Jun 15 2009

Thoughts and tips on using CSS Frameworks

Rails Ruby SASS HAML Blueprint User Interface | comments

I used to know how to design well. Until I realized I've been too confined with my own self-discovered processes. Here are my thoughts and tips on using of CSS Frameworks and tools like Compass, Blueprint CSS, 960 GS and many others:

    <li>To design with confidence means to learn new things without discarding old concepts or even old tools like Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Fireworks. </li>
                  <li>Frameworks should help you focus on innovating rather than fixing bugs that is why I think "CSS Frameworks" are aptly called as such because they help you speed up your work and focus on communicating functionality (backend) issues with your client instead. </li>
                  

  • If you are a lone developer like myself, it's best to figure out ways to reduce redundant processes.
  • Make code readable. Type less: use HAML. You'll never worry about closing tags or not having valid markup.
  • Useful tool for Linux users: GMate
  • Useful framework for Ruby developers: Compass
  • If you don't like the 24-column grid, you can use a grid generator. There are several grid generators written in several different languages. Notable ones are: Blueprint Grid CSS Generator and BlueGrid AIR
You may check out my blueprint css experiment here.