Split Layout

A template for a split layout with two sides. When clicking on a half in the initial view, the layout moves into the respective direction with some transition effects.

This Blueprint is a layout with two sides, sometimes seen in portfolio websites of couples and partners. The idea is to show an initial two-sided view and when clicking on a side, the whole page transitions into the respective direction. The individual page of the selected person is shown.

The Blueprint comes with some example media queries and a second demo where the disappearing side scales down. It will work in modern browsers (from IE9 on).

The HTML

<div class="container">
	<div id="splitlayout" class="splitlayout">
		<div class="intro">
			<div class="side side-left">
				<div class="intro-content">
					<div class="profile"><img src="img/profile1.jpg" alt="profile1"></div>
					<h1><span>Toby Blue </span><span>Web Designer</span></h1>
				</div>
				<div class="overlay"></div>
			</div>
			<div class="side side-right">
				<div class="intro-content">
					<div class="profile"><img src="img/profile2.jpg" alt="profile2"></div>
					<h1><span>Amy White </span><span>Web Developer</span></h1>
				</div>
				<div class="overlay"></div>
			</div>
		</div><!-- /intro -->
		<div class="page page-right page-large">
			<div class="page-inner">
				<section>
					<!-- content -->
				</section>
				<section>
					<!-- content -->
				</section>
				<!-- ... -->
			</div><!-- /page-inner -->
		</div><!-- /page-right -->
		<div class="page page-left page-fill">
			<div class="page-inner">
				<!-- ... -->
			</div><!-- /page-inner -->
		</div><!-- /page-left -->
		<a href="#" class="back back-right" title="back to intro">→</a>
		<a href="#" class="back back-left" title="back to intro">←</a>
	</div><!-- /splitlayout -->
</div><!-- /container -->

The CSS

html, body, 
.container {
	position: relative;
	width: 100%;
	height: 100%;
}

body {
	overflow-y: scroll;
	background: #333;
}

.splitlayout {
	position: relative;
	overflow-x: hidden;
	min-height: 100%;
	width: 100%;
}

/* Intro sides */
.side {
	position: fixed;
	top: 0;
	z-index: 100;
	width: 50%;
	height: 100%;
	text-align: center;
	-webkit-backface-visibility: hidden;
}

.open-left .side,
.open-right .side {
	cursor: default;
}

.overlay {
	position: absolute;
	top: 0;
	left: 0;
	z-index: 499;
	visibility: hidden;
	width: 100%;
	height: 100%;
	opacity: 0;
}

.side-left .overlay {
	background: rgba(0,0,0,0.7);
}

.side-right .overlay {
	background: rgba(0,0,0,0.3);
}

.side-left {
	left: 0;
	background: #47a3da;
	color: #fff;
	outline: 1px solid #47a3da; /* avoid gap */
}

.side-right {
	right: 0;
	background: #fff;
	color: #47a3da;
	outline: 1px solid #fff; /* avoid gap */
}

/* Intro content, profile image and name, back button */
.intro-content {
	position: absolute;
	top: 50%;
	left: 50%;
	padding: 0 1em;
	width: 50%;
	cursor: pointer;
	-webkit-transform: translateY(-50%) translateX(-50%);
	transform: translateY(-50%) translateX(-50%);
}

.profile {
	margin: 0 auto;
	width: 140px;
	height: 140px;
	border-radius: 50%;
	background: #47a3da;
}

.profile img {
	max-width: 100%;
	border-radius: 50%;
	opacity: 0.6;
}

.intro-content h1 > span {
	display: block;
	white-space: nowrap;
}

.intro-content h1 > span:first-child {
	font-weight: 300;
	font-size: 2em;
}

.intro-content h1 > span:nth-child(2) {
	position: relative;
	margin-top: 0.5em;
	padding: 0.8em;
	text-transform: uppercase;
	letter-spacing: 1px;
	font-size: 0.8em;
}

.intro-content h1 > span:nth-child(2):before {
	position: absolute;
	top: 0;
	left: 25%;
	width: 50%;
	height: 2px;
	background: #fff;
	content: '';
}

.side-right .intro-content h1 > span:nth-child(2):before {
	background: #47a3da;
}

.back {
	position: fixed;
	top: 2.6em;
	z-index: 500;
	display: block;
	visibility: hidden;
	width: 50px;
	height: 50px;
	border-radius: 50%;
	color: #47a3da;
	text-align: center;
	font-size: 22px;
	line-height: 44px;
	opacity: 0;
	pointer-events: none;
}

.mobile-layout .back { /* fixed positioning will make this not clickable after scrolling on some mobile devices */
	position: absolute;
}

.back-left {
	left: 12.5%;
	-webkit-transform: translateX(-50%);
	transform: translateX(-50%);
}

.back-right {
	right: 12.5%;
	-webkit-transform: translateX(50%);
	transform: translateX(50%);
	color: #fff;
}

.open-right .back-left,
.open-left .back-right {
	visibility: visible;
	opacity: 1;
	-webkit-transition-delay: 0.3s;
	transition-delay: 0.3s;
	pointer-events: auto;
}

.back:hover {
	color: #ddd;
}

/* Pages */
.page {
	position: relative;
	top: 0;
	overflow: auto;
	min-height: 100%;
	width: 75%;
	height: auto;
	font-size: 1.4em;
	-webkit-backface-visibility: hidden;
}

.page-right {
	left: 25%;
	outline: 5px solid #ecf0f1; /* avoid rounding gaps */
	background: #ecf0f1;
	color: #97a8b2;
	-webkit-transform: translateX(100%);
	transform: translateX(100%);
}

.splitlayout.open-right {
	background: #ecf0f1;
}

.page-left {
	left: 0;
	outline: 5px solid #34495e; /* avoid rounding gaps */
	background: #34495e;
	color: #fff;
	text-align: right;
	-webkit-transform: translateX(-100%);
	transform: translateX(-100%);
}

.splitlayout.open-left {
	background: #34495e;
}

/* Inner page content */
.page-inner {
	padding: 2em;
}

.page-inner section {
	padding-bottom: 1em;
}

.page-inner h2 {
	margin: 0 0 1em 0;
	font-weight: 300;
	font-size: 2.4em;
}

.page-inner p {
	font-weight: 300;
	font-size: 1.2em;
}

/* All transitions */
.side,
.page {
	-webkit-transition: -webkit-transform 0.6s;
	transition: transform 0.6s;
}

.overlay {
	-webkit-transition: opacity 0.6s, visibility 0.1s 0.6s;
	transition: opacity 0.6s, visibility 0.1s 0.6s;
}

.intro-content {
	-webkit-transition: -webkit-transform 0.6s, top 0.6s;
	transition: transform 0.6s, top 0.6s;
}

.intro-content h1,
.back {
	-webkit-transition: opacity 0.3s;
	transition: opacity 0.3s;
}

/* Open and close */

/* We need to set the position and overflow for the respective page scroll */
.reset-layout .page,
.splitlayout.open-right .page-left,
.splitlayout.open-left .page-right,
.splitlayout.close-right .page-left,
.splitlayout.close-left .page-right {
	position: absolute;
	overflow: hidden;
	height: 100%;
}

.splitlayout.open-right .page-right,
.splitlayout.open-left .page-left {
	position: relative;
	overflow: auto;
	height: auto;
}

.open-right .side-left .overlay,
.open-left .side-right .overlay {
	visibility: visible;
	opacity: 1;
	-webkit-transition: opacity 0.6s;
	transition: opacity 0.6s;
}

/* Right side open */
.open-right .side-left {
	-webkit-transform: translateX(-60%);
	transform: translateX(-60%);
}

.open-right .side-right {
	z-index: 200;
	-webkit-transform: translateX(-150%);
	transform: translateX(-150%);
}

.close-right .side-right {
	z-index: 200;
}

.open-right .side-right .intro-content {
	-webkit-transform: translateY(-50%) translateX(0%) scale(0.6);
	transform: translateY(-50%) translateX(0%) scale(0.6);
}

.open-right .page-right {
	-webkit-transform: translateX(0%);
	transform: translateX(0%);
}

/* Left side open */
.open-left .side-right {
	-webkit-transform: translateX(60%);
	transform: translateX(60%);
}

.open-left .side-left {
	z-index: 200;
	-webkit-transform: translateX(150%);
	transform: translateX(150%);
}

.close-left .side-left {
	z-index: 200;
}

.open-left .side-left .intro-content {
	-webkit-transform: translateY(-50%) translateX(-100%) scale(0.6);
	transform: translateY(-50%) translateX(-100%) scale(0.6);
}

.open-left .codropsheader {
	opacity: 0;
	visibility: hidden;
	-webkit-transition: opacity 0.3s, visibility 0.1s 0.3s;
	transition: opacity 0.3s, visibility 0.1s 0.3s;
}

.open-left .page-left {
	-webkit-transform: translateX(0%);
	transform: translateX(0%);
}

/* Media Queries */
@media screen and (max-width: 83em) {
	.intro-content { font-size: 60%; }
}

@media screen and (max-width: 58em) {
	body { font-size: 90%; }
}

@media screen and (max-width: 49.4375em) {
	.open-right .side-right {
		-webkit-transform: translateX(-175%);
		transform: translateX(-175%);
	}

	.open-right .side-left {
		-webkit-transform: translateX(-100%);
		transform: translateX(-100%);
	}

	.open-left .side-right {
		-webkit-transform: translateX(100%);
		transform: translateX(100%);
	}

	.open-left .side-left {
		-webkit-transform: translateX(175%);
		transform: translateX(175%);
	}

	.page {
		width: 100%;
	}

	.page-right {
		left: 0;
		padding-left: 15%;
	}

	.page-left {
		padding-right: 15%;
	}

	.intro-content {
		width: 100%;
	}

	.open-right .side-right .intro-content {
		top: 100%;
		-webkit-transform: translateY(-150px) translateX(-12.5%) scale(0.5);
		transform: translateY(-150px) translateX(-12.5%) scale(0.5);
	}

	.open-left .side-left .intro-content {
		top: 100%;
		-webkit-transform: translateY(-150px) translateX(-87.5%) scale(0.5);
		transform: translateY(-150px) translateX(-87.5%) scale(0.5);
	}

	.open-right .intro-content h1,
	.open-left .intro-content h1 {
		opacity: 0;
	}

	.back-left {
		left: 6.25%;
	}

	.back-right {
		right: 6.25%;
	}
}

@media screen and (max-width: 42.5em) {
	body { font-size: 80%; }
	.intro-content { font-size: 50%; }
}

@media screen and (max-height: 41.125em) {
	.intro-content {
		-webkit-transform: translateY(-25%) translateX(-50%);
		transform: translateY(-25%) translateX(-50%);
	}
}

@media screen and (max-width: 39.375em) {
	.intro-content .profile { -webkit-transform: scale(0.5); transform: scale(0.5); }
}

@media screen and (max-width: 320px) {
	body { font-size: 70%; }
}

Tiny break: 📬 Want to stay up to date with frontend and trends in web design? Check out our Collective and stay in the loop.

The JavaScript

/**
 * cbpSplitLayout.js v1.0.0
 * http://www.codrops.com
 *
 * Licensed under the MIT license.
 * http://www.opensource.org/licenses/mit-license.php
 * 
 * Copyright 2013, Codrops
 * http://www.codrops.com
 */
(function() {

	'use strict';

	// http://stackoverflow.com/a/11381730/989439
	function mobilecheck() {
		var check = false;
		(function(a){if(/(android|ipad|playbook|silk|bbd+|meego).+mobile|avantgo|bada/|blackberry|blazer|compal|elaine|fennec|hiptop|iemobile|ip(hone|od)|iris|kindle|lge |maemo|midp|mmp|netfront|opera m(ob|in)i|palm( os)?|phone|p(ixi|re)/|plucker|pocket|psp|series(4|6)0|symbian|treo|up.(browser|link)|vodafone|wap|windows (ce|phone)|xda|xiino/i.test(a)||/1207|6310|6590|3gso|4thp|50[1-6]i|770s|802s|a wa|abac|ac(er|oo|s-)|ai(ko|rn)|al(av|ca|co)|amoi|an(ex|ny|yw)|aptu|ar(ch|go)|as(te|us)|attw|au(di|-m|r |s )|avan|be(ck|ll|nq)|bi(lb|rd)|bl(ac|az)|br(e|v)w|bumb|bw-(n|u)|c55/|capi|ccwa|cdm-|cell|chtm|cldc|cmd-|co(mp|nd)|craw|da(it|ll|ng)|dbte|dc-s|devi|dica|dmob|do(c|p)o|ds(12|-d)|el(49|ai)|em(l2|ul)|er(ic|k0)|esl8|ez([4-7]0|os|wa|ze)|fetc|fly(-|_)|g1 u|g560|gene|gf-5|g-mo|go(.w|od)|gr(ad|un)|haie|hcit|hd-(m|p|t)|hei-|hi(pt|ta)|hp( i|ip)|hs-c|ht(c(-| |_|a|g|p|s|t)|tp)|hu(aw|tc)|i-(20|go|ma)|i230|iac( |-|/)|ibro|idea|ig01|ikom|im1k|inno|ipaq|iris|ja(t|v)a|jbro|jemu|jigs|kddi|keji|kgt( |/)|klon|kpt |kwc-|kyo(c|k)|le(no|xi)|lg( g|/(k|l|u)|50|54|-[a-w])|libw|lynx|m1-w|m3ga|m50/|ma(te|ui|xo)|mc(01|21|ca)|m-cr|me(rc|ri)|mi(o8|oa|ts)|mmef|mo(01|02|bi|de|do|t(-| |o|v)|zz)|mt(50|p1|v )|mwbp|mywa|n10[0-2]|n20[2-3]|n30(0|2)|n50(0|2|5)|n7(0(0|1)|10)|ne((c|m)-|on|tf|wf|wg|wt)|nok(6|i)|nzph|o2im|op(ti|wv)|oran|owg1|p800|pan(a|d|t)|pdxg|pg(13|-([1-8]|c))|phil|pire|pl(ay|uc)|pn-2|po(ck|rt|se)|prox|psio|pt-g|qa-a|qc(07|12|21|32|60|-[2-7]|i-)|qtek|r380|r600|raks|rim9|ro(ve|zo)|s55/|sa(ge|ma|mm|ms|ny|va)|sc(01|h-|oo|p-)|sdk/|se(c(-|0|1)|47|mc|nd|ri)|sgh-|shar|sie(-|m)|sk-0|sl(45|id)|sm(al|ar|b3|it|t5)|so(ft|ny)|sp(01|h-|v-|v )|sy(01|mb)|t2(18|50)|t6(00|10|18)|ta(gt|lk)|tcl-|tdg-|tel(i|m)|tim-|t-mo|to(pl|sh)|ts(70|m-|m3|m5)|tx-9|up(.b|g1|si)|utst|v400|v750|veri|vi(rg|te)|vk(40|5[0-3]|-v)|vm40|voda|vulc|vx(52|53|60|61|70|80|81|83|85|98)|w3c(-| )|webc|whit|wi(g |nc|nw)|wmlb|wonu|x700|yas-|your|zeto|zte-/i.test(a.substr(0,4)))check = true})(navigator.userAgent||navigator.vendor||window.opera);
		return check;
	}

	var splitlayout = document.getElementById( 'splitlayout' ),
		leftSide = splitlayout.querySelector( 'div.intro > div.side-left' ),
		rightSide = splitlayout.querySelector( 'div.intro > div.side-right' ),
		pageLeft = splitlayout.querySelector( 'div.page-left' ),
		pageRight = splitlayout.querySelector( 'div.page-right' ),
		eventtype = mobilecheck() ? 'touchstart' : 'click',
		transEndEventNames = {
			'WebkitTransition': 'webkitTransitionEnd',
			'MozTransition': 'transitionend',
			'OTransition': 'oTransitionEnd',
			'msTransition': 'MSTransitionEnd',
			'transition': 'transitionend'
		},
		transEndEventName = transEndEventNames[Modernizr.prefixed( 'transition' )];

	function init() {
		if( mobilecheck() ) {
			classie.add( splitlayout, 'mobile-layout' );
		}
		classie.add( splitlayout, 'reset-layout' );

		leftSide.querySelector( 'div.intro-content' ).addEventListener( eventtype, function( ev ) {
			reset();
			classie.add( splitlayout, 'open-left' );
		} );

		rightSide.querySelector( 'div.intro-content' ).addEventListener( eventtype, function( ev ) {
			reset();
			classie.add( splitlayout, 'open-right' );
		} );

		// back to intro
		// after transition ends:
		var onEndTransFn = function() {
				this.removeEventListener( transEndEventName, onEndTransFn );
				classie.add( splitlayout, 'reset-layout' );
				document.body.scrollTop = document.documentElement.scrollTop = 0;
			},
			backToIntro = function( ev ) {
				ev.preventDefault();
				ev.stopPropagation();
				var dir = classie.has( ev.target, 'back-right' ) ? 'left' : 'right',
					page = dir === 'right' ? pageRight : pageLeft;
				classie.remove( splitlayout, 'open-' + dir );
				classie.add( splitlayout, 'close-' + dir );
				page.addEventListener( transEndEventName, onEndTransFn );
			};

		splitlayout.querySelector( 'a.back-left' ).addEventListener( eventtype, backToIntro );
		splitlayout.querySelector( 'a.back-right' ).addEventListener( eventtype, backToIntro );
	}

	function reset() {
		classie.remove( splitlayout, 'close-right' );
		classie.remove( splitlayout, 'close-left' );
		classie.remove( splitlayout, 'reset-layout' );
	}

	init();

})();

Manoela Ilic

Editor-in-Chief at Codrops. Designer, developer, and dreamer — sharing web inspiration with millions since 2009. Bringing together 20+ years of code, creativity, and community.

Browse amazing websites

💎✨ Discover fresh gems in our handpicked exhibition of standout websites that caught our eye.