From Vanilla CSS to Tailwind: Navigating the Stylesheet Landscape
Written by
Sumit Khan
Front End Developer
Sumit Sharma
Software Engineer & Solutions Architect
Table of contents
Build with Radial Code
CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) stands as the backbone of web development, orchestrating the visual appeal and layout of websites. While frameworks like Tailwind CSS have gained prominence, it's essential to grasp the fundamentals of Vanilla CSS—the raw, pure styling language that forms the foundation of the web. Let's embark on a journey to explore the simplicity and power inherent in writing styles with Vanilla CSS.
Advantages of Vanilla CSS
- Separation of Concerns:
- Enhanced Collaboration: By segregating styling from content, CSS improves the readability of HTML and facilitates collaboration between designers and developers.
- Consistent Styling:
- Global Styles: CSS allows for the application of global styles, ensuring a uniform appearance across multiple pages.
- Reusability: Styles can be efficiently reused throughout the website, promoting a cohesive design language.
- Efficient Maintenance:
- Centralized Control: Updates to the design can be made in a single CSS file, streamlining the process and improving manageability.
- Modularity: CSS supports the organization of styles into separate files or modules, enhancing maintenance.
- Responsive Design:
- Media Queries: CSS enables responsive design through media queries, adapting layouts seamlessly to different devices and screen sizes.
- Flexibility: The flexibility of CSS contributes to the creation of adaptive and visually appealing designs.
- Accessibility :
- Semantic HTML: CSS complements semantic HTML, promoting accessibility and proper document structure.
- ARIA(Accessible Rich Internet Applications) Roles: CSS can be used to apply ARIA roles, enhancing the accessibility of web content.
- Ease of Updates:
- Quick Styling Changes: CSS allows for swift styling adjustments without affecting the underlying HTML structure.
- Browser Compatibility: CSS provides mechanisms to handle specific styles for different browsers, ensuring compatibility.
- Animations and Transitions:
- Keyframe Animations: CSS supports keyframe animations, adding a dynamic element to web development.
- Transitions: Smooth transitions between states can be achieved using CSS , enhancing the overall user experience.
Mastering the Basics: A Guide to Vanilla CSS
In this journey, we'll uncover the art of fine-tuning elements, mastering layout techniques, and embracing the flexibility that Vanilla CSS offers. While frameworks have their place, the mastery of Vanilla CSS empowers developers to create unique and tailored user experiences. Join us on this exploration of the core styling language that shapes the visual landscape of the web.
- Selectors and Styling :
- Box Model :
- Layout :
- Positioning :
- Typography :
- Selectors and Pseudo-classes :
- Transitions and Animations :
- Flexbox and Grid :
- Responsive Design :
- Browser Compatibility :
/* Retrieving elements by tag name */
p {
color: blue;
}
/* Selecting elements by class */
.highlight {
background-color: yellow;
}
/* Selecting elements by ID */
#header {
font-size: 24px;
}
/* Styling the box model */
.box {
width: 200px;
padding: 20px;
border: 2px solid black;
margin: 10px;
}
/* Creating a flexbox layout */
.flex-container {
display: flex;
justify-content: space-between;
}
/* Creating a responsive layout with media queries */
@media screen and (max-width: 600px) {
.responsive-box {
width: 100%;
}
}
/* Positioning elements */
.absolute-position {
position: absolute;
top: 0;
left: 0;
}
/* Styling text */
.styled-text {
font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif;
font-size: 18px;
font-weight: bold;
text-align: center;
}
/* Using pseudo-classes for dynamic styling */
a: hover {
color: red;
}
/* Selecting even rows with pseudo-classes */
tr:nth-child(even) {
background-color: #f2f2f2;
}
/* Adding a transition effect */
.transition-box {
width: 100px;
height: 100px;
background-color: blue;
transition: width 0.5s ease-in-out;
}
/* Creating a simple animation with keyframes */
@keyframes slide {
from {
margin-left: 0;
}
to {
margin-left: 100px;
}
}
.animated-box {
animation: slide 2s ease-in-out infinite alternate;
}
/* Using Flexbox for layout */
.flex-container {
display: flex;
justify-content: space-between;
}
/* Using Grid for layout */
.grid-container {
display: grid;
grid-template-columns: repeat(3, 1fr);
gap: 10px;
}
/* Using media queries for responsiveness */
@media screen and (max-width: 768px) {
.responsive-box {
width: 100%;
}
}
/* Vendor prefixes for browser compatibility */
.example {
WebKitt-border-radius: 5px;
-moz-border-radius: 5px;
border-radius: 5px;
}
Tailwind CSS
In the ever-evolving landscape of web development, Tailwind CSS has emerged as a powerful tool, revolutionizing the way developers approach styling. While frameworks like Tailwind have gained popularity, understanding the fundamentals of Vanilla CSS is crucial. This journey will explore the simplicity and efficiency inherent in writing styles with Tailwind CSS, a utility-first framework that complements and enhances the principles of Vanilla CSS.
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Advantages of Using Tailwind CSS
- Utility-First Approach
- In traditional CSS, you might define styles in a separate stylesheet and then apply those styles to specific elements using class or ID selectors.
- Tailwind CSS takes a different approach known as "utility-first." It provides a large set of utility classes that directly apply styles to HTML elements.
- Instead of creating custom CSS rules for each style, you can use pre-defined utility classes directly in your HTML. These classes are designed to cover a wide range of styling options.
- No Custom CSS
- Tailwind allows the creation of entire websites without the necessity of writing custom CSS. This reduction in custom code can streamline development and maintenance.
- Responsive Design
- Tailwind simplifies responsive design with its responsive utility classes. Developers can easily adjust styles based on different screen sizes without resorting to complex media queries.
- Easy to Learn
- Tailwind is relatively easy to learn, especially for developers familiar with HTML and CSS. The straightforward utility classes align with common styling patterns.
- Customization
- While providing a default set of styles, Tailwind is highly customizable. Developers can extend or override styles, and define custom colors, fonts, and spacing, offering flexibility and adherence to project-specific design systems.
- Low Learning Curve
- Tailwind doesn't introduce new abstractions, making it accessible for developers already comfortable with HTML and CSS. The utility classes facilitate a quick start with a minimal learning curve.
- No Naming Conventions
- Tailwind eliminates the need for creating and managing class names, simplifying the code structure and making it more predictable.
- Integration with Build Tools
- Tailwind seamlessly integrates with popular build tools such as Webpack, Parcel, or PostCSS, making it compatible with various project setups.
<!-- Traditional CSS -->
<link rel="stylesheet" href="styles.css">
<!-- Applying styles with classes in HTML -->
<div class="my-custom-style">Content</div>
<!-- Tailwind CSS Utility-First Approach -->
<div class="bg-blue-500 text-white p-4">Content</div>
<!-- Traditional CSS -->
<link rel="stylesheet" href="styles.css">
<!-- Tailwind CSS without custom CSS -->
<div class="bg-gray-200 text-black p-6">Content</div>
<!-- Traditional CSS with media queries -->
<style>
@media (min-width: 768px) {
.responsive-style {
font-size: 18px;
}
}
</style>
<!-- Tailwind CSS Responsive Design -->
<div class="text-lg md:text-xl lg:text-2xl">Content</div>
<!-- Traditional CSS -->
<style>
.custom-style {
color: red;
font-size: 16px;
}
</style>
<!-- Tailwind CSS Easy to Learn -->
<div class="text-red-500 text-lg">Content</div>
<!-- Tailwind CSS Customization -->
<div class="bg-custom-color text-custom-font p-8">Content</div>
<!-- Traditional CSS -->
<style>
.custom-style {
color: blue;
margin: 10px;
}
</style>
<!-- Tailwind CSS Low Learning Curve -->
<div class="text-blue-500 m-4">Content</div>
<!-- Traditional CSS with custom class names -->
<style>
.my-custom-class {
background-color: green;
}
</style>
<!-- Tailwind CSS No Naming Conventions -->
<div class="bg-green-500">Content</div>
Tailwind CSS presents a compelling solution for projects aligning with its utility-first approach. While it may not be the ideal fit for every scenario, its advantages make it a powerful tool in the developer's toolkit, especially for projects where rapid development and consistency are paramount.
Mastering Tailwind CSS
Tailwind CSS (with different configurations): While Tailwind CSS is known for its utility-first approach, you can also customize its configuration to suit your preferences or explore different presets provided by the community. Here are steps and tips to help you master Tailwind CSS:
- Efficient Utility-First Development
- Tailwind CSS empowers developers with an efficient utility-first approach, allowing for rapid development and easy styling directly within HTML elements.
- Rapid Prototyping Simplified
- Rapidly prototype and iterate on designs with Tailwind's extensive set of utility classes, eliminating the need for boilerplate CSS code and accelerating the development process.
- Streamlined Customization
- Customize styles effortlessly with Tailwind, striking a balance between predefined utility classes and the flexibility to tailor designs to match specific project requirements.
- Consistency Through Utility
- Establish and maintain design consistency effortlessly using Tailwind's utility-first methodology, ensuring a cohesive and polished user interface across your project.
- Seamless Responsive Design
- Tailwind simplifies responsive design with intuitive utility classes, enabling developers to create layouts that adapt seamlessly to various screen sizes and devices.
- Accessible Learning Curve
- Tailwind's utility classes align with common styling patterns, contributing to a minimal learning curve. Developers can quickly grasp and apply styles without the need for extensive training.
- Tailored Customization Options
- Tailwind strikes a balance between convention and customization, offering developers the ability to extend or override styles while maintaining project-specific design systems.
- Optimized Production Builds
- Tailwind aids in creating optimized production builds by incorporating tools like "MinifyCSS", resulting in streamlined and minimal CSS files that enhance website performance.
<!-- Efficient Utility-First Development with Tailwind CSS -->
<div class="bg-blue-500 text-white p-4 rounded-lg shadow-md">
Efficient Development with Tailwind
</div>
<!-- Rapid Prototyping Simplified with Tailwind CSS -->
<div class="bg-yellow-400 text-black p-6 rounded-xl">
Simplify prototyping with Tailwind's utility classes.
</div>
<!-- Streamlined Customization with Tailwind CSS -->
<button class="bg-gray-800 text-white px-4 py-2 rounded-md hover:bg-gray-700">
Customize Me
</button>
<!-- Consistency Through Utility with Tailwind CSS -->
<div class="flex items-center justify-center h-20 bg-green-300 text-gray-800 font-semibold">
Consistency Across the Project
</div>
<!-- Seamless Responsive Design with Tailwind CSS -->
<div class="sm:w-1/2 lg:w-1/4 p-4">
Content Adapting to Screen Sizes
</div>
<!-- Accessible Learning Curve with Tailwind CSS -->
<p class="text-blue-500 text-lg font-bold">
Easy to Learn and Apply Styles
</p>
<!-- Tailored Customization Options with Tailwind CSS -->
<div class="bg-purple-600 text-white p-6 rounded-lg transition duration-300 transform hover:scale-105">
Customization with Hover Effect
</div>
<!-- Optimized Production Builds with Tailwind CSS -->
<!-- Include only the necessary styles -->
<link rel="stylesheet" href="build/tailwind.min.css">
Comparison
Feature |
Vanilla CSS |
Tailwind CSS |
---|---|---|
Philosophy and Approach |
Traditional approach with custom styles using selectors, properties, and rules. |
Utility-first philosophy with pre-built utility classes for direct styling. |
Writing Styles |
Defining styles with selectors and properties in a style block or external stylesheet. |
Applying utility classes directly in the markup, using a concise syntax. |
Example Code |
css body { font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif; background-color: #f5f5f5; } |
html <body class="font-sans bg-gray-100"> |
Responsive Design |
Relies on media queries for responsive design, manually defining breakpoints. |
Utilizes intuitive utility classes for various screen sizes, simplifying the process. |
Writing Styles |
Defining styles with selectors and properties in a style block or external stylesheet. |
Applying utility classes directly in the markup, using a concise syntax. |
Responsive Design Example |
css @media screen and (max-width: 600px) { .container { width: 100%; } } |
html <div class="lg:w-1/2 md:w-full sm:w-full"> |
Pros |
Complete freedom and flexibility, granular control over styles. |
Streamlined development, rapid prototyping, concise syntax, and adaptability. |
Cons |
More code may be required for specific styling, potentially more verbose and repetitive. |
The learning curve for understanding utility classes is less granular control. |
Conclusion
To sum it up, the choice between Vanilla CSS and Tailwind CSS carries significant importance in web development. Vanilla CSS provides comprehensive control and a solid foundation but can be verbose.Tailwind CSS, with its utility-first approach, prioritizes efficiency and consistency but requires overcoming a learning curve. The decision depends on project needs and developer preferences, with each approach having its strengths. Ultimately, mastering both provides a versatile toolkit for web styling, allowing developers to navigate the evolving landscape effectively.