What this book covers
Chapter 1, Introduction to HTML and CSS, provides a grounding in the fundamentals of web development. Through practical exercises, the chapter introduces you to the syntax of both HTML and CSS, looks at the relationship between HTML and CSS, and explains the roles of these technologies in rendering a web page in the browser.
Chapter 2, Structure and Layout, introduces you to the structural elements in HTML, including header, footer, and section tags. You will also learn the three main CSS layout techniques: float, flex, and grid.
Chapter 3, Text and Typography Styling, introduces you to text-based elements, such as paragraphs, headings, and lists. We will go over how to style text-based elements in web pages and let your creativity run wild.
Chapter 4, Creating and Styling Forms, introduces you to the creation of web forms, starting with the key HTML elements used in forms and then learning how to style them with CSS. Along the way, you will also learn how to style your forms with validation styling.
Chapter 5, Adding Animation to Web Pages, explores how to effectively incorporate animations into web applications using CSS. You’ll be introduced to the versatile transform property, the intricacies of z-index, the smooth transitions enabled by CSS, and the powerful @keyframes rule for creating complex animations. By the end of this chapter, you’ll have created a portfolio-worthy project that demonstrates how these techniques can be applied in various real-world scenarios.
Chapter 6, Themes, Color, and Polishing Techniques, dives into managing styles based on user preferences using CSS themes and other refining techniques. You’ll gain an understanding of color theory with HSL, and how to implement light and dark themes, utilize CSS filters, and apply effective typography. We’ll also explore how to combine these approaches to enhance and personalize the user experience, ensuring your web designs are both visually appealing and user-centric.
Chapter 7, Using CSS and HTML to Boost Performance, provides an understanding of how we can measure web performance using Core Web Vitals. Through practical exercises, it explains some simple techniques using HTML and CSS that we can use to improve the performance of a web page.
Chapter 8, Responsive Web Design and Media Queries, teaches you how to implement responsive applications using breakpoints and media queries. We’ll delve into the “mobile first” approach, ensuring that your applications are optimized for mobile devices without sacrificing performance or design quality. You’ll also learn about viewports, responsive values, and the incredibly useful Flexbox layout, equipping you to create adaptive, high-quality web applications.
Chapter 9, Ensuring Accessibility in HTML and CSS, explains some of the challenges that web pages can present to users with disabilities and provides simple techniques using HTML and CSS that we can employ to improve the experience for those users while also improving the experience for all users.
Chapter 10, SEO Essentials for Web Developers, provides an in-depth guide to understanding SEO and how to measure its performance. You’ll learn about Core Web Vitals, strategies to improve SEO metrics, and how to position your application for high visibility in search engines. This chapter focuses on mastering the tools and techniques to outsmart search algorithms, giving your web projects a competitive edge.
Chapter 11, Preprocessors and Tooling for Efficient Development, takes a step further into performance and scalability. You’ll learn how to architect and build scalable, maintainable applications using powerful build tools such as Gulp and Webpack to automate development processes. We’ll also explore preprocessors such as Less and Sass, which enhance the capabilities of CSS, making your development process more efficient and your code more manageable.
Chapter 12, Strategies for Maintaining CSS Code, focuses on CSS performance and maintainability, introducing methodologies such as BEM (which stands for Block, Element, Modifier) and tools such as Tailwind CSS. These approaches help you maintain clean, organized, and efficient CSS code, ensuring your projects remain scalable and easy to manage as they grow.
Chapter 13, The Future of HTML and CSS – Advancements and Trends, provides a look at the latest advancements and emerging trends in HTML and CSS. This chapter serves as a guide to the future of web development, offering insights into the technologies and features that will shape tomorrow’s web. As the final chapter of this book, this chapter opens the door to the cutting-edge resources and innovations you can start exploring today to stay ahead in the rapidly evolving world of web development.
