Advanced layout features

In this chapter, we have covered the most simple of the layout features in Shiny with the help of the sidebarLayout(), mainPanel(), and tabsetPanel() functions. In later chapters, we will build larger and more complex applications, including dashboards, and make use of more advanced layout features. It is worth pausing here briefly to take a quick look at the other types of layout that are available, so you can think about the best way to implement your own application as we go through the next couple of chapters.

There are essentially two more broad types of layout function that you can use in Shiny. The first uses the layout features of Bootstrap and allows you to precisely define the layout of your application using a grid layout. Essentially, Bootstrap asks you to define the UI as a series of rows. Each row can be further subdivided into columns of varying widths.

Each set of columns on a row has widths that add up to 12. In this way one can quite easily specify...