gridbyexample.com

One-line introduction

gridbyexample.com is a free learning resource created by well-known CSS expert Rachel Andrew, focused on teaching CSS Grid layout. It does not sell courses or memberships; instead, it centers on a large collection of interactive code examples and visual diagrams to help developers learn modern grid layout from scratch. The reason it is widely recommended by developers around the world is that it breaks down complex concepts into an intuitive “look at examples + edit the code” learning model — completely free, ad-free, and with no registration required.

Business overview

gridbyexample.com is essentially a personal project maintained by Rachel Andrew, a pioneering web developer from the UK. She has long been involved in CSS Working Group specification work and is also the author of CSS Grid Layout, giving her strong authority in the field of grid layout. The site’s content is mainly divided into three parts: visual explanations of core concepts, complete layout examples, and video tutorials, some of which are hosted on YouTube. It has no commercial team and no paid services; its purpose is purely knowledge sharing. In terms of industry standing, it has been cited multiple times by MDN and official W3C documentation, making it a “must-read” introductory site for front-end developers learning CSS Grid. Its users range from self-taught beginners to senior front-end engineers, and many companies even use it as internal training material.

Who it’s for

Individual developers: Beginners who are new to CSS Grid and want to quickly understand core concepts such as the fr unit and grid-template-areas through visual examples. Front-end teams: Teams that need to standardize their layout technology stack can use the site as a shared reference. Educators: Its code snippets can be used for teaching, and the site has no restrictive copyright barriers. Not suitable for: Learners who need a structured video course or project-driven practice, since the site is mainly built around short examples and lacks full project walkthroughs.

Key features and highlights

• Free access with zero barriers: No registration, payment, or download required. Open the site and start learning; all code can be copied and run directly.
• Diagram-based teaching: Each concept comes with real-time visual grids using colored blocks, offering fast visual feedback that suits visual learners.
• Embedded code sandboxes: Examples can be edited directly in the browser, with layout changes shown in real time — no local environment setup needed.
• Complete layout template library: Provides full code for 20+ common page layouts, such as holy grail layouts and masonry-style layouts, which can be reused directly.
• Video-based supplementary lessons: Short explanatory videos recorded by Rachel Andrew herself, in English, complement the written explanations and suit different learning styles.
• No ad distractions: The page design is extremely minimal, with no pop-ups or promotional links, keeping the focus on the content itself.

Pricing analysis

Completely free, with no hidden costs. This is the resource’s strongest competitive advantage. Similar tutorials, such as the CSS-Tricks Grid guide, are also free but more text-oriented, while paid courses such as Udemy’s “Complete Guide to CSS Grid” typically cost 10-30 USD. gridbyexample.com is not inferior to paid courses in quality, and in some ways is even stronger thanks to its authority. The only “cost” is having your own browser and internet connection — no credit card required. For budget-conscious individual developers or students, it is a zero-risk entry point for learning.

How users in China can use it

Network accessibility: Direct access from mainland China is smooth, with no need for any VPN or proxy tools. Pages load quickly because they are static, and the code sandboxes are based on native JavaScript with no external CDN dependency. Payment methods: No payment is involved, so there is nothing to worry about here. VPN required?: No. Embedded YouTube videos may not play, but the text and code examples are fully usable. Domestic alternatives: Ruan Yifeng’s “CSS Grid 网格布局教程” in Chinese, though relatively basic, and free video tutorials on Bilibili such as “CSS Grid 布局从入门到精通”. However, these are not as authoritative or systematic as this site. Invoices: There is no commercial service, so invoices are not available.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• ✅ Completely free and ad-free, with zero learning cost
• ✅ Created by a CSS specification contributor, making the content authoritative and reliable
• ✅ Diagrams plus interactive code make learning efficient
• ✅ No registration or download required; ready to use immediately
• ✅ Layout templates can be used directly in production projects

Cons:

• ❌ All content is in English, with no official Chinese translation, though the code is universal
• ❌ Video tutorials require access to YouTube and cannot be watched directly in mainland China
• ❌ Lacks a structured course path; better for filling knowledge gaps than for a fully guided beginner course
• ❌ No community discussion or Q&A feature, so users must search elsewhere when they run into problems
• ❌ Examples are relatively basic and do not cover complex animations or deep responsive optimization

Comparison with similar products

CSS-Tricks’ “Complete Guide to Grid”: Also free and authoritative, but it is closer to a reference manual than a teaching resource, and its examples are less interactive. gridbyexample.com is better suited for absolute beginners. Scrimba’s “CSS Grid Free Course”: Offers interactive videos, but requires registration and some content is paid. gridbyexample.com has no registration barrier at all. MDN’s CSS Grid documentation: The most authoritative, but more like a technical specification with a steeper learning curve. gridbyexample.com lowers the barrier to understanding through a more intuitive visual approach.

Final recommendation

Best for: Quickly getting started with CSS Grid, finding reusable layout templates, and individual developers with a zero budget. Not ideal for: Users who need a structured course, Chinese-language video teaching, or company-reimbursable training invoices. Recommendation: Visit the site directly and start with the “basic concepts” section, reading the code while modifying it in the browser. If reading English is difficult, use it together with a browser translation plugin. Since it is completely free and has no restrictions, there is no reason not to try it first — the only thing you need to invest is 30 minutes of your time.