---
title: Layout
description: 'Layouts are common page composition patterns that offer ways of structuring components and content.'
layout: page
label: Core
---

Always design for small screens first.

For most types of pages, use either a ‘two-thirds’ or a ‘two-thirds and one-third’ layout. Doing this reduces long lines of text that can make a page hard to read on desktop devices. This approach should limit lines of text to 75 characters.

You should never assume what devices people are using. This is why you should design for different screen sizes instead of specific devices.

## Page layouts

There are 2 standard page layouts:

- Full width
- Two column - Right side

### Full width

Displays the main content area the full width of the container.

![Sample visual of full width layout](/assets/img/layout-full-width.png)

### Two column 

Displays a right hand sidebar that stacks on <991px breakpoints. The main content area is always visible.

![Sample visual of two column layout](/assets/img/layout-two-column.png)

## White Space

Use adequate white space in the layout to separate elements and create a sense of hierarchy. This helps to make elements on the page easier to distinguish and understand. And it creates visual harmony.

### Page Section Spacing

Spacing is used between the ‘above’, ‘body’ and ‘below’ content sections.

For both XS and S breakpoints, section spacing is added between the body section and sidebar section when in use.

![Sample visual of page section layout spacing](/assets/img/layout-page-spacing.png)

| Breakpoint  | Value | CSS Variable |
|-------------|-------|--------------|
| XS • <576px   | 32px  | rpl-sp-8     | 
| S • 576-767px | 32px  | rpl-sp-8     |
| M • 768-991px | 48px  | rpl-sp-10    |
| L • 992-1199px | 64px  | rpl-sp-12    |
| XL • 1200px+ | 80px  | rpl-sp-13    |

### Content Layout Spacing

We define spacing between components and elements at a breakpoint level. This compliments the grid and applied layout.

![Sample visual of content layout spacing](/assets/img/layout-content-spacing.png)

| Breakpoint  | Value | CSS Variable | Sidebar Value | Sidebar CSS Variable |
|-------------|-------|-------------|-------|--------------|
| XS • <576px   | 16px  | rpl-sp-4     | 24px | rpl-sp-6 |
| S • 576-767px | 16px  | rpl-sp-4     | 24px | rpl-sp-6 |
| M • 768-991px | 24px  | rpl-sp-6    | 24px | rpl-sp-6 |
| L • 992-1199px | 32px  | rpl-sp-8    | 32px | rpl-sp-8 |
| XL • 1200px+ | 40px  | rpl-sp-9    | 40px | rpl-sp-9 |
