What Is The Future Of CSS?
Starting a new season of the Smashing Podcast with a look at the future of CSS. What new specs will be landing in browsers soon? Drew McLellan talks to Miriam to find out.
Podcast
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2021 Posts
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Article post typeContainer Queries: a Quick Start Guide
Now is the time to begin experimenting with a long requested layout tool.
The
@containerquery, that elusive feature developers have been requesting and proposing for years, has finally made its debut in a browser. Well, sort of. Here we’ll explain what container queries are, how they work, and what other features they might come with once fully supported in browsers. 
Podcast post typeJS Danger, CSS-Tricks Edition
I joined some other folks behind CSS-Tricks (maybe you’ve heard of it?) to face off in the much beloved don’t-call-it-jeopardy game show. Play along while you listen (or watch). It’s JS Danger time, y’all!
2020
Link post typeVery Extremely Practical CSS Art
CSS-Tricks asked a number of web builders the same question…
“What is one thing you learned about building websites this year?” I’ve always enjoyed the CSS art people create, but I’ve never ventured into it much myself. I’m familiar with many of the tricks involved, but still find it surprising every time: the way people are able to…
Podcast post typeCSS, Sass, and Playwriting
I join Ari, Ben, and Tessa to talk about getting into CSS from other languages, the absurdly massive problem CSS is designed to solve, and the mental model behind the language.
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Case Study post typeTypographic Superpower Game
A meditation on typography
A meditation on typography, Adobe Fonts’ Game allows players to choose the fonts that they feel apply best to different scenarios. Players’ input helps Adobe Fonts continue to improve on their new browse-by-tags feature. We worked closely with Adobe to create animated & interactive illustrations using GreenSock, NuxtJS, and CSS – while maintaining high performance standards and responsive, accessible design.
Video post typeDesign Engineering Handbook
Thoughts on the design & development process
Learn how design engineering brings together form and function in this new Design Better book written by Natalya Shelburne, Adekunle Oduye, Kim Williams, and Eddie Lou – including interviews with Miriam and others.
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Link post typeUsing Custom Property “Stacks” to Tame the Cascade
Since the inception of CSS in 1994, the cascade and inheritance have defined how we design on the web. Both are powerful features, but as authors we’ve had very little control over how they interact. Selector specificity and source order provide some minimal “layering” control, without a lot of nuance – and inheritance requires an unbroken lineage. Now, CSS Custom Properties allow us to manage and control both cascade and inheritance in new ways.
Video post typeDesign Systems AMA
Jina and I answer questions about CSS, Sass, Design Systems, and more!
Podcast post typeAuthoring the future of CSS
A spinoff of the Party Corgi Network discord. I chat with Chris Biscardi about The CSS Working Group, open-source projects, art, and music.
Article post typeW3C Invited Expert on the CSS Working Group
Helping define the future of styles on the web
I’ve joined the CSS Working Group as a W3C Invited Expert to help to develop the next level of Cascading & Inheritance, in addition to other CSS standards. I’m also currently active in the CSS4 and Design Token Community Groups.
2019
Link post typeEmbracing the Universal Web
CSS-Tricks asked a number of web builders the same question…
“What about building websites has you interested this year?” There are constantly new features appearing in browsers – from subgrid to variable fonts to better developer tools. It’s a really great time to be re-thinking everything we know about design on the web. Responsive design has served us…
Video post typeEdit CSS Shapes in the Browser
For quick visual adjustments directly on the page
Have you ever wanted to create more interesting shapes on the web, or flow text around the details of an image? Shape paths can be hard to code without a visual reference, but Firefox provides a shape editor to make it quick and clear.
Link post typeIt’s My Job, and Yours
CSS-Tricks asked a number of web builders the same question…
“What about building websites has you interested this year?” The role of ethics in our modern web space has been on my mind for the past few years and I suspect it will occupy my thoughts increasingly as I move forward. With each encounter of a questionable feature…
Video post typeUse new selectors responsibly with selector queries
Just in time for Selectors Level 4
Firefox 69 was the first to implement selector feature queries, but other browsers are following suit. I’ll show you how it works, and how to start using this new feature query right away.
