Fixed Versus Liquid Web Pages

Closely related to the issue of varying monitor resolutions is the question of whether web pages should be designed to be liquid (resizing and adapting to various window sizes, also called “fluid” design) or fixed at a particular size (giving the designer more control of the page’s dimensions). There are very strong opinions on both sides, and there are good reasons for and against each approach, naturally.

You may find that you choose a fixed structure for some sites and allow others to be liquid, or you may have strong convictions that one or the other approach is the only way to go. Either way, it is useful to be familiar with the whole picture and the current opinions of professional web designers (see "The Layout Debate" sidebar). This section attempts to present a balanced overview of the possibilities and the pitfalls.

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