Stretch child div height to fill parent that has dynamic height

113
votes

As it can be seen in the following fiddle, I have two divs, contained in a parent div that have stretched to contain the big div, my goal is to make those child divs equal in height.

http://fiddle.jshell.net/y9bM4/

5
csshtml
check those questions: stackoverflow.com/questions/3049783/…, stackoverflow.com/questions/1575141/…, stackoverflow.com/questions/13609531/make-an-div-100-height-css - e382df99a7950919789725ceeec126
@MikeHometchko there are many on CSS but not on CSS3. I think so. - Mr_Green
@Mr_Green the differences at a fundamental level between "CSS" and CSS3 are trivial so I don't see the issue. This is a very common issue that has been asked and answered to death. - Mike H.
@MikeHometchko check my solution. I am sure no one has answered the same before. - Mr_Green

5 Answers

63
votes

Use display: flex to stretch your divs:

div#container {
    padding:20px;
    background:#F1F1F1;
    display: flex;
}

.content {
    width:150px;
    background:#ddd;
    padding:10px;
    margin-left: 10px;
}

JSFIDDLE

51
votes

The solution is to use display: table-cell to bring those elements inline instead of using display: inline-block or float: left.

div#container {
  padding: 20px;
  background: #F1F1F1
}
.content {
  width: 150px;
  background: #ddd;
  padding: 10px;
  display: table-cell;
  vertical-align: top;
}
.text {
  font-family: 12px Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;
  color: #555;
}
<div id="container">
  <div class="content">
    <h1>Title 1</h1>

    <div class="text">Sample Text. Sample Text. Sample Text. Sample Text. Sample Text. Sample Text. Sample Text. Sample Text. Sample Text.
      <br>Sample Text. Sample Text. Sample Text.
      <br>Sample Text.
      <br>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="content">
    <h1>Title 2</h1>

    <div class="text">Sample Text. Sample Text. Sample Text. Sample Text. Sample Text. Sample Text. Sample Text. Sample Text. Sample Text.</div>
  </div>
</div>

Working Fiddle

24
votes

Add the following CSS:

For the parent div:

style="display: flex;"

For child div:

style="align-items: stretch;"
5
votes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jV8B24rSN5o

I think you can use display as grid:

.parent { display: grid };
-6
votes

You can do it easily with a bit of jQuery

$(document).ready(function(){
  var parentHeight = $("#parentDiv").parent().height();
  $("#childDiv").height(parentHeight);
});