Limit max width of Container in Flutter

Question

  Widget build(context) {
    return Row(
      mainAxisSize: MainAxisSize.min,
      children: [
        Container(
          width: 300,
          padding: EdgeInsets.all(10),
          decoration: BoxDecoration(
            color: color ?? Colors.blue,
            borderRadius: BorderRadius.circular(10)
          ),
          child: msg
        )
      ],  
    );
  }

This is build method of my widget and It renders this UI depending on what I pass as msg paramter

1. Loading text
2. Some very long text

Now the issue I am facing is that I am not able to wrap the text inside this container/blue box without setting it's width but If I set width of container/blue box then it will always stay that wide no matter how short the text is.

Now is there a way to set maxWidth (like let's say 500) of container/blue box? So that the blue box will become as wide as required for small text like "Loading" and for long text it will expand till it reaches width of 500 units and then will wrap the text ?

Required output for long text:

For small text like loading I dont want any change in UI but for long text I want it to look like this.

Solution 1

You can add a constraint to the Container Widget with the preferred maxWidth like this:

Widget build(context) {
return Row(
  mainAxisSize: MainAxisSize.min,
  children: [
    Container(
      constraints: BoxConstraints(minWidth: 100, maxWidth: 200),
      padding: EdgeInsets.all(10),
      decoration: BoxDecoration(
        color: color ?? Colors.blue,
        borderRadius: BorderRadius.circular(10)
      ),
      child: msg
    )
  ],  
);
}

I hope this helps!

Solution 2

Use ConstrainedBox with BoxConstraints maxWidth, wrapped in a Flexible() widget. The Flexible widget allows for the box to resize for smaller screens as well.

Flexible(
  child: ConstrainedBox(
    constraints: BoxConstraints(maxWidth: 150),
    child: Container(
      color : Colors.blue,
      child: Text('Your Text here'),
    ),
  ),
),

Solution 3

This required to be inside Row or Column Widget

1. Row

  Row(
      children: [
        Container(
            constraints: BoxConstraints(maxWidth: 300),
            decoration: BoxDecoration(
                borderRadius: BorderRadius.circular(8.0)),
            child: Text("Long Text....")
        ),
      ],
    );

2. Column

Column(
      crossAxisAlignment: CrossAxisAlignment.start,
      children: [
        Container(
            constraints: BoxConstraints(maxWidth: 300),
            decoration: BoxDecoration(
                borderRadius: BorderRadius.circular(8.0)),
            child: Text("Long Text....")
        ),
      ],
    );

Here in both examples, it's working because Column and Row allow it's children to expand to it's given constraint/size.

Note: If a child wants a different size from its parent and the parent doesn’t have enough information to align it, then the child’s size might be ignored.

Solution 4

For me at least putting the Constrained box in IntrinsicWidth has solved issue.

IntrinsicWidth(
  child: Container(
    constraints: BoxConstraints(maxWidth: 200),
    child: Row(
      children: [
       
      ],
    ),
  ),
);

Solution 5

Use Constraints property in Container widget.

use maxWidth & minWidth value to achieve the requirement.

 Container(
      constraints: BoxConstraints(minWidth: 150, maxWidth: 300),
      padding: EdgeInsets.all(10),
      decoration: BoxDecoration(
        borderRadius: BorderRadius.circular(5)),
      child: Text("")
    )

View more solutions

Comments

[Nishant Desai]

I don't want to give fixed size to the container because container is the one which is providing the blue background and if I give it a fixed size then even when I show "Loading" message the blue container will not shrink to adapt to short text.

[Roc Boronat]

I just tried it, and the problem is that it overflows the screen in case the screen is not that large.

[Roc Boronat]

Fixed! Just put this ConstrainerBox inside a Flexible :·)

[Matias de Andrea]

Is recommend by Flutter, avoid use IntrinsicWidth and IntrinsicHeight when posible, because is too expensive to build