diff --git a/dev/vscode-table/shift-table-columns.html b/dev/vscode-table/shift-table-columns.html
index 547e680aa..8ffcbe025 100644
--- a/dev/vscode-table/shift-table-columns.html
+++ b/dev/vscode-table/shift-table-columns.html
@@ -37,27 +37,21 @@
     <h1>Basic example</h1>
     <main>
       <vscode-demo>
-        <vscode-table
-          class="table"
-          columns='["100px", "200px"]'
-          min-column-width="50"
-          resizable
-          style="margin-left: 200px"
-        >
+        <vscode-table class="table" resizable style="margin-left: 200px">
           <vscode-table-header slot="header">
-            <vscode-table-header-cell min-width="30"
+            <vscode-table-header-cell min-width="30" preferred-width="25"
               >Id</vscode-table-header-cell
             >
-            <vscode-table-header-cell min-width="70"
+            <vscode-table-header-cell min-width="70" preferred-width="50"
               >First name</vscode-table-header-cell
             >
-            <vscode-table-header-cell min-width="70"
+            <vscode-table-header-cell min-width="70" preferred-width="75"
               >Last name</vscode-table-header-cell
             >
-            <vscode-table-header-cell min-width="70"
+            <vscode-table-header-cell min-width="70" preferred-width="auto"
               >Email</vscode-table-header-cell
             >
-            <vscode-table-header-cell min-width="70"
+            <vscode-table-header-cell min-width="70" preferred-width="auto"
               >Company</vscode-table-header-cell
             >
           </vscode-table-header>
@@ -101,6 +95,28 @@ <h1>Basic example</h1>
           </vscode-table-body>
         </vscode-table>
       </vscode-demo>
+      <button id="bt-empty">empty table body</button>
+      <button id="bt-append">Append row</button>
+      <script type="module">
+        const btEmpty = document.querySelector('#bt-empty');
+        const btAppend = document.querySelector('#bt-append');
+
+        btEmpty.addEventListener('click', () => {
+          document.querySelector('vscode-table-body').innerHTML = '';
+        });
+
+        btAppend.addEventListener('click', () => {
+          const row = document.createElement('vscode-table-row');
+          row.innerHTML = `
+            <vscode-table-cell>cell</vscode-table-cell>
+            <vscode-table-cell>cell</vscode-table-cell>
+            <vscode-table-cell>cell</vscode-table-cell>
+            <vscode-table-cell>cell</vscode-table-cell>
+            <vscode-table-cell>cell</vscode-table-cell>
+          `;
+          document.querySelector('vscode-table-body').append(row);
+        });
+      </script>
     </main>
   </body>
 </html>
diff --git a/src/includes/VscElement.ts b/src/includes/VscElement.ts
index a08762f83..13f8db001 100644
--- a/src/includes/VscElement.ts
+++ b/src/includes/VscElement.ts
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ const warn = (message: string, componentInstance?: VscElement) => {
     console.warn(`${prefix}${message}\n%o`, componentInstance);
   } else {
     // eslint-disable-next-line no-console
-    console.warn(`${message}\n%o`, componentInstance);
+    console.warn(`${prefix}${message}`);
   }
 };
 
diff --git a/src/vscode-table-body/vscode-table-body.ts b/src/vscode-table-body/vscode-table-body.ts
index 0d97f7576..f2a74499e 100644
--- a/src/vscode-table-body/vscode-table-body.ts
+++ b/src/vscode-table-body/vscode-table-body.ts
@@ -14,8 +14,15 @@ export class VscodeTableBody extends VscElement {
   @property({reflect: true})
   override role = 'rowgroup';
 
+  private _handleSlotChange() {
+    /** @internal */
+    this.dispatchEvent(
+      new Event('vsc-table-body-slot-changed', {bubbles: true})
+    );
+  }
+
   override render(): TemplateResult {
-    return html` <slot></slot> `;
+    return html` <slot @slotchange=${this._handleSlotChange}></slot> `;
   }
 }
 
@@ -23,4 +30,8 @@ declare global {
   interface HTMLElementTagNameMap {
     'vscode-table-body': VscodeTableBody;
   }
+
+  interface GlobalEventHandlersEventMap {
+    'vsc-table-body-slot-changed': Event;
+  }
 }
diff --git a/src/vscode-table-header-cell/vscode-table-header-cell.ts b/src/vscode-table-header-cell/vscode-table-header-cell.ts
index 30b77b2e3..29c42ccb4 100644
--- a/src/vscode-table-header-cell/vscode-table-header-cell.ts
+++ b/src/vscode-table-header-cell/vscode-table-header-cell.ts
@@ -8,6 +8,11 @@ export type VscTableChangeMinColumnWidthEvent = CustomEvent<{
   propertyValue: string;
 }>;
 
+export type VscTableChangePreferredColumnWidthEvent = CustomEvent<{
+  columnIndex: number;
+  propertyValue: string;
+}>;
+
 /**
  * @tag vscode-table-header-cell
  *
@@ -22,6 +27,9 @@ export class VscodeTableHeaderCell extends VscElement {
   @property({attribute: 'min-width'})
   minWidth = '0';
 
+  @property({attribute: 'preferred-width'})
+  preferredWidth = 'auto';
+
   /** @internal */
   @property({type: Number})
   index = -1;
@@ -40,6 +48,16 @@ export class VscodeTableHeaderCell extends VscElement {
         }) as VscTableChangeMinColumnWidthEvent
       );
     }
+
+    if (changedProperties.has('preferredWidth') && this.index > -1) {
+      /** @internal */
+      this.dispatchEvent(
+        new CustomEvent('vsc-table-change-preferred-column-width', {
+          detail: {columnIndex: this.index, propertyValue: this.preferredWidth},
+          bubbles: true,
+        }) as VscTableChangePreferredColumnWidthEvent
+      );
+    }
   }
 
   override render(): TemplateResult {
@@ -58,5 +76,6 @@ declare global {
 
   interface GlobalEventHandlersEventMap {
     'vsc-table-change-min-column-width': VscTableChangeMinColumnWidthEvent;
+    'vsc-table-change-preferred-column-width': VscTableChangePreferredColumnWidthEvent;
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/vscode-table/initial-column-widths.ts b/src/vscode-table/initial-column-widths.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..3cb09a972
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/vscode-table/initial-column-widths.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+import {percent, Percent} from '../includes/sizes.js';
+
+const PERCENT_FULL = percent(100);
+
+export type ColumnWidth = Percent | 'auto';
+
+export interface Column {
+  preferredWidth: ColumnWidth;
+  minWidth: Percent;
+}
+
+export function calculateInitialWidths(columns: Column[]): Percent[] {
+  const finalWidths: Percent[] = columns.map(
+    (c) =>
+      typeof c.preferredWidth === 'number'
+        ? percent(Math.max(c.preferredWidth, c.minWidth))
+        : percent(0) // auto placeholder
+  );
+
+  const autoIndices = columns
+    .map((c, i) => (c.preferredWidth === 'auto' ? i : -1))
+    .filter((i) => i >= 0);
+
+  const totalMinWidth = columns.reduce(
+    (sum, c) => percent(sum + c.minWidth),
+    percent(0)
+  );
+
+  if (totalMinWidth > PERCENT_FULL) {
+    const scale = PERCENT_FULL / totalMinWidth;
+    return columns.map((c) => percent(c.minWidth * scale));
+  }
+
+  const fixedWidthSum = finalWidths.reduce(
+    (sum, w) => percent(sum + w),
+    percent(0)
+  );
+  const remainingSpace = percent(PERCENT_FULL - fixedWidthSum);
+
+  if (remainingSpace > 0 && autoIndices.length > 0) {
+    const extraPerAuto = remainingSpace / autoIndices.length;
+    for (const i of autoIndices) {
+      finalWidths[i] = percent(Math.max(columns[i].minWidth, extraPerAuto));
+    }
+    return finalWidths;
+  }
+
+  if (autoIndices.length > 0) {
+    for (const i of autoIndices) {
+      finalWidths[i] = columns[i].minWidth;
+    }
+    return finalWidths;
+  }
+
+  if (remainingSpace > 0 && autoIndices.length === 0) {
+    const scale = PERCENT_FULL / fixedWidthSum;
+    return finalWidths.map((w) => percent(w * scale));
+  }
+
+  return finalWidths;
+}
diff --git a/src/vscode-table/vscode-table.ts b/src/vscode-table/vscode-table.ts
index d8098c798..78bd0ffbe 100644
--- a/src/vscode-table/vscode-table.ts
+++ b/src/vscode-table/vscode-table.ts
@@ -22,7 +22,11 @@ import {
 } from '../includes/sizes.js';
 import styles from './vscode-table.styles.js';
 import {ColumnResizeController} from './ColumnResizeController.js';
-import {VscTableChangeMinColumnWidthEvent} from '../vscode-table-header-cell/vscode-table-header-cell.js';
+import {
+  VscTableChangeMinColumnWidthEvent,
+  VscTableChangePreferredColumnWidthEvent,
+} from '../vscode-table-header-cell/vscode-table-header-cell.js';
+import {calculateInitialWidths, Column} from './initial-column-widths.js';
 
 /**
  * @tag vscode-table
@@ -35,6 +39,8 @@ import {VscTableChangeMinColumnWidthEvent} from '../vscode-table-header-cell/vsc
 export class VscodeTable extends VscElement {
   static override styles = styles;
 
+  //#region properties
+
   /** @internal */
   @property({reflect: true})
   override role = 'table';
@@ -128,6 +134,10 @@ export class VscodeTable extends VscElement {
   @property({type: Boolean, reflect: true, attribute: 'zebra-odd'})
   zebraOdd = false;
 
+  //#endregion
+
+  //#region private variables
+
   @query('.header')
   private _headerElement!: HTMLDivElement;
 
@@ -192,6 +202,10 @@ export class VscodeTable extends VscElement {
 
   private _columnResizeController = new ColumnResizeController(this);
 
+  //#endregion
+
+  //#region lifecycle methods
+
   constructor() {
     super();
 
@@ -199,6 +213,10 @@ export class VscodeTable extends VscElement {
       'vsc-table-change-min-column-width',
       this._handleMinColumnWidthChange
     );
+    this.addEventListener(
+      'vsc-table-change-preferred-column-width',
+      this._handlePreferredColumnWidthChange
+    );
   }
 
   override connectedCallback(): void {
@@ -235,6 +253,10 @@ export class VscodeTable extends VscElement {
     }
   }
 
+  //#endregion
+
+  //#region private methods
+
   private _memoizeComponentDimensions() {
     const cr = this.getBoundingClientRect();
 
@@ -502,6 +524,63 @@ export class VscodeTable extends VscElement {
     this._activeSashElementIndex = -1;
   }
 
+  private _updateColumnWidths() {
+    this._headerCells = this._queryHeaderCells();
+    const minWidths: Percent[] = [];
+    const preferredWidths: Percent[] = [];
+    minWidths.fill(percent(0), 0, this._headerCells.length - 1);
+    preferredWidths.fill(percent(0), 0, this._headerCells.length - 1);
+
+    this._headerCells.forEach((c, i) => {
+      c.index = i;
+
+      if (c.minWidth) {
+        const minWidth =
+          parseSizeAttributeToPercent(c.minWidth, this._componentW) ??
+          percent(0);
+        this._columnResizeController.setColumnMinWidthAt(i, minWidth);
+      }
+    });
+
+    const columns = this._headerCells.map((cell) => {
+      const preferredWidth =
+        cell.preferredWidth !== 'auto'
+          ? parseSizeAttributeToPercent(cell.preferredWidth, this._componentW)
+          : cell.preferredWidth;
+      const minWidth = parseSizeAttributeToPercent(
+        cell.minWidth,
+        this._componentW
+      );
+
+      return {preferredWidth, minWidth} as Column;
+    });
+    const calculatedWidths = calculateInitialWidths(columns);
+
+    this._columnResizeController.setColumWidths(calculatedWidths);
+    this._resizeColumns(true);
+  }
+
+  private _updateBodyColumnWidths() {
+    const widths = this._columnResizeController.columnWidths;
+    const firstRowCells = this._getCellsOfFirstRow();
+    firstRowCells.forEach((c, i) => (c.style.width = `${widths[i]}%`));
+  }
+
+  private _resizeColumns(resizeBodyCells = true) {
+    const widths = this._columnResizeController.columnWidths;
+
+    const headerCells = this._getHeaderCells();
+    headerCells.forEach((h, i) => (h.style.width = `${widths[i]}%`));
+
+    if (resizeBodyCells) {
+      this._updateBodyColumnWidths();
+    }
+  }
+
+  //#endregion
+
+  //#region event handlers
+
   private _onDefaultSlotChange() {
     this._assignedElements.forEach((el) => {
       if (el.tagName.toLowerCase() === 'vscode-table-header') {
@@ -517,24 +596,11 @@ export class VscodeTable extends VscElement {
   }
 
   private _onHeaderSlotChange() {
-    this._headerCells = this._queryHeaderCells();
-    const minWidths: Percent[] = [];
-    minWidths.fill(percent(0), 0, this._headerCells.length - 1);
-
-    this._headerCells.forEach((c, i) => {
-      c.index = i;
-
-      if (c.minWidth) {
-        const minWidth =
-          parseSizeAttributeToPercent(c.minWidth, this._componentW) ??
-          percent(0);
-        this._columnResizeController.setColumnMinWidthAt(i, minWidth);
-      }
-    });
+    this._updateColumnWidths();
   }
 
   private _onBodySlotChange() {
-    this._initDefaultColumnSizes();
+    // this._initDefaultColumnSizes();
     this._initResizeObserver();
     this._updateResizeHandlersSize();
 
@@ -574,18 +640,6 @@ export class VscodeTable extends VscElement {
     this.requestUpdate();
   }
 
-  private _resizeColumns(resizeBodyCells = true) {
-    const widths = this._columnResizeController.columnWidths;
-
-    const headerCells = this._getHeaderCells();
-    headerCells.forEach((h, i) => (h.style.width = `${widths[i]}%`));
-
-    if (resizeBodyCells) {
-      const firstRowCells = this._getCellsOfFirstRow();
-      firstRowCells.forEach((c, i) => (c.style.width = `${widths[i]}%`));
-    }
-  }
-
   private _handleSplitterPointerDown(event: PointerEvent) {
     event.stopPropagation();
 
@@ -636,9 +690,23 @@ export class VscodeTable extends VscElement {
 
     if (value) {
       this._columnResizeController.setColumnMinWidthAt(columnIndex, value);
+      this._updateColumnWidths();
     }
   };
 
+  private _handlePreferredColumnWidthChange = (
+    _event: VscTableChangePreferredColumnWidthEvent
+  ) => {
+    this._updateColumnWidths();
+  };
+
+  private _handleTableBodySlotChange() {
+    this._cellsOfFirstRow = [];
+    this._updateBodyColumnWidths();
+  }
+
+  //#endregion
+
   override render(): TemplateResult {
     const splitterPositions = this._columnResizeController.splitterPositions;
 
@@ -691,7 +759,11 @@ export class VscodeTable extends VscElement {
         </div>
         <vscode-scrollable class="scrollable">
           <div>
-            <slot name="body" @slotchange=${this._onBodySlotChange}></slot>
+            <slot
+              name="body"
+              @slotchange=${this._onBodySlotChange}
+              @vsc-table-body-slot-changed=${this._handleTableBodySlotChange}
+            ></slot>
           </div>
         </vscode-scrollable>
         ${sashes}