I'm having a really hard time understanding what's the difference? From my research it seems like justify-content can do... space-between and space-around, while align-items can do... stretch, baseline, initial and inherit?

Also looks like both properties share, flex-start, flex-end and center.

Is there and dis/advantages to using one over the other or is it just preference? I feel like they are way to similar to just do the same thing anyone know the difference? thanks!!

1 Answer

Both set the alignment of the content.

1. justify-content: along primary axis

(set horizontal alignment/spacing if flex-direction is row or vertical alignment/spacing if flex-direction is column)

For instance, if flex-direction is row (default):

flex-start; Align children horizontally left

flex-end; Align children horizontally right

center; Align children horizontally centered (amaze!)

space-between; Distribute children horizontally evenly across entire width

space-around; Distribute children horizontally evenly across entire width (but with space on the edges

2. align-items: along secondary axis

(set vertical alignment if flex-direction is row or horizontal alignment if flex-direction is column)

For instance, if flex-direction is row (default):

flex-start; Align children vertically top

flex-end; Align children vertically bottom

center; Align children vertically centered (amaze!)

baseline; Aligned children vertically so their baselines align (doesn't really work)

stretch; Force children to be height of container (great for columns)

See it in action:

In my opinion:

These should have been named:

flex-x: alignment/spacing in primary axis

flex-y: alignment in secondary axis

But with HTML you can never have nice things. Never.