CSS is poised for a significant upgrade with the introduction of custom functions, offering a way to encapsulate and reuse complex logic within stylesheets. Similar to functions in programming languages, these allow developers to define reusable blocks of CSS with parameters, enabling dynamic theming, responsive design adjustments, and streamlined maintenance. This functionality will bring enhanced flexibility and maintainability to CSS, potentially simplifying intricate styles and reducing code duplication. The introduction of custom functions signals a move toward more programmatic and powerful styling capabilities.
BritCSS is a humorous CSS framework that replaces American English spellings in CSS properties and values with their British English equivalents. It aims to provide a more "civilised" (British English spelling) styling experience, swapping terms like color for colour and center for centre. While functionally identical to standard CSS, it serves primarily as a lighthearted commentary on the dominance of American English in web development.
Hacker News users generally found BritCSS humorous, but impractical. Several commenters pointed out the inherent problems with trying to localize CSS, given its global nature and the established convention of using American English. Some suggested it would fragment the community and create unnecessary complexity in workflows. One commenter jokingly suggested expanding the idea to include other localized CSS versions, like Australian English, further highlighting the absurdity of the project. Others questioned the motivation behind targeting American English specifically, suggesting it stemmed from a place of anti-American sentiment. There's also discussion about the technical limitations and challenges of such an undertaking, like handling existing libraries and frameworks. While some appreciated the satire, the consensus was that BritCSS wasn't a serious proposal.
Summary of Comments ( 15 )
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43236126
Hacker News users generally express excitement about the potential of CSS custom functions (also known as CSS variables). Several commenters highlight the benefits for theming and dynamic styling, particularly the ability to easily switch themes or adjust styles based on user preferences or context. Some anticipate improved code organization and maintainability through reduced redundancy. A few express caution, noting potential performance implications and the need for careful planning to avoid overly complex or difficult-to-debug stylesheets. One commenter suggests the feature could make CSS preprocessors like Sass less necessary, while another points out that preprocessors still offer additional functionality beyond custom functions. There's also discussion around the naming conventions and best practices for using custom functions effectively.
The Hacker News post "CSS Custom Functions are coming and they are going to be a game changer" linking to an article about upcoming CSS custom function features sparked a discussion with several interesting comments.
Many commenters express enthusiasm for the potential of CSS custom functions, particularly highlighting the ability to encapsulate and reuse complex logic, leading to more maintainable and DRY CSS. One commenter points out how this feature could simplify responsive design, allowing developers to define custom functions for calculations related to screen size or other dynamic properties. The example given is defining a function to calculate font size based on viewport width, eliminating the need for repetitive media queries.
Several commenters discuss the potential performance implications. Some express concern that overuse of custom functions might negatively impact rendering performance. Others argue that, if implemented efficiently by browsers, custom functions could actually improve performance by reducing the amount of CSS code that needs to be parsed. This leads to a discussion of how browsers currently optimize CSS and how custom functions might fit into that optimization process.
One compelling thread explores the possibility of using custom functions for theming and design systems. The idea is that variables alone are insufficient for complex theming logic, whereas custom functions would allow for more sophisticated calculations and manipulations of design tokens. This resonates with several other commenters who see the potential for creating truly dynamic and adaptable design systems using this feature.
Some skepticism is also present. One commenter questions whether the complexity introduced by custom functions might outweigh the benefits for simpler projects. Another points out the existing limitations of CSS preprocessors and wonders if custom functions would suffer from similar constraints. The discussion around preprocessors leads to comparisons between using preprocessors and native CSS solutions, with some arguing that native features are generally preferable due to better integration and performance.
Finally, a few comments touch upon the broader implications of this feature for the evolution of CSS and front-end development in general. Some see it as a significant step towards making CSS more powerful and expressive, while others remain cautious, preferring to wait and see how the feature is adopted and implemented in practice. The overall sentiment, however, is one of cautious optimism and excitement for the potential of CSS custom functions.