godot-ui-containers

Decision Tree: Container type → script

Need	Prefer	MANDATORY script
Breakpoint shell / full-screen adaptive root	Margin + Box containers	responsive_layout_builder.gd
Fixed columns that change with width	GridContainer	responsive_grid.gd / responsive_inventory_grid.gd
Wrapping chips / tags	HFlowContainer	responsive_tag_cloud.gd
Thousands of scroll rows	Virtual pool (not raw children)	virtual_list.gd
Log/chat autoscroll	ScrollContainer	terminal_autoscroll.gd
3D character/item preview in UI	SubViewportContainer	viewport_3d_preview.gd
Deep nesting causing layout spikes	Anchors/offsets instead	performance_anchor_layout.gd
Radial/wheel menus	Custom Container	custom_radial_container.gd

Do-NOT-Load (by scenario)

Scenario	Load	Do NOT load
Inventory / shop grid	responsive_grid.gd / responsive_inventory_grid.gd	custom_radial_container.gd, viewport_3d_preview.gd
Tag cloud / chip wrap	responsive_tag_cloud.gd	Grid column scripts, virtual_list.gd
Thousands of log/chat rows	virtual_list.gd + terminal_autoscroll.gd	Inventory/radial/viewport scripts
3D item/character preview	viewport_3d_preview.gd	Radial menu + inventory grid scripts
Radial / wheel menu	custom_radial_container.gd	Virtual list + tag cloud
Deep nesting / layout spikes	performance_anchor_layout.gd	Full responsive builder catalog

Available Scripts

virtual_list.gd

Virtual List Pooling — recycle a small Control pool + spacer height for O(1) ScrollContainer rows.

responsive_layout_builder.gd

Expert container builder with breakpoint-based responsive layouts.

responsive_grid.gd

Auto-adjusting GridContainer that changes column count based on available width.

responsive_inventory_grid.gd

Expert logic for dynamic Grid columns based on available width and item minimum size.

terminal_autoscroll.gd

Safe ScrollContainer management. Handles the common "one-frame delay" bug when adding logs or chat.

viewport_3d_preview.gd

High-performance 3D-in-UI setup. Uses stretch_shrink and transparent_bg for character previews.

dynamic_tab_manager.gd

Pattern for dynamic tab spawning, custom titles, and tab closing logic.

responsive_tag_cloud.gd

Wrapping item lists using HFlowContainer, essential for tag clouds and responsive menus.

performance_anchor_layout.gd

Optimization architecture. Replaces deep container nesting with lightweight Anchor and Offset logic.

custom_radial_container.gd

Expert custom container logic implementing a radial/circle layout via NOTIFICATION_SORT_CHILDREN.

animated_container_shuffle.gd

Dynamic sibling reordering and animation logic for interactive UI lists.

aspect_ratio_mini_map.gd

Enforcing strict aspect ratios (e.g. 1:1, 16:9) across fluid window resizes using AspectRatioContainer.

container_size_flags_pro.gd

Advanced sizing logic using SIZE_EXPAND_FILL and stretch_ratio for weighted layouts.

NEVER Do in UI Containers

• NEVER ignore mouse_filter properties; strictly set to PASS or IGNORE on overlay containers to prevent them from blocking clicks to underlying buttons.
• NEVER instantiate thousands of nodes in a ScrollContainer; strictly use Virtual List Pooling — MANDATORY read virtual_list.gd (VScrollBar hook + single spacer child) for O(1) rendering performance.
• NEVER manually calculate card dimensions for responsive grids; strictly use an AspectRatioContainer to lock proportions (e.g., 2:3 ratio) while allowing parent containers to handle scaling.
• NEVER manually set child position or size in a Container — Containers override child transforms during queue_sort(). Use custom_minimum_size or size_flags instead [1].
• NEVER forget size_flags for expansion — Default is SIZE_SHRINK_BEGIN. Children will stay tiny unless you set SIZE_EXPAND_FILL for responsive containers.
• NEVER use GridContainer without setting columns — Default is 1, creating a simple vertical list. For responsive wrapping, use HFlowContainer instead [8].
• NEVER nest containers too deeply (10+ levels) — Heavy nesting causes layout recalculation spikes. Replace intermediate containers with Anchor Layouts for static padding [16].
• NEVER skip separation overrides — Default theme separation is often too tight. Use add_theme_constant_override("separation", value) for professional breathing room.
• NEVER use ScrollContainer without a minimum size — Without it, the container may collapse to zero or expand infinitely, breaking the scroll mechanism.
• NEVER scroll to a new child on the same frame it was added — The layout hasn't updated yet. You MUST await get_tree().process_frame before setting scroll_vertical [5].
• NEVER scale a SubViewportContainer to change its size — This distorts the rendered contents. Adjust margins or use stretch and stretch_shrink properties instead [2].
• NEVER leave mouse_filter on default for layered Viewports — Input events might not reach children. Use MOUSE_FILTER_PASS or STOP to ensure events drill down [6].
• NEVER use GridContainer for responsive wrapping — Use HFlowContainer if you want items to wrap based on width. GridContainer enforces a strict column count [7].
• NEVER animate position directly inside a container — Use Tween on custom_minimum_size to smoothly "push" siblings during transitions [1].

---

Expert Layout Patterns

1. Split-Screen-Container (Dynamic)

Standard pattern for local multiplayer or comparisons using HSplitContainer.

# split_screen.gd
func setup_split(v1: SubViewport, v2: SubViewport):
    var hsplit = HSplitContainer.new()
    var c1 = SubViewportContainer.new()
    c1.stretch = true # Resize viewport to match container
    c1.add_child(v1)
    hsplit.add_child(c1)
    # repeat for c2/v2...

2. Virtual List ScrollContainer (Pooling)

High-performance list for thousands of items. MANDATORY: implement via virtual_list.gd (setup_pool + set_data) — do not paste a one-off scroll recycler inline.

3. Aspect-Ratio-Locked Cards

Responsive cards that maintain proportions (e.g., 2:3) in any grid or flow container.

# card_grid.gd
func add_card(texture: Texture2D):
    var arc = AspectRatioContainer.new()
    arc.ratio = 0.66 # 2:3 proportions
    arc.stretch_mode = AspectRatioContainer.STRETCH_FIT
    
    var tr = TextureRect.new()
    tr.texture = texture
    tr.expand_mode = TextureRect.EXPAND_IGNORE_SIZE
    tr.stretch_mode = TextureRect.STRETCH_KEEP_ASPECT_CENTERED
    
    arc.add_child(tr)
    grid_container.add_child(arc)

Size-flag recipes: MANDATORY container_size_flags_pro.gd — do not paste beginner SIZE_EXPAND_FILL tutorials inline.

Deep recipes (on demand)

LLM-ignorance rule: if a general agent would not know it before reading, it lives here or in scripts/ — never delete, only move.

Topic	Reference
Anchors, flags, separation	container-layout-recipes.md

Reference

Progressive disclosure: open Official Documentation links only when researching a specific API; load Related Skills when routing to a peer domain — do not preload the whole lattice.

Official Documentation

• Using Containers — Canonical guide for box/grid/flow/split containers, size flags, and when Containers override child transforms.
• Size and anchors — Anchor presets and offsets for responsive Control placement when you intentionally skip deep Container nesting.
• Control node gallery — Visual catalog of Control/Container types so agents pick HFlow vs Grid vs Split correctly.
• Custom GUI controls — NOTIFICATION_SORT_CHILDREN and fit_child_in_rect patterns required for custom radial/layouts.
• GUI navigation — Focus neighbors and keyboard/gamepad traversal across container-built menus.
• Multiple resolutions — Stretch modes and content scale that interact with container-driven responsive UI.
• Control — size_flags_*, custom_minimum_size, mouse_filter, and anchors APIs every layout script uses.
• Container — Base sort lifecycle (queue_sort / SORT_CHILDREN) that forbids manual child position/size.
• ScrollContainer — Scroll bars, minimum size pitfalls, and post-frame scroll_vertical updates for log/chat UIs.
• HFlowContainer — Width-based wrapping for tag clouds and chip lists (prefer over fixed-column GridContainer).
• AspectRatioContainer — Lock card/minimap proportions under fluid parent sizes.
• SubViewportContainer — stretch / stretch_shrink for 3D-in-UI previews without scaling distortion.

Related Skills

Prerequisites

• godot-project-foundations — Scene tree ownership, Control roots, and project layout conventions every responsive menu assumes before wiring containers.
• godot-gdscript-mastery — Typed Control APIs, @onready, and safe child rebuild loops used when building grids/tabs at runtime.
• godot-signal-architecture — Resize, tab-changed, and inventory-refresh signals should flow signal-up / call-down so layout scripts never own game state.

Complements

• godot-ui-theming — Theme constants (separation, margins) and type variations style container chrome without hardcoding colors in layout code.
• godot-ui-rich-text — RichTextLabel minimum sizes and BBCode content drive ScrollContainer height; pair after the layout shell exists.
• godot-tweening — Animate custom_minimum_size / reorder feedback instead of tweening position inside Containers.
• godot-input-handling — Focus, mouse_filter, and action maps for interactive lists/tabs built from Containers.
• godot-adapt-desktop-to-mobile — Breakpoint-driven column counts and safe-area margins compose with responsive Grid/HFlow builders.
• godot-inventory-system — Inventory grids consume responsive column logic; containers present slots, inventory owns item truth.
• godot-performance-optimization — Virtual list pooling and shallow anchor layouts when ScrollContainer would otherwise spawn thousands of Controls.

Downstream / consumers

• godot-dialogue-system — Dialogue choice lists and history panels are Scroll/VBox layouts that reuse autoscroll and separation patterns.
• godot-genre-card-game — Hand arcs, drag layers, and deck UIs assemble AspectRatio/HFlow containers around card Resources.
• godot-composition-apps — Tooling/app UIs reuse the same Container size-flag and split patterns outside gameplay HUDs.

Master

• godot-master — Router and mirrored module entry for UI Containers when agents start from the library index.