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This template is used on approximately 216,000 pages.
To avoid major disruption and server load, any changes should be tested in the template's /sandbox or /testcases subpages, or in your own user subpage. The tested changes can be added to this page in a single edit. Consider discussing changes on the talk page before implementing them.

This template creates a table rather than actual columns. This means that it may displays poorly on mobile devices or narrow screens and is sub-optimal in terms of accessibility. Approximately half of the readers of English Wikipedia articles are using mobile devices and may have trouble reading the content that is wrapped in this template. Please consider using one of the CSS-based column templates (listed at the end of this page) instead, or not using columns at all if there is any trouble affects page layout.

Shortcut

((C-s))

The ((col-begin)), ((col-break)) and ((col-end)) templates control columns of text on a page:

((col-begin)): starts a table (followed by ((col-break)) for 1st column)
((col-break)): triggers the start of each column
((col-end)): ends the multi-column table.

The widths of columns can be specified by using various additional codes. See below for examples.

Usage

((col-begin|width=70%)): start table with specific width.
((col-break|width=66%)): start column-1 as 66% wide.
This is text in column-1.
((col-break|width=33%)): start column-2 as 33% wide.
This is text in column-2.
((col-end))

The table will have two columns, with column 1 twice (2×) the width of column 2.

A border of 2px (1px width on each side) corresponds to a 5%. Therefore, with a 2px border, the width needs to be 95% for the table to fit within the screen. Since it's possible that some tables might not have a border, correction on the individual page could be made after substitution. Another way to create a two column table is like this:

((col-begin|width=95%))
|-
| 
Left column
|
Right column
|}

((Col-begin))
((Col-2))
Column 1 here
((Col-2))
Column 2 here
((Col-end))

((Col-begin))
((Col-3))
Column 1 here
((Col-3))
Column 2 here
((Col-3))
Column 3 here
((Col-end))

and so on, up to ((Col-5))

((Col-begin))
((Col-break))
Column 1 here
((Col-break))
Column 2 here
((Col-break))
Column 3 here
((Col-break))
Column 4 here
((Col-break))
Column 5 here
((Col-break))
Column 6 here
((Col-end))

Examples

Here are some example codes that you can use to make columns of text in your Wikipedia article. You can change the width of your columns by changing the code words that go between the text of your columns. Good luck!

Example 1, using col-break

((col-begin))
((col-break))
{| class="wikitable" style="width:18em"
|+ Production by year
|-
! 1980
| 50,000
|-
! 1990
| 75,000
|-
! 2000
| 90,000
|}
((col-break))
{| class="wikitable" style="width:18em"
|+ Profit by year
|-
! 1980
| $6,000
|-
! 1990
| $7,500
|-
! 2000
| $8,200
|}
((col-end))

gives:

Production by year
1980	50,000
1990	75,000
2000	90,000

Profit by year
1980	$6,000
1990	$7,500
2000	$8,200

Example 2, using col-2

((col-begin))
((col-2))
{| class="wikitable" style="width:18em"
|+ Production by year
|-
! 1980
| 50,000
|-
! 1990
| 75,000
|-
! 2000
| 90,000
|}
((col-2))
{| class="wikitable" style="width:18em"
|+ Profit by year
|-
! 1980
| $6,000
|-
! 1990
| $7,500
|-
! 2000
| $8,200
|}
((col-end))

gives:

Production by year
1980	50,000
1990	75,000
2000	90,000

Profit by year
1980	$6,000
1990	$7,500
2000	$8,200

Example 3, use col-break with specified widths

((col-begin))
((col-break|width=80%))
{| class="wikitable" style="width:18em"
|+ Production by year
|-
! 1980
| 50,000
|-
! 1990
| 75,000
|-
! 2000
| 90,000
|}
((col-break|width=20%))
{| class="wikitable" style="width:18em"
|+ Profit by year
|-
! 1980
| $6,000
|-
! 1990
| $7,500
|-
! 2000
| $8,200
|}
((col-end))

gives:

Production by year
1980	50,000
1990	75,000
2000	90,000

Profit by year
1980	$6,000
1990	$7,500
2000	$8,200

Example 4, use col-break with auto outer width

((col-begin|width=auto))
((col-break))
{| class="wikitable" style="width:18em"
|+ Production by year
|-
! 1980
| 50,000
|-
! 1990
| 75,000
|-
! 2000
| 90,000
|}
((col-break|gap=2em))
{| class="wikitable" style="width:18em"
|+ Profit by year
|-
! 1980
| $6,000
|-
! 1990
| $7,500
|-
! 2000
| $8,200
|}
((col-end))

Production by year
1980	50,000
1990	75,000
2000	90,000

Profit by year
1980	$6,000
1990	$7,500
2000	$8,200

Example 5, Lots of columns, using col-break

Production by year
1980	50,000
1990	75,000
2000	90,000

Profit by year
1980	$6,000
1990	$7,500
2000	$8,200

Revenue by product
Widgets	$25,000
Foos	$65,500
Bars	$28,000

Column templates
Type	Family	Handles wiki table code?^†	Responsive/ Mobile suited	Start template	Column divider	End template
Float	"col-float"	Yes	Yes	((col-float))	((col-float-break))	((col-float-end))
"columns-start"	Yes	Yes	((columns-start))	((column))	((columns-end))
Columns	"div col"	Yes	Yes	((div col))	–	((div col end))
"columns-list"	No	Yes	((columns-list)) (wraps div col)	–	–
Flexbox	"flex columns"	No	Yes	((flex columns))	–	–
Table	"col"	Yes	No	((col-begin)), ((col-begin-fixed)) or ((col-begin-small))	((col-break)) or ((col-2)) .. ((col-5))	((col-end))

TemplateData

This is the TemplateData for this template used by TemplateWizard, VisualEditor and other tools. See a monthly parameter usage report for Template:Col-begin in articles based on its TemplateData.

TemplateData for Col-begin

This template starts a multi-column table.

Template parameters[Edit template data]
Parameter		Description	Type	Status
Table width	`width`	The width of the complete table, defined as a percent (i.e. 50%), typically no more than 95%	String	optional

The above documentation is transcluded from Template:Col-begin/doc.
Editors can experiment in this template's sandbox and testcases pages.
Add categories to the /doc subpage. Subpages of this template.

Usage

Examples

See also

Column-generating template families

TemplateData