CSS in Depth is an excellent book. It is a code-along experience with its examples and resources over on github (Google "CSS in Depth Github files" or something like that). In this book, I learned more about HTML, CSS, and even some more about JavaScript. It is one of the best kinds of books on web development. I recommend it highly.
It starts with the most essential components: cascade, specificity, inheritance, relative units, and the box model. These fundamentals are often easily missed when a web developer is teaching oneself. Locking in these fundamentals really sets the stage for success. As a full stack developer with over 7 years of experience, I greatly appreciate this part of the book. So many bad habits in web design form out of a lack of knowledge on the core CSS rules. This section showed me my own bad habits (especially in the area of specificity) and helped me to understand the core of CSS much better.
After that, the author goes over layout techniques, from floats to flexbox to CSS grid, as well as responsive design. These are vital for any web developer when building modern web applications and when considering what browsers they are going to support. I found this section to be useful; at the same time, knowing how many different ways people have come up with techniques to lay out the web is both impressive and frustrating. Fortunately, we are at a point in the history of the web that old methodologies (table-based layouts, display table layouts, and float-based layouts) are becoming a relic of the past. Even legacy browsers like IE have some support for more modern layout techniques. This section is like the best kind of history lesson: it makes sense of the present by explaining the past and showing how far we've come. Good stuff.
Then, the author talks about CSS at scale. I work on an enterprise web application, and I believe the author has done us a favor by covering this topic. So often, when multiple teams work on disparate projects or even on one large project together, CSS gets duplicated, and maintaining these systems can be a big headache. Keeping web application CSS organized and intentional (using an organizational practice such as BEM) and providing a pattern library can go a long way to encouraging CSS reuse and making an enterprise web application more successful. With that said, I think these techniques should be a part of any web developer's toolkit, since they foster collaboration. Great section!
The final section of the book goes over what the author calls Advanced Topics: backgrounds, shadows, blend modes, contrast, color (HSL, anyone?), spacing, typography, animations, the list goes on. I enjoyed this section quite a bit, because coding along with the book and watching the different techniques in action feels good.
I took a very long time to read this book. I read sections in bursts, and I spent time thinking about and applying what I learned during the workday. I even did side projects where I applied what I learned. I don't have a recommendation as to how quickly you should read this book. It depends on your best way to learn. With that said, if you choose to read this book, I do recommend you type up the examples he provides and run them on a web browser.
While reading, I followed along with VS Code, a free development application that is somewhere between a text editor and a full IDE. It's awesome, and unless you have a preferred code editor already, I highly recommend it. I was throwing down new web applications left and right during the book, and I used the "Live Server" extension, as well as Emmet snippets, to quickly get from the written page to the rendered web page ;)
I remember the author tweeting about being in the process of writing this book. I was excited at the idea of this book and felt like a modern publication on this topic was desperately needed. Well, I'm done reading it, and it was well worth my time. I keep a copy on my row at work, and I share it with my teammates so we can all learn from it. I'm sure I'll be reading it again in the future.
As a final note, I like the author's teaching style. I would really like to see an online learning resource that teaches the way this book does and provides many, many more full example projects, more than a book could reasonably provide. Coding alongside the author was vital. It gets CSS into your fingers and gives you your own internal understanding of it all.
Read the book. Make awesome web stuff. You can do it.
FREE delivery Sunday, April 26 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
FREE delivery Sunday, April 26 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
FREE delivery April 29 - May 1
FREE delivery April 29 - May 1
Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.
Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.
Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.
Follow the author
Get new release updates & improved recommendations
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.
There is a newer edition of this item:
Deals on related products
Page 1 of 1Start over
About the author
Products related to this item
Page 1 of 1Start over
Customers say
Customers find this CSS book to be very nice, with one mentioning it's the best on the subject. They appreciate its in-depth approach, with one customer noting it starts with the most essential components.
AI Generated from the text of customer reviews
Select to learn more
6 customers mention content, 6 positive, 0 negative
Very good book. I have a much better understanding of css after reading this. This book should be in any frontend developers library.Read more
...This great book has strengthen up my base knowledge and was super useful for me. Highly recommended.Read more
...In this book, I learned more about HTML, CSS, and even some more about JavaScript. It is one of the best kinds of books on web development....Read more
very very nice book. I am still reading it .. but first hand review - excellent book.Read more
5 customers mention in-depth, 5 positive, 0 negative
True to its title, this book is hands down the most in-depth yet practical and easy to follow book on the subject when read from cover to cover....Read more
...It will take you in-depth into a few CSS properties may not have yet fully explored. This is what is purports to be, and it delivers....Read more
...This great book has strengthen up my base knowledge and was super useful for me. Highly recommended.Read more
CSS in Depth is an excellent book....Read more
Top reviews from the United States
There was a problem filtering reviews. Please reload the page.
Top reviews from other countries
- Just Some GuyReviewed in the United Kingdom on September 12, 2022
Perfect for Mid-level CSS Devs Looking to Go Further
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase -
Johannes SchachtReviewed in Germany on July 3, 2022
So muss ein Fachbuch sein!
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase -
testerReviewed in France on March 30, 2023
Livre reçu avec les pages en noir et blanc au lieu de couleur
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase - Thomas PaineReviewed in Mexico on September 13, 2021
Excelent Book, Totall time saver
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase - ottoReviewed in the United Kingdom on June 6, 2021
My best buy on CSS
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
