A Detailed Comparison between Fixed Width Layouts and Liquid Layouts for Web Design

Web design is the art of creating and designing websites from scratch. Now there are two types of layouts that are commonly used by web designers and developers in web designing. But as a web designer, how can you decide on which layout is the right one for your website? Here is a detailed look on both the layouts to help you choose the appropriate layout for your website the next time around.

What Fixed Width Layouts Are

Those layouts that begin with a particular width as chosen by the web designer are called fixed width layouts. The width of the layout does not change once it is set regardless of the size of the viewing page of the browser. The biggest advantage of choosing fixed width layouts is because the web designer has more control over the appearance of the page.

This means that it gives the designer more flexibility in making modifications on the page. Fixed width layouts are the first choice of those designers who want to make the minutest of changes in the layout of the web page.

What Liquid Layouts Are All About

Liquid layouts vary greatly in comparison to fixed width layouts. This particular type of layout works on a percentage of the browser’s size and viewing dimensions. Liquid layouts however, have their own advantages. For instance, liquid layouts are flexible and they can contract or expand automatically depending on the size of the browser in use. Another reason why liquid layouts are chosen by web designers is that they can adjust easily to different screen resolutions without any trouble. If you have to put in a huge amount of content into a small space, then you must opt for a liquid layout.

Why Choosing the Right Web Design Layout is Imperative

The effect of the web design layout chosen by the designer affects the website on a major extent therefore, opting for an appropriate layout is one of the basic primary steps that could uphold or ruin a website’s appearance. Web design layouts affect the visitor’s ability to scan the web content of your website directly. It also has an impact on how visitors can make use of your website. The marketing factor of your website through online branding and aesthetics also gets affected by the kind of web layout you use.

Pros and Cons of Fixed Width Layouts

Here are the three biggest advantages of selecting fixed width layouts.

• Creating identical web pages becomes easy.
• The image to text ratio remains balanced.
• The scan length of web content never gets affected.
• However, there are some demerits of selecting this kind of web layout too.
• Horizontal scrolling becomes a part and parcel of such a layout which is frankly, quite irritating.
• Unused spaces become apparent on big monitors.
• This kind of web layout becomes compromised when visitors try to increase the font size.

Upsides and Downsides of Liquid Layouts

Here are the upsides of liquid layouts.

• Liquid layouts are flexible.
• The layout can expand or contract according to the display size of the monitor.
• Font sizes of the text can be changes easily.

Here are the three downsides of liquid layouts.

• Negligible control can be exerted when such layout is in use.
• Scanning text becomes a problem sometimes.
• Fixed width elements like pictures have to be placed carefully to avoid overlapping text.

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