Fill remaining vertical space - only CSS

Question

I need to fill the remaining vertical space of #wrapper under #first with #second div.

I need an only CSS sol

Answer 1

You can use CSS Flexbox instead another display value, The Flexbox Layout (Flexible Box) module aims at providing a more efficient way to lay out, align and distribute space among items in a container, even when their size is unknown and/or dynamic.

Example

/* CONTAINER */
#wrapper
{
   width:300px;
   height:300px;
    display: -webkit-box; /* OLD - iOS 6-, Safari 3.1-6 */
    display: -moz-box; /* OLD - Firefox 19- (buggy but mostly works) */
    display: -ms-flexbox; /* TWEENER - IE 10 */
    display: -webkit-flex; /* NEW - Chrome */
    display: flex; /* NEW, Spec - Opera 12.1, Firefox 20+ */
    -ms-flex-direction: column;
    -moz-flex-direction: column;
    -webkit-flex-direction: column;
    flex-direction: column;
}

/* SOME ITEM CHILD ELEMENTS */
#first
{
   width:300px;
    height: 200px;
   background-color:#F5DEB3;

}

#second
{
   width:300px;
   background-color: #9ACD32;
    -webkit-box-flex: 1; /* OLD - iOS 6-, Safari 3.1-6 */
    -moz-box-flex: 1; /* OLD - Firefox 19- */
    -webkit-flex: 1; /* Chrome */
    -ms-flex: 1; /* IE 10 */
    flex: 1; /* NEW, */
}

jsfiddle Example

If you want to have full support for old browsers like IE9 or below, you will have to use a polyfills like flexy, this polyfill enable support for Flexbox model but only for 2012 spec of flexbox model.

Recently I found another polyfill to help you with Internet Explorer 8 & 9 or any older browser that not have support for flexbox model, I still have not tried it but I leave the link here

You can find a usefull and complete Guide to Flexbox model by Chris Coyer here

Answer 2

You can just add the overflow:auto option:

#second
{
   width:300px;
   height:100%;
   overflow: auto;
   background-color:#9ACD32;
}

Answer 3

All you need is a bit of improved markup. Wrap the second within the first and it will render under.

<div id="wrapper">
    <div id="first">
        Here comes the first content
        <div id="second">I will render below the first content</div>
    </div>
</div>

Demo

Answer 4

Flexbox solution

html, body {
  height: 100%;
}

.wrapper {
  display: flex;
  flex-direction: column;
  width: 300px;
  height: 100%;
}

.first {
  height: 50px;
}

.second {
  flex-grow: 1;
}

<div class="wrapper">
  <div class="first" style="background:#b2efd8">First</div>
  <div class="second" style="background:#80c7cd">Second</div>
</div>

Answer 5

If you can add an extra couple of divs so your html looks like this:

<div id="wrapper">
    <div id="first" class="row">
        <div class="cell"></div>
    </div>
    <div id="second" class="row">
        <div class="cell"></div>
    </div>
</div>

You can make use of the display:table properties:

#wrapper
{
   width:300px;
   height:100%;
   display:table;
}

.row 
{
   display:table-row;
}

.cell 
{
   display:table-cell;
}

#first .cell
{
   height:200px;
   background-color:#F5DEB3;
}

#second .cell
{
   background-color:#9ACD32;
}

Example

Answer 6

Have you tried changing the wrapper height to vh instead of %?

#wrapper {
width:300px;
height:100vh;
}

That worked great for me when I wanted to fill my page with a gradient background for instance...