The columns-start template and its child templates column and columns-end can be used to make a fixed number of columns (up to 5) that will span the entire page above a certain minimum width (100 ems for 5 columns, 80 for 4, 60 for 3 and 2). Below the minimum width, each column starting from the right will gracefully display below another one of the columns.

The below examples are using the templates directly, so you can see what will happen if the minimum size is reached.

{{Columns-start}}
Column 1 here
{{Column}}
Column 2 here
{{Columns-end}}
{{Columns-start|num=3}}
Column 1 here
{{Column}}
Column 2 here
{{Column}}
Column 3 here
{{Columns-end}}
{{Columns-start|num=4}}
Column 1 here
{{Column}}
Column 2 here
{{Column}}
Column 3 here
{{Column}}
Column 4 here
{{Columns-end}}
{{Columns-start|num=5}}
Column 1 here
{{Column}}
Column 2 here
{{Column}}
Column 3 here
{{Column}}
Column 4 here
{{Column}}
Column 5 here
{{Columns-end}}

Columns-start has these parameters:

|num=
Set the number of columns. Defaults to 2. The template will work with up to 5 columns. More than that should prefer a custom implementation or another solution (such as a wikitable for tabular content or {{div col}} for list content).
|class=
Apply another class to the set of columns, such as hlist. Default is none.
|bgcolor=
Set a background color. Default is transparent.
|width=
Set a total width in which all columns must appear. Default is 100%.

Template:Column has the same parameters where it is used as a "wrapper" template with numbered columns. Example:

{{Column|num=2
|1=
Column 1 here
|2=
Column 2 here
}}
{{Column|num=3
|
Column 1 here
|
Column 2 here
|
Column 3 here
}}

In the second example, be aware of the possible problem with a column that includes an equals sign. See Help:Templates#Equals for more information.

Otherwise, Template:Column must be used as above with Template:Columns-start.

This is an example from List of Indonesia-related topics:

Халип:Tracked Халип:Tracked Using headings inside {{column}} in its wrapper form functions so long as there is some content beneath the 2nd and later heading. Secondly, headings will not carry an edit link. The below table may wrap (i.e. not display as columns) but displays the issue.

Content Functional but missing edit links Non-functional (missing content)
Wikitext
{{column
|1=
==== Ex. heading 1 ====
ABC
|2=
==== Ex. heading 2 ====
DEF
}}
{{column
|1=
==== Ex. heading 3 ====
|2=
==== Ex. heading 4 ====
}}
Rendered

Ex. heading 1

ABC

Ex. heading 2

DEF

Ex. heading 3

==== Ex. heading 4 ====

Column-generating template families

хисизабизе
Family Type
Handles wiki
 table code?Халип:Dagger
Responsive/
Mobile suited
Start template Column divider End template
"Col" Table Буго Буго {{Col-begin}},
{{Col-begin-fixed}} or
{{Col-begin-small}}
{{Col-break}} or
{{Col-2}} .. {{Col-5}}
{{Col-end}}
"Col-float" CSS float Буго Буго {{Col-float}} {{Col-float-break}} {{Col-float-end}}
"Columns" Table ГьечӀо Буго {{Columns}}
"Columns-list" CSS columns Буго Буго {{Columns-list}} (wrapper)
"Columns-start" CSS float Буго Буго {{Columns-start}} {{Column}} {{Columns-end}}
"Flex columns" CSS flexbox Буго Буго {{Flex columns}}
"Div col" CSS columns Буго Буго {{Div col}} {{Div col end}}

Халип:Dagger I.e., can the columns handle the wiki markup {| | || |- |} used to create tables? If not, templates that produce these elements (such as {{(!}}, {{!}}, {{!!}}, {{!-}}, {{!)}}) or HTML tags (<table></table>, <tr></tr>, etc.) will need to be used instead.