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Difference Between Rows and Columns vs Container in Flutter

Last Updated : 21 Apr, 2025
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In this article, we’ll learn about the key differences between Container and Row/Column widgets. Row and Column widgets both belong to a similar category and have identical uses. These are the basic widgets that you would use in almost every Flutter app. We will discuss them briefly.

Container

This is the most used widget in every flutter app. It is mostly used to style its child widgets. It takes only one child. Some flutter widgets, focus only on their core functionality and does not contain much styling options. The container widget comes to the rescue and provides you with various common painting, positioning, and sizing widgets.

Container(
child: Widget //Another flutter widget
)

To know more about containers in Flutter, refer to this article: Container class in Flutter.


Row/Column

These are widgets that can contain multiple child widgets. The row is the widget that can display various child widgets in a horizontal manner. The column displays child widgets in a vertical manner. By default, these widgets don’t support scrolling. It can be enabled by wrapping with other widgets. But, if there are numerous child widgets, it is preferred to use ListView.

Row(
children: [
Container(), // First Widget
Text(), // Second Widget
----,
----, // Multiple Widgets
])
Column(
children: [
Container(), // First Widget
Text(), // Second Widget
----,
----, // Multiple Widgets
])

To know more about Row and Column widgets in Flutter, refer to this article: Flutter – Row and Column Widgets.

Comparison

Container

Column/Row

Takes exactly one child widgetTakes multiple (unlimited) child widgets
Rich alignment and styling options are availableAlignment options are available, but there are no styling options
Flexible width (e.g., child width, available width, …)Always takes full available height (column) /width (row)
Perfect for custom styling and alignmentMust-use if widgets sit next to/above each other

Example:

Dart
import 'package:flutter/material.dart';

void main() => runApp(MyApp());

class MyApp extends StatelessWidget {
  @override
  Widget build(BuildContext context) {
    return MaterialApp(debugShowCheckedModeBanner: false, home: Home());
  }
}

class Home extends StatelessWidget {
  @override
  Widget build(BuildContext context) {
    return Scaffold(
      appBar: AppBar(
        title: Text('GeeksforGeeks'),
        backgroundColor: Colors.green,
        foregroundColor: Colors.white,
      ),
      body: Column(
        crossAxisAlignment: CrossAxisAlignment.center,
        children: [
          SizedBox(height: 15),
          SizedBox(height: 20, child: Text('Demonstration of Row')),
          Row(
            mainAxisAlignment: MainAxisAlignment.center,
            children: [
              Card(
                margin: EdgeInsets.all(10),
                elevation: 8,
                child: Container(
                  padding: EdgeInsets.all(25),
                  child: Text(
                    'GeeksforGeeks',
                    style: TextStyle(color: Colors.green),
                  ),
                ),
              ),
              SizedBox(width: 2),
              Card(
                margin: EdgeInsets.all(10),
                elevation: 8,
                child: Container(
                  padding: EdgeInsets.all(25),
                  child: Text(
                    'GeeksforGeeks',
                    style: TextStyle(color: Colors.green),
                  ),
                ),
              ),
            ],
          ),
          SizedBox(height: 30),
          SizedBox(height: 20, child: Text('Demonstration of Column')),
          Column(
            children: [
              Card(
                margin: EdgeInsets.all(10),
                elevation: 8,
                child: Container(
                  padding: EdgeInsets.all(25),
                  child: Text(
                    'GeeksforGeeks',
                    style: TextStyle(color: Colors.green),
                  ),
                ),
              ),
              SizedBox(width: 4),
              Card(
                margin: EdgeInsets.all(10),
                elevation: 8,
                child: Container(
                  padding: EdgeInsets.all(25),
                  child: Text(
                    'GeeksforGeeks',
                    style: TextStyle(color: Colors.green),
                  ),
                ),
              ),
            ],
          ),
        ],
      ),
    );
  }
}


Output:

Rows-and-Columns-vs-Container


In the above example, we have shown how row and column widgets are used in combination with a container widget. When no styling options were available in the child widget, we wrapped it with a container to add some padding to the child widget.



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