Create Horizontal Scroll Snap Using HTML and CSS


To create a horizontal scroll snap, we will make use of the scroll−snap−type to produce the snap effect. The properties scroll−snap−type and scroll−snap−align specify the sort of snap behavior we want to employ and the alignment of the snap points, respectively.

The scroll−snap−type property's value of "x mandatory" indicates that we want to snap horizontally, and the scroll−snap−align property's value of "start" indicates that we want the snap marks to line up with the beginning of each section.

This can be implemented using JavaScript libraries such as ScrollSnap that provide more advanced features and customization for the same.

Another option would be CSS frameworks such as Bootstrap provide built−in components for horizontal scroll snap and CSS grid or flexbox layouts to create horizontal sections that automatically snap each other.

Algorithm

  • Define a container element to hold the sections that can be scrolled horizontally

  • Set the width of the container to 100% of its parent element's width and the height to 100% of the viewport height

  • Enable horizontal scrolling when the content overflows the container using the CSS overflow−x property

  • Enable mandatory horizontal scroll snapping using the CSS scroll−snap−type property

  • Define a section class for each section that will be scrolled horizontally

  • Set the width of each section to 100% of its parent element's width and the height to 100% of the viewport height

  • Display each section as an inline block element to allow horizontal placement using the CSS display property

  • Set the snap alignment of each section to the start of the container using the CSS scroll−snap−align property

Example

  <!DOCTYPE html>
  <html lang="en">
  <head>
    <meta charset="UTF-8">
    <meta http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" content="IE=edge">
    <title>Horizontal Scroll Snap</title>

    <!---------------------- CSS ---------------------------->
    <style>

      /* Set the width of the container element to 100% of its parent element's width,
      and the height to 100% of the viewport height */
        .container {
          width: 100%;
          height: 100vh;
          /* Enable horizontal scrolling when the content overflows the container */
          overflow-x: scroll;
          /* Enable mandatory horizontal scroll snapping */
          scroll-snap-type: x mandatory;
        }

        /* Set the width of each section to 100% of its parent element's width,
          and the height to 100% of the viewport height */
        .section {
          width: 100%;
          height: 100vh;
          /* Display each section as an inline block element to allow horizontal placement */
          display: inline-block;
          /* Set the snap alignment of each section to the start of the container */
          scroll-snap-align: start;
        }

    </style>

  </head>
  <body>
    <!-- The container element will contain the sections that can be scrolled horizontally -->
    <div class="container">
      <!-- Each section is wrapped inside an <h1> tag -->
      <h1><div class="section">Section 1</div></h1>
      <h1><div class="section">Section 2</div></h1>
      <h1><div class="section">Section 3</div></h1>
      <h1><div class="section">Section 4</div></h1>
    </div>
    
  </body>
  </html>

While creating this, it is important to ensure compatibility across different browsers and devices. CSS properties such as scroll−snap−type, scroll−snap−align, and scroll−behavior should be utilized to control scroll snap behavior. The HTML structure should be set up with a container element and fixed−width items. Snap points should be determined, and smooth scrolling should be enabled using scroll−behavior.Appropriate ARIA attributes and keyboard navigation options should be provided. By keeping these notes and constraints in mind, developers can create a functional and user−friendly horizontal scroll snap.

Conclusion

The horizontal scroll snap, allows users to easily navigate through horizontal sections of a web page. It can be used for various purposes such as image sliders, portfolios, product carousels, etc.

Updated on: 18-Aug-2023

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