---
sidebar_position: 2
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import Playground from '@site/src/components/Playground';

# Align Items

Align items describes how to align children along the cross axis of their container.
Align items is very similar to [`justify content`](/docs/styling/justify-content) but instead of
applying to the main axis, `align items` applies to the cross axis.

**Stretch (default)**: Stretch children of a container to match the `height` of the container's cross axis.

**Flex start**: Align children of a container to the start of the container's cross axis.

**Flex end**: Align children of a container to the end of the container's cross axis.

**Center**: Align children of a container in the center of the container's cross axis.

**Baseline**: Align children of a container along a common baseline. Individual children can be set to be the reference baseline for their parents.

# Align Self

Align self has the same options and effect as `align items` but instead of
affecting the children within a container, you can apply this property to
a single child to change its alignment within its parent. `align self`
overrides any option set by the parent with `align items`.

<Playground code={`<Layout config={{useWebDefaults: false}}>
  <Node
    style={{
      width: 250,
      height: 250,
      padding: 10,
      alignItems: 'flex-start'
    }}>
    <Node
      style={{
        margin: 5,
        height: 50,
        width: 50,
        alignSelf: 'center'
      }}/>
    <Node style={{margin: 5, height: 50, width: 50}} />
  </Node>
</Layout>`} />