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Using CSS frameworks :: Dec 3, 11:50 AM

The debate about using css frameworks has been raging over the past few weeks, with even extremely well respected designers and developers seemingly throwing public punches at each other over the usefulness of such frameworks.

I have some experience in this field having developed a framework of sorts which is currently used across a number of quite large websites and although their use helps define a number of key elements such as the removal of default browse styling and resets fonts to a consistent 1.0em, this is to be honest about as far as it goes. Other features include a consistent naming convention and coding pattern for key elements and content types which are used across all sites, however these are just coding patterns rather than css frameworks.

The reason for these features being the only consistent styles used across all sites is that each sites visual style differs considerably. This results in all apart from the initial default styles being made redundant.

Over time I have tried to use the framework on other projects, however very rapidly it becomes quite clear that the complexity over the base styles is often too much to be used on smaller simpler sites.

This I think this is where all the contention lies with the use of frameworks. A framework is fine when used for one site or group of sites. Most css frameworks are those developed by large organizations for use in-house which have been published along with other framework components such as JavaScript and other server side technologies in an open source fashion. Outside of these organizations the css framework is of little benefit, unless you want to look like the publisher of the framework!

For this reason it maybe better to label these frameworks some other way. There is great benefit from defining a naming convention and markup patterns so styles and behavioral scripts can be shared across sites, but for presentation features I can’t see the benefit.

Frameworks do have a place in allowing rapid wire frame development of web sites and applications, however in my experience when it comes to delivering production code and applying visual design the current set of frameworks is a little prohibiting, requiring most of the code, html and css to be rewritten and refractor to apply the required design.