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taahrqqhar
14,147 PointsI really hate flex boxes...
I just wanted to express what I feel when I think of flex boxes... I really think they are a waste of time because if you can do the same thing you do with different css properties why would you want to use it? I know some people might say well we need to think to the future of browsers that will be able to display them and thats why we must learn it... well I say it's a waste of time because they don't add anything special to css!!! its like in html5 the nav tag when it's the same as using a div tag... you don't need it.. it doesn't add anything to the language
2 Answers
Chris Shaw
26,676 PointsHi Joe,
The reason we need flexbox is to solve the ugly responsive design patterns that are built into frameworks such as the Twitter Bootstrap, Foundation etc. With flexbox developers can remove all the hassle of ensuring floats for push and pull work correctly from desktop to mobile while also allowing for smooth transitions to mobile which up until now has been the biggest issue due to the stupid amount of screen sizes on market.
In short, flexbox gives us ultimate freedom when creating responsive grids, the possibilities of what we can achieve from this simple technology is endless as no longer do we need to worry so much about the screen size and simply worry about the design itself.
Also the <nav> element was introduced in HTML5 to create a more semantic and stream lined experience for accessibility, these new elements allow screen readers to define and let the user understand the differences within the page easier which up until now has been a labour intensive cycle and a struggle which these elements help us with.
James Barnett
39,199 PointsI concur.
- Since there's currently no polyfill for flexbox and as long as it's that way, it will remain in the area of proof of concept.
- Building websites that don't gracefully degrade is unacceptable and totally against the spirt of an open web and accessibility
- On the front of
<nav>element it's similarly problematic using aria-roles is right tool for enhancing accessibility
Chris Shaw
26,676 PointsSince there's currently no polyfill for flexbox and as long as it's that way, it will remain in the area of proof of concept.
Agreed, but considering how fast it appeared from concept to a working design has changed and started to restructure how we think about grids.
Building websites that don't gracefully degrade is unacceptable and totally against the spirt of an open web and accessibility
I also agree but now days there are plenty of different techniques to allow your site to gracefully degrade when the technology doesn't exist.
On the front of <nav> element it's similarly problematic using aria-roles is right tool for enhancing accessibility
I've tested the differences in Jaws and it understands the nav element quite well compared to using an aria role, at this point it and other newer elements such as header, main, footer etc. have a bit of work before they are understood 100% but they offer developers a much nicer way of introducing accessibility to the page without the overhead and hassle.