> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/ocornut/imgui/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Columns & Groups

> Functions for organizing widgets into columns and groups

## Groups

Groups allow you to lock horizontal starting position and capture the whole group bounding box into one "item". This lets you use `IsItemHovered()` or layout primitives such as `SameLine()` on the whole group.

### BeginGroup

```cpp theme={null}
void BeginGroup();
```

Lock horizontal starting position. All widgets added after this call will be treated as part of a group.

**Example:**

```cpp theme={null}
ImGui::BeginGroup();
ImGui::Text("Group Item 1");
ImGui::Text("Group Item 2");
ImGui::Text("Group Item 3");
ImGui::EndGroup();
if (ImGui::IsItemHovered())
    ImGui::SetTooltip("This is the whole group!");
```

### EndGroup

```cpp theme={null}
void EndGroup();
```

Unlock horizontal starting position and capture the whole group bounding box into one "item".

<Warning>
  Always call `EndGroup()` for each `BeginGroup()`, even if the group is empty.
</Warning>

## Group Usage Patterns

### Horizontal Grouping with SameLine

```cpp theme={null}
ImGui::BeginGroup();
ImGui::Text("Label:");
ImGui::SameLine();
ImGui::Button("Button");
ImGui::EndGroup();
```

### Creating Compound Widgets

```cpp theme={null}
ImGui::BeginGroup();
ImGui::Image(my_texture, ImVec2(64, 64));
ImGui::Text("Image Title");
ImGui::EndGroup();

// Drag and drop the entire group
if (ImGui::BeginDragDropSource())
{
    ImGui::SetDragDropPayload("MY_IMAGE", &my_data, sizeof(my_data));
    ImGui::EndDragDropSource();
}
```

### Capturing Group Dimensions

```cpp theme={null}
ImVec2 group_min = ImGui::GetItemRectMin();
ImVec2 group_max = ImGui::GetItemRectMax();
ImVec2 group_size = ImGui::GetItemRectSize();
```

## Legacy Columns API

<Warning>
  The columns API is legacy. Use the [Tables API](/api/tables) instead for better features and performance.
</Warning>

### Columns

```cpp theme={null}
void Columns(int count = 1, const char* id = NULL, bool border = true);
```

Setup number of columns. Use `Columns(1)` or `Columns()` to disable columns.

<ParamField path="count" type="int">
  Number of columns (1 to disable)
</ParamField>

<ParamField path="id" type="const char*">
  Optional identifier
</ParamField>

<ParamField path="border" type="bool" default="true">
  Draw border between columns
</ParamField>

### NextColumn

```cpp theme={null}
void NextColumn();
```

Move to next column. If currently in the last column, move to the first column of the next row.

### GetColumnIndex

```cpp theme={null}
int GetColumnIndex();
```

Get current column index (0-based).

<ParamField path="Returns" type="int">
  Current column index
</ParamField>

### GetColumnWidth

```cpp theme={null}
float GetColumnWidth(int column_index = -1);
```

Get column width in pixels. Use -1 for current column.

<ParamField path="column_index" type="int" default="-1">
  Column index (-1 for current column)
</ParamField>

<ParamField path="Returns" type="float">
  Column width in pixels
</ParamField>

### SetColumnWidth

```cpp theme={null}
void SetColumnWidth(int column_index, float width);
```

Set column width in pixels.

<ParamField path="column_index" type="int">
  Column index
</ParamField>

<ParamField path="width" type="float">
  New width in pixels
</ParamField>

### GetColumnOffset

```cpp theme={null}
float GetColumnOffset(int column_index = -1);
```

Get position of column line in pixels from the left side of the contents region. Use -1 for current column.

<ParamField path="column_index" type="int" default="-1">
  Column index (-1 for current column)
</ParamField>

<ParamField path="Returns" type="float">
  Column offset in pixels
</ParamField>

### SetColumnOffset

```cpp theme={null}
void SetColumnOffset(int column_index, float offset_x);
```

Set position of column line in pixels from the left side of the contents region.

<ParamField path="column_index" type="int">
  Column index
</ParamField>

<ParamField path="offset_x" type="float">
  New offset in pixels
</ParamField>

### GetColumnsCount

```cpp theme={null}
int GetColumnsCount();
```

Get number of columns (1 when columns are disabled).

<ParamField path="Returns" type="int">
  Number of active columns
</ParamField>

## Migration to Tables

Instead of using columns, prefer the Tables API:

```cpp theme={null}
// Old columns API
ImGui::Columns(3, "MyColumns", true);
ImGui::Text("Col 1");
ImGui::NextColumn();
ImGui::Text("Col 2");
ImGui::NextColumn();
ImGui::Text("Col 3");
ImGui::Columns(1);

// New tables API
if (ImGui::BeginTable("MyTable", 3))
{
    ImGui::TableNextColumn();
    ImGui::Text("Col 1");
    ImGui::TableNextColumn();
    ImGui::Text("Col 2");
    ImGui::TableNextColumn();
    ImGui::Text("Col 3");
    ImGui::EndTable();
}
```