What framework should I use? | Go Make Things

Taking RWD To The Extreme — Smashing Magazine

Some really great advice here:

• Use native layout systems
• Start with semantic HTML
• Use fluid type with fluid space
• Always bet on progressive enhancement
• Trust the browser
• Ditch the “physical” CSS

Building a robust frontend using progressive enhancement - Service Manual - GOV.UK

Oh, how I wish that every team building for the web would use this sensible approach!

It’s about time I tried to explain what progressive enhancement actually is - Piccalilli

Progressive enhancement is a design and development principle where we build in layers which automatically turn themselves on based on the browser’s capabilities.

The idea of progressive enhancement is that everyone gets the perfect experience for them, rather than a pre-determined “perfect” experience from a design and development team.

An origin trial for a new HTML <permission> element  |  Blog  |  Chrome for Developers

This looks interesting. On the hand, it’s yet another proprietary creation by one browser vendor (boo!), but on the other hand it’s a declarative API with no JavaScript required (yay!).

Even if this particular feature doesn’t work out, I hope that this is the start of a trend for declarative access to browser features.

Your site or app should work as much as possible without JavaScript | Go Make Things

Photoshop in the browser? That needs JS.

But the reality is, most of what we build is either static HTML or mostly just forms and page reloads. We can build the web that way by default, and progressively enhance a more Ajaxy experience on top of it.

The result is an app that’s faster to load, faster to run, and less prone to breaking… without much additional work for your developers.