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Alexandria Brown
10,648 PointsFixed vs. Fluid vs. Responsive Layout
I'm starting the planning for my portfolio site and I've been debating if it should be fixed or fluid. I reason since I'm not that established yet nor looking for a job I'd stick with fixed. Then as my work grows and I start actively looking for work I could easily transition to fluid then responsive.
Responsive web design is all over the blogs so I just wonder if fixed is a mark of out dated skill.
4 Answers
James Anwyl
Full Stack JavaScript Techdegree Graduate 49,960 PointsHi,
What I tend to do is build it fixed first then make it fluid by converting units from pixels to ems or %'s (using the target / context = result formula).
I find it easier to do it this way rather than trying to specify everything in relative units from the get go.
Many sites still use fixed positioning but I think its definitely a good (and future proof) idea to take a mobile-first, responsive approach, so your design adapts to suit any device the user may be viewing it with, now and in the future.
Just my 2 cents :)
Steven Rodriguez
5,643 PointsI'm by no means an expert in the subject, this is just an opinion. With that being said, if your intent is to eventually look for work and use this portfolio site for that purpose, I'd at the very least plan to make a responsive layout if you end up doing a fixed one for now. If it were me, I'd make it responsive. This way I could get practice creating such a layout. The more practice you get, the better it is for you.
When you decide to apply for jobs you'll be able to show that you can create great looking sites/apps on a multitude of different devices and not just 1 (maybe 2) fixed/fluid layout(s).
Alexandria Brown
10,648 PointsThat's a good strategy if I don't do responsive, I'll definitely plan for it. Thanks for the tip Steven!
Michael Wiss
19,233 PointsIt must be responsive if you want to be taken seriously. Take the front-end frameworks course and it won't seem so daunting.
Alexandria Brown
10,648 PointsI'm taking the responsive course right now, so I'll take that one next. Thanks Michael.
Alcibiades Montas
5,974 PointsI would also do it responsive as much as possible and use Media queries to have different sites as needed. There is a lot of work involved fixing a fixed side to be fluid and whereas is much more easier to set it up from the get go. It is really not that difficult just use percentages instead of pixels and media queries to specify your device and layout.
Alexandria Brown
10,648 PointsLooks like responsive is the wise way to go, thanks Alcibiades.
Alexandria Brown
10,648 PointsAlexandria Brown
10,648 PointsI agree with trying to specify everything being that I don't have much content right now so it would be just random guesses. But it probably would be wiser to go ahead and lay a foundation now. Thanks for the insight!