# ui_layout
[](https://crates.io/crates/ui_layout)
[](https://docs.rs/ui_layout)
A unified layout engine for Rust GUI development that treats Flexbox as a specialized form of Inline Block Flow layout.
This crate provides predictable layout system designed for
custom GUI frameworks, editors, and experimental UI engines.
> [!NOTE]
> This crate is under active development; patch releases may be frequent.
## Features
### Flexbox Support
- Flex layout (Row / Column direction, including `RowReverse` / `ColumnReverse`)
- `flex_grow` with proportional space distribution
- `flex_shrink` with proportional space reduction when overflowing
- `flex_basis` for initial sizing (supports `auto`, pixel values, and percentages)
- `justify_content` (Start, Center, End, SpaceBetween, SpaceAround, SpaceEvenly)
- `align_items` with full `stretch` support (Start, Center, End, Stretch)
- `align_self` for individual item alignment override
- Row and column gaps (`row_gap` / `column_gap`)
- Margin collapsing for block-level elements
### Block, Inline & Flow Root
- Block layout with full CSS Box Model support (margin, padding, border, `box-sizing`)
- Inline layout with multi-line wrapping
- `display: flow-root` and `display: inline-block` — establishes a new Block Formatting Context (margin collapsing isolation)
- `BoxSizing`: ContentBox and BorderBox
### Extensibility
- `FlowLayouter` trait for custom inline flow layout delegation
- `BlockLayouter` trait for custom block layout delegation (behind `feature = "unstable"`)
### Values & Units
- `Length` types: `Px`, `Percent`, `Vw`, `Vh`
- `calc()`-style expressions: `Add`, `Sub`, `Mul`, `Div`, `Min`, `Max`, `Clamp`
- `LengthOrAuto` for properties that support `auto` sizing
- Min/max sizing (`min_width`, `max_width`, `min_height`, `max_height`)
- `line_height` support
## Non-goals
- Full CSS compatibility
- Absolute / fixed positioning
- Web rendering or HTML/CSS parsing
## Design goals
- Simple and explicit layout rules
- Easy to reason about and debug
- Suitable for custom renderers (wgpu, skia, etc.)
- No dependency on web standards or DOM
## Example
```rust
use ui_layout::*;
// Create a flex container
let mut root = LayoutNode::with_children(
Style {
display: Display::parse("flex").unwrap(),
size: SizeStyle {
width: LengthOrAuto::Length(Length::Px(300.0)),
height: LengthOrAuto::Length(Length::Px(200.0)),
..Default::default()
},
justify_content: JustifyContent::SpaceBetween,
align_items: AlignItems::Center,
flex_direction: FlexDirection::Row,
column_gap: LengthOrAuto::Length(Length::Px(20.0)),
..Default::default()
},
[
LayoutNode::new(Style {
item_style: ItemStyle {
flex_grow: 1.0,
flex_basis: LengthOrAuto::Auto,
..Default::default()
},
..Default::default()
}),
LayoutNode::new(Style {
item_style: ItemStyle {
flex_basis: LengthOrAuto::Length(Length::Px(100.0)),
flex_shrink: 0.0,
..Default::default()
},
..Default::default()
}),
],
);
// Layout with viewport size
LayoutEngine::layout(&mut root, 800.0, 600.0);
// Access results
match &root.layout_box {
LayoutBox::BlockBox(box_model) => {
println!("Container: {}x{}", box_model.border_box.width, box_model.border_box.height);
},
_ => {}
}
```
For more examples and to understand the behavior of gaps, alignment, and sizing,
see the unit tests in the [`tests/`](tests/) directory. They provide practical usage patterns and expected layouts.
## Specification Compliance
This implementation follows CSS3 specifications with current focus on:
- ✅ **CSS Box Model Module Level 3**: Margin collapsing, padding, border, box-sizing support
- ✅ **CSS Flexible Box Layout Module Level 1**: Core flexbox algorithm including flex-grow, flex-shrink, flex-basis (flex-wrap not yet implemented)
- ✅ **CSS Display Module Level 3**: Block, Inline, Flex, FlowRoot, InlineBlock, and None display values
- ✅ **CSS Values and Units Module Level 3**: px, %, vw, vh, auto, and calc() support
## Status
See [CHANGELOG.md](CHANGELOG.md) for a detailed list of changes.
- Version: **0.12.1**
- API is evolving but now includes full Flexbox-like alignment, gaps, inline layout, and extensibility via traits
Future versions may add:
- `grid`
- Flex wrap support (`flex-wrap: wrap | nowrap | wrap-reverse`)
- Additional flex sizing rules (fr units, etc.)
- Absolute / fixed positioning
- Correct flex-basis priority over width/height in flex item sizing
## License
MIT