ArticleZip > Sidebar That Follows Scroll But Scrolls Self If Taller Than Viewport

Sidebar That Follows Scroll But Scrolls Self If Taller Than Viewport

Have you ever wanted to create a sidebar that stays fixed when you scroll down a page, but also scrolls independently if its content is taller than the viewport? I've got you covered! In this guide, we'll walk through how to achieve this awesome effect using a combination of CSS and JavaScript.

## The Setup
First things first, let's set up the basic structure of our sidebar and content. You'll need an HTML file with a container div for both the sidebar and content. Here's a simple example:

Html

<div class="container">
    <div class="sidebar">Sidebar Content</div>
    <div class="content">Main Content Here</div>
</div>

## Making It Sticky
To make the sidebar stick to the top of the viewport when the user scrolls down, we can use CSS `position: fixed`. Here's how you can style the sidebar to achieve this effect:

Css

.sidebar {
    position: fixed;
    top: 0;
    left: 0;
}

With this CSS in place, your sidebar will now stick to the top of the viewport as you scroll down the page. But what if the sidebar's content is taller than the viewport?

## Adding JavaScript Magic
To enable the sidebar to scroll independently when its content exceeds the viewport height, we'll need to use a bit of JavaScript. Here's a step-by-step guide to achieving this:

1. Calculate the maximum height for the sidebar:

Javascript

const sidebar = document.querySelector('.sidebar');
const viewportHeight = window.innerHeight;
sidebar.style.maxHeight = `${viewportHeight}px`;

2. Add an event listener to update the sidebar's max-height on window resize:

Javascript

window.addEventListener('resize', () =&gt; {
    const viewportHeight = window.innerHeight;
    sidebar.style.maxHeight = `${viewportHeight}px`;
});

By following these steps, your sidebar will now scroll independently if its content exceeds the viewport height while remaining sticky at the top of the page when you scroll down.

## Wrapping Up
Creating a sidebar that follows the scroll but scrolls independently when taller than the viewport may seem like a complicated task, but with the right combination of CSS and JavaScript, you can easily achieve this effect on your website. Whether you're working on a blog, portfolio, or any other web project, implementing this feature can enhance the user experience and make your content more accessible.

Give it a try on your next project and impress your visitors with a sleek and functional sidebar that adapts to their viewing experience seamlessly. Happy coding!

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