How to make a column span full width when a second column is not there? (CSS Grid)

Question

I know there are similar questions but this is specifically asking how to do this using CSS Grid Layout.

So we have this basic grid setup:

HTML (with

Answer 1

I think I know the definitive answer to this question now. The problem with the answers so far is that they don't explain how to handle a sidebar that is on the left side of the main content (mainly because I didn't ask for it in the original question).

  

    
navigation
  

  

    
content
  

  

    
sidebar
  

You can use this CSS:

.grid {
  display: grid;
  grid-template-columns: fit-content(200px) 1fr fit-content(200px);
}

nav, aside {
  width: 100%;
}

/* ensures that the content will always be placed in the correct column */
nav { grid-column: 1; }
main { grid-column: 2; }
aside { grid-column: 3; }

This is also a good use case for grid-areas

.grid {
  display: grid;
  grid-template-columns: fit-content(200px) 1fr fit-content(200px);
  grid-template-areas: "nav content sidebar";
}

nav, aside {
  width: 100%;
}

/* ensures that the content will always be placed in the correct column */
nav { grid-area: nav; }
main { grid-area: content; }
aside { grid-area: sidebar; }

An IE compatible version would look like this:

.grid {
  display: -ms-grid;
  display: grid;
  -ms-grid-columns: auto 1fr auto;
  grid-template-columns: auto 1fr auto;
}

nav, aside {
  width: 100%; /* Ensures that if the content exists, it takes up max-width */
  max-width: 200px; /* Prevents the content exceeding 200px in width */
}

/* ensures that the content will always be placed in the correct column */
nav {
  -ms-grid-column: 1;
  grid-column: 1;
}

main {
  -ms-grid-column: 2;
  grid-column: 2;
}

aside {
  -ms-grid-column: 3;
  grid-column: 3;
}