Layouts
Layout components and composition patterns
Layouts
Layouts define structure, not content.
In ForgeUI, layouts exist to establish rhythm, hierarchy, and spatial relationships before any visual or interactive detail is introduced. They are the backbone of the interface, not decorative wrappers.
A strong layout makes individual components easier to reason about and reduces the need for complex styling later.
Design goals
ForgeUI layouts are designed to be:
- flexible
- composable
- resilient as complexity increases
They are intentionally neutral and avoid encoding assumptions about content, data, or interaction.
Layouts should feel stable even as the content inside them changes.
Structure before detail
ForgeUI encourages defining layout before styling or interaction.
This means:
- deciding how space is divided
- establishing clear hierarchy
- grouping related elements intentionally
Once structure is clear, visual detail becomes easier to layer without fighting the layout.
If layout and styling are tightly coupled, both become harder to change.
Composability over specialization
Layouts in ForgeUI are meant to compose.
Instead of shipping many highly specialized layouts, ForgeUI provides:
- simple containers
- grid-based structures
- section-level primitives
More complex layouts are built by combining these pieces rather than introducing new, rigid abstractions.
This keeps the system small and adaptable.
Scaling with complexity
As products grow, layouts tend to accumulate responsibility.
ForgeUI layouts are designed to scale by:
- keeping responsibilities narrow
- avoiding content-specific logic
- remaining predictable under nesting
A layout should behave the same way whether it contains one element or many.
Layouts vs components
Layouts differ from other components in intent.
Layouts:
- manage space and hierarchy
- define relationships between elements
- avoid owning behavior or data
Components:
- handle interaction
- encapsulate logic
- respond to user input
Keeping this distinction clear prevents layouts from becoming overly complex.
Responsive behavior
ForgeUI layouts are responsive by default, but not adaptive by magic.
Responsiveness is handled explicitly through:
- utility-based breakpoints
- clear stacking rules
- predictable wrapping behavior
This makes responsive changes easy to understand and adjust without hidden logic.
Explicit responsive rules are easier to maintain than implicit behavior.
Using layouts effectively
When working with ForgeUI layouts:
- start with the simplest structure that works
- avoid nesting layouts unnecessarily
- introduce additional structure only when it clarifies hierarchy
Layouts should reduce cognitive load, not add to it.
Extending layout patterns
Layouts are designed to be extended through composition.
Common patterns include:
- wrapping a layout with additional spacing or constraints
- composing multiple layouts to form complex pages
- extracting repeated layout structures into shared components
These patterns allow teams to evolve layouts without rewriting existing ones.
Final thought
Good layouts disappear.
When structure is clear and predictable, users focus on content and interaction rather than interface mechanics.
ForgeUI layouts aim to support complexity without becoming complex themselves.