: center;
}
section a {
  flex: auto;
}
section img {
  height: 100%;
  width: 100%;
  object-fit: cover;
}

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
    <title>Controlling flex growability</title>
    <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width,initial-scale=1">
    <style>

    </style>
</head>
<body>
    <section>
        <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/195" width="400" height="195" alt="Kitty"></a>
        <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/256/400" width="256" height="400" alt="Kitty"></a>
        <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/237" width="400" height="237" alt="Kitty"></a>
        <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/111" width="400" height="111" alt="Kitty"></a>
        <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/245" width="400" height="245" alt="Kitty"></a>
        <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/227" width="400" height="227" alt="Kitty"></a>
        <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/250/400" width="250" height="400" alt="Kitty"></a>
        <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/269" width="400" height="269" alt="Kitty"></a>
        <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/255" width="400" height="255" alt="Kitty"></a>
        <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/288/400" width="288" height="400" alt="Kitty"></a>
        <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/234/400" width="234" height="400" alt="Kitty"></a>
        <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/194/400" width="194" height="400" alt="Kitty"></a>
        <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/222/400" width="222" height="400" alt="Kitty"></a>
        <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/227" width="400" height="227" alt="Kitty"></a>
        <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/192/400" width="192" height="400" alt="Kitty"></a>
        <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/141" width="400" height="141" alt="Kitty"></a>
        <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/289" width="400" height="289" alt="Kitty"></a>
        <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/255" width="400" height="255" alt="Kitty"></a>
        <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/210/400" width="210" height="400" alt="Kitty"></a>
        <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/187" width="400" height="187" alt="Kitty"></a>
    </section>
</body>
</html>

The solution works, but depending on the size of the window, some pictures are enlarged way too much, I would prefer more elements per row, even if the items needs to be shrinked more.

This means that instead of:

I would prefer a higher density of items so that images never gets enlarged:

I looked for solutions to increase globally the number of elements per row so that images does not get enlarged (or at least not too much: for example: 10% max).

The two hackish solutions I have found so far are:

Solution 1

Using the zoom property:

section {
  display: flex;
  flex-flow: row wrap;
  justify-content: center;
  zoom: 50%;
}
section a {
  flex: auto;
}
section img {
  height: 100%;
  width: 100%;
  object-fit: cover;
}

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
    <title>Controlling flex growability</title>
    <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width,initial-scale=1">
    <style>

    </style>
</head>
<body>
    <section>
        <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/195" width="400" height="195" alt="Kitty"></a>
        <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/256/400" width="256" height="400" alt="Kitty"></a>
        <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/237" width="400" height="237" alt="Kitty"></a>
        <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/111" width="400" height="111" alt="Kitty"></a>
        <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/245" width="400" height="245" alt="Kitty"></a>
        <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/227" width="400" height="227" alt="Kitty"></a>
        <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/250/400" width="250" height="400" alt="Kitty"></a>
        <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/269" width="400" height="269" alt="Kitty"></a>
        <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/255" width="400" height="255" alt="Kitty"></a>
        <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/288/400" width="288" height="400" alt="Kitty"></a>
        <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/234/400" width="234" height="400" alt="Kitty"></a>
        <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/194/400" width="194" height="400" alt="Kitty"></a>
        <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/222/400" width="222" height="400" alt="Kitty"></a>
        <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/227" width="400" height="227" alt="Kitty"></a>
        <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/192/400" width="192" height="400" alt="Kitty"></a>
        <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/141" width="400" height="141" alt="Kitty"></a>
        <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/289" width="400" height="289" alt="Kitty"></a>
        <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/255" width="400" height="255" alt="Kitty"></a>
        <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/210/400" width="210" height="400" alt="Kitty"></a>
        <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/187" width="400" height="187" alt="Kitty"></a>
    </section>
</body>
</html>

But that property works great in Chrome, not in Firefox.

Solution 2

Emulating the zoom property with width/height and transform: scale:

section {
  display: flex;
  flex-flow: row wrap;
  justify-content: center;
  width: 200% !important;
  height: 200% !important;
  transform-origin: 0 0;
  transform: scale(0.5);
  float: left;
  margin-right: -100000px;
  margin-bottom: -100000px;
}
section a {
  flex: auto;
}
section img {
  height: 100%;
  width: 100%;
  object-fit: cover;
}

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
    <title>Controlling flex growability</title>
    <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width,initial-scale=1">
    <style>

    </style>
</head>
<body>
    <section>
        <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/195" width="400" height="195" alt="Kitty"></a>
        <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/256/400" width="256" height="400" alt="Kitty"></a>
        <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/237" width="400" height="237" alt="Kitty"></a>
        <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/111" width="400" height="111" alt="Kitty"></a>
        <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/245" width="400" height="245" alt="Kitty"></a>
        <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/227" width="400" height="227" alt="Kitty"></a>
        <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/250/400" width="250" height="400" alt="Kitty"></a>
        <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/269" width="400" height="269" alt="Kitty"></a>
        <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/255" width="400" height="255" alt="Kitty"></a>
        <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/288/400" width="288" height="400" alt="Kitty"></a>
        <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/234/400" width="234" height="400" alt="Kitty"></a>
        <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/194/400" width="194" height="400" alt="Kitty"></a>
        <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/222/400" width="222" height="400" alt="Kitty"></a>
        <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/227" width="400" height="227" alt="Kitty"></a>
        <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/192/400" width="192" height="400" alt="Kitty"></a>
        <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/141" width="400" height="141" alt="Kitty"></a>
        <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/289" width="400" height="289" alt="Kitty"></a>
        <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/255" width="400" height="255" alt="Kitty"></a>
        <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/210/400" width="210" height="400" alt="Kitty"></a>
        <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/187" width="400" height="187" alt="Kitty"></a>
    </section>
</body>
</html>

That solution worked so far, but requires a few hacks, and is far from being elegant and now will have impacts with the other elements of the page.

Is there any other solution, more flexgrid-oriented that permits that kind of control? I have tried using flex-grow: 0: it, indeed, disables growing items, but then there are blanks around images everywhere.

Aleksandr Belugin · Accepted Answer · 2020-02-14T10:08:50.350

I modify your starting attempt.

Main idea is to change img width: 100%; to width: auto; and specify links' height. This will give us images with gaps.

To remove the gaps we could add to links display: flex; and flex-direction: column;. Almost done.

Last step is to add to links max-width: 100%;, it will protect from ovelflow if image width will be wider than column in small screen. ~~Such problem we could see in Temani Afif's first solution with 4th image, if we put higher height of links.~~ Edited

Look into snippet.

section {
  display: flex;
  flex-flow: row wrap;
  justify-content: center;
}

section a {
  flex: auto;
  display: flex;
  flex-direction: column;
  height: 166px;
  max-width: 100%;
}

section img {
  height: 100%;
  width: auto;
  object-fit: cover;
}

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">

<head>
  <title>Controlling flex growability</title>
  <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width,initial-scale=1">
  <style>

  </style>
</head>

<body>
  <section>
    <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/195" width="400" height="195" alt="Kitty"></a>
    <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/256/400" width="256" height="400" alt="Kitty"></a>
    <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/237" width="400" height="237" alt="Kitty"></a>
    <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/111" width="400" height="111" alt="Kitty"></a>
    <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/245" width="400" height="245" alt="Kitty"></a>
    <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/227" width="400" height="227" alt="Kitty"></a>
    <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/250/400" width="250" height="400" alt="Kitty"></a>
    <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/269" width="400" height="269" alt="Kitty"></a>
    <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/255" width="400" height="255" alt="Kitty"></a>
    <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/288/400" width="288" height="400" alt="Kitty"></a>
    <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/234/400" width="234" height="400" alt="Kitty"></a>
    <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/194/400" width="194" height="400" alt="Kitty"></a>
    <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/222/400" width="222" height="400" alt="Kitty"></a>
    <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/227" width="400" height="227" alt="Kitty"></a>
    <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/192/400" width="192" height="400" alt="Kitty"></a>
    <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/141" width="400" height="141" alt="Kitty"></a>
    <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/289" width="400" height="289" alt="Kitty"></a>
    <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/255" width="400" height="255" alt="Kitty"></a>
    <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/210/400" width="210" height="400" alt="Kitty"></a>
    <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/187" width="400" height="187" alt="Kitty"></a>
  </section>
</body>

</html>

This is the best answer so far. It doesn't give the same result than using `zoom` as it fixes all rows to have the exact same height, by doing so: it prevents the natural flex algorithm to "adapt" to something "as optimal as possible". As far as I understand, it's not yet possible to achieve what I want in a compatible and non hacky way. — Patrick Allaert, Mar 02 '20 at 16:02

Temani Afif · Answer 2 · 2020-02-13T23:36:22.973

Here is an idea where you can consider height to control the size of the rows and the main trick is to rely on min-width:100% for your images in order to fill the space.

Basically, the a will define the height, the image will follow that height and will compute an auto width to keep the ratio. The width of the image will define the width of the link and then the link will grow to fill the space (creating space inside it). Finally, the min-width:100% you will make the image fill the space created inside the link.

section {
  display: flex;
  flex-flow: row wrap;
  justify-content: center;
}

section a {
  flex: auto;
  height: 100px;
}

section img {
  height: 100%;
  width: auto; /* we need auto to keep the ratio based on the height */
  min-width: 100%; /* we expand the image to fill the gaps */
  max-width:100%;
  object-fit: cover;
}

<section>
  <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/195" width="400" height="195" alt="Kitty"></a>
  <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/256/400" width="256" height="400" alt="Kitty"></a>
  <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/237" width="400" height="237" alt="Kitty"></a>
  <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/111" width="400" height="111" alt="Kitty"></a>
  <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/245" width="400" height="245" alt="Kitty"></a>
  <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/227" width="400" height="227" alt="Kitty"></a>
  <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/250/400" width="250" height="400" alt="Kitty"></a>
  <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/269" width="400" height="269" alt="Kitty"></a>
  <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/255" width="400" height="255" alt="Kitty"></a>
  <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/288/400" width="288" height="400" alt="Kitty"></a>
  <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/234/400" width="234" height="400" alt="Kitty"></a>
  <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/194/400" width="194" height="400" alt="Kitty"></a>
  <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/222/400" width="222" height="400" alt="Kitty"></a>
  <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/227" width="400" height="227" alt="Kitty"></a>
  <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/192/400" width="192" height="400" alt="Kitty"></a>
  <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/141" width="400" height="141" alt="Kitty"></a>
  <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/289" width="400" height="289" alt="Kitty"></a>
  <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/255" width="400" height="255" alt="Kitty"></a>
  <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/210/400" width="210" height="400" alt="Kitty"></a>
  <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/187" width="400" height="187" alt="Kitty"></a>
  <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/255" width="400" height="255" alt="Kitty"></a>
  <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/288/400" width="288" height="400" alt="Kitty"></a>
  <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/234/400" width="234" height="400" alt="Kitty"></a>
  <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/194/400" width="194" height="400" alt="Kitty"></a>
  <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/222/400" width="222" height="400" alt="Kitty"></a>
  <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/227" width="400" height="227" alt="Kitty"></a>
  <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/192/400" width="192" height="400" alt="Kitty"></a>
  <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/141" width="400" height="141" alt="Kitty"></a>
  <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/289" width="400" height="289" alt="Kitty"></a>
  <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/255" width="400" height="255" alt="Kitty"></a>
  <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/210/400" width="210" height="400" alt="Kitty"></a>
  <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/187" width="400" height="187" alt="Kitty"></a>
</section>

If you consider vw unit for the height you will have a static grid that will scale while keeping the same overal structure:

section {
  display: flex;
  flex-flow: row wrap;
  justify-content: center;
}

section a {
  flex: auto;
  height: 8vw;
}

section img {
  height: 100%;
  width: auto;
  min-width: 100%;  
  max-width:100%;
  object-fit: cover;
}

<section>
  <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/195" width="400" height="195" alt="Kitty"></a>
  <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/256/400" width="256" height="400" alt="Kitty"></a>
  <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/237" width="400" height="237" alt="Kitty"></a>
  <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/111" width="400" height="111" alt="Kitty"></a>
  <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/245" width="400" height="245" alt="Kitty"></a>
  <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/227" width="400" height="227" alt="Kitty"></a>
  <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/250/400" width="250" height="400" alt="Kitty"></a>
  <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/269" width="400" height="269" alt="Kitty"></a>
  <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/255" width="400" height="255" alt="Kitty"></a>
  <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/288/400" width="288" height="400" alt="Kitty"></a>
  <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/234/400" width="234" height="400" alt="Kitty"></a>
  <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/194/400" width="194" height="400" alt="Kitty"></a>
  <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/222/400" width="222" height="400" alt="Kitty"></a>
  <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/227" width="400" height="227" alt="Kitty"></a>
  <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/192/400" width="192" height="400" alt="Kitty"></a>
  <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/141" width="400" height="141" alt="Kitty"></a>
  <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/289" width="400" height="289" alt="Kitty"></a>
  <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/255" width="400" height="255" alt="Kitty"></a>
  <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/210/400" width="210" height="400" alt="Kitty"></a>
  <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/187" width="400" height="187" alt="Kitty"></a>
  <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/255" width="400" height="255" alt="Kitty"></a>
  <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/288/400" width="288" height="400" alt="Kitty"></a>
  <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/234/400" width="234" height="400" alt="Kitty"></a>
  <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/194/400" width="194" height="400" alt="Kitty"></a>
  <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/222/400" width="222" height="400" alt="Kitty"></a>
  <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/227" width="400" height="227" alt="Kitty"></a>
  <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/192/400" width="192" height="400" alt="Kitty"></a>
  <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/141" width="400" height="141" alt="Kitty"></a>
  <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/289" width="400" height="289" alt="Kitty"></a>
  <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/255" width="400" height="255" alt="Kitty"></a>
  <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/210/400" width="210" height="400" alt="Kitty"></a>
  <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/187" width="400" height="187" alt="Kitty"></a>
</section>

score -1 · Answer 3 · answered Feb 01 '20 at 15:30

one way you can solve it is by adding line-height: 0 to the a and setting the height value with px value.

section {
  display: flex;
  flex-flow: row wrap;
  justify-content: center;
}
section a {
  flex: auto;
  line-height: 0;
}
section img {
  height: 300px;
  width: 100%;
  object-fit: cover;
}

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
    <title>Controlling flex growability</title>
    <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width,initial-scale=1">
    <style>

    </style>
</head>
<body>
    <section>
        <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/195" width="400" height="195" alt="Kitty"></a>
        <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/256/400" width="256" height="400" alt="Kitty"></a>
        <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/237" width="400" height="237" alt="Kitty"></a>
        <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/111" width="400" height="111" alt="Kitty"></a>
        <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/245" width="400" height="245" alt="Kitty"></a>
        <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/227" width="400" height="227" alt="Kitty"></a>
        <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/250/400" width="250" height="400" alt="Kitty"></a>
        <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/269" width="400" height="269" alt="Kitty"></a>
        <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/400/255" width="400" height="255" alt="Kitty"></a>
        <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/288/400" width="288" height="400" alt="Kitty"></a>
        <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/234/400" width="234" height="400" alt="Kitty"></a>
        <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/194/400" width="194" height="400" alt="Kitty"></a>
        <a href="#"><img src="https://placekitten.com/222/400" width="222" height="400" alt="Kitty"></a>
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This changes the height of every rows, it doesn't permit more items per row as with the zoom effect or the equivalent hack. — Patrick Allaert, Feb 03 '20 at 11:20

Prefer shrinking over growing in a flex container with flex-flow: row wrap

Solution 1

Solution 2

3 Answers3

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