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#1 2013-03-16 09:58:00

gour
Member
From: Hlapičina, Croatia
Registered: 2013-01-17
Posts: 124

Help choosing CSS framework

Hello!

After migrating my 1st site to Txp (still using ‘default’ Hive theme and did some localization work), now I’d like to migrate/create more sites to Txp and have to tackle theming.

I’d like to use some CSS framework which is suitable for responsive design.

After not very extensive research I’ve arrived to two options:

  1. YAML
  1. Foundation

One pro for YAML might be smaller size although it looks that nowadays Foundation can be trimmed according to one’s desire and another is GUI tool for rapid prototyping called ThinkinTags.

Another pro is support for IE6+.

Otoh, YAML does not offer as much functionality as Foundation and misses some basic things like multi-level drop-down menus. Smaller community and (maybe) less support is another cons along with CC-BY 2.0 license required buying it if one does not want to keep attribution to YAML.

As far as Foundation is concerned, it is fully free license-wise, probably more support, more feature complete, but no GUI tool similar to ThinkinTags as well as bigger in size, (maybe) more complex requiring one to eventually step into SASS/Compass and does support only IE9+ and based on statistics, our users still use IE8.

Last point is that I care about mobiles/tablets, but majority of our users are still on the desktop/laptop.

Considering that I’m not real web-agency (doing sites for myself, non-profits, some friends etc.) I’d like to focus on doing all my work using one framework (as I’ve decided to use Txp only), so what advice can you give me what to choose for our needs to be up-to-date today as well as ready for the future, of course, in combination with Textpattern CMS?

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#2 2013-03-16 11:56:39

Joranovski
Member
From: Nijkerk, The Netherlands
Registered: 2005-05-22
Posts: 25
Website

Re: Help choosing CSS framework

Hi there,

There are alot of frameworks and you should really consider Bootstrap and Foundation if you want some javascripts components which are ready to use out of the box. If you don’t need that, these frameworks can be overkill. But don’t forget you can generate a custom minified version of these frameworks from their project-sites itself.
At least for Bootstrap.

Otherwise if your only into the CSS and grid part you could consider these also:

Gumby Framework
Inuit CSS
Frameless
Golden Grid System
The Semantic Grid System

{Edited to repair link. Uli}

Last edited by uli (2013-03-16 13:21:05)

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#3 2013-03-16 13:31:54

michaelkpate
Moderator
From: Avon Park, FL
Registered: 2004-02-24
Posts: 1,379
Website GitHub Mastodon

Re: Help choosing CSS framework

I’ve been playing around with some of the designs from HTML5 Up that are based around 5grid.

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#4 2013-03-16 13:50:21

philwareham
Core designer
From: Haslemere, Surrey, UK
Registered: 2009-06-11
Posts: 3,564
Website GitHub Mastodon

Re: Help choosing CSS framework

Skeleton is another good one. Personally I’d avoid Bootstrap, the CSS is way too over-specified (unless you want your site to look like Bootstrap).

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#5 2013-03-16 15:46:41

gour
Member
From: Hlapičina, Croatia
Registered: 2013-01-17
Posts: 124

Re: Help choosing CSS framework

philwareham wrote:

Skeleton is another good one. Personally I’d avoid Bootstrap, the CSS is way to over-specified (unless you want your site to look like Bootstrap).

I also tend to avoid Bootstrap, but Skeleton seems to be pretty basic.

So, the choice is still between YAML & Foundation. :-)

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#6 2013-03-17 02:39:18

jelle
Member
Registered: 2006-06-07
Posts: 165

Re: Help choosing CSS framework

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#7 2013-03-17 08:47:54

gour
Member
From: Hlapičina, Croatia
Registered: 2013-01-17
Posts: 124

Re: Help choosing CSS framework

jelle wrote:

This is a nice framework comparison chart

I spotted it, but, based on what I know (e.g. in regard to YAML framework), I wonder how much the data is correct and/or up-to-date.

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#8 2013-03-17 17:53:26

Pat64
Plugin Author
From: France
Registered: 2005-12-12
Posts: 1,599
GitHub Twitter

Re: Help choosing CSS framework

Personally, I fall in love with this one: GridLess which is IE6 + capable (still worth an attention in e-commerce projects when you search maximum portability). IMHO avoid Boostrap or Fondation frameworks and percent grid systems which don’t support some browsers due to differently rounding behavior ;)

Last edited by Pat64 (2013-03-17 18:03:51)


Patrick.

Github | CodePen | Codier | Simplr theme | Wait Me: a maintenance theme | [\a mi.ni.ma]: a “Low Tech” simple Blog theme.

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#9 2013-03-17 20:58:54

gour
Member
From: Hlapičina, Croatia
Registered: 2013-01-17
Posts: 124

Re: Help choosing CSS framework

Pat64 wrote:

IMHO avoid Boostrap or Fondation frameworks and percent grid systems

Can you name some other framework not falling into this category?

…which don’t support some browsers due to differently rounding behavior ;)

I’m not sure I understand this 100%…Can you, please, shed some more light onto it?

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#10 2013-03-18 08:15:50

philwareham
Core designer
From: Haslemere, Surrey, UK
Registered: 2009-06-11
Posts: 3,564
Website GitHub Mastodon

Re: Help choosing CSS framework

Different browsers handle rounding of decimal places differently. For example some would round 2.62% up to 3%, some down to 2%, others keep 2.62%. When converted to pixels that can mean inconsistently sized columns, and even a floated column being knocked round to the next line.

Though something like Foundation has a bit of built in tolerance for that bug, so I wouldn’t worry too much. Anyway, I use griddle for my grid system which doesn’t have that problem. We use griddle in Textpattern 4.6 too.

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#11 2013-03-18 09:37:49

gour
Member
From: Hlapičina, Croatia
Registered: 2013-01-17
Posts: 124

Re: Help choosing CSS framework

philwareham wrote:

Different browsers handle rounding of decimal places differently. For example some would round 2.62% up to 3%, some down to 2%, others keep 2.62%. When converted to pixels that can mean inconsistently sized columns, and even a floated column being knocked round to the next line.

Thank you. I was not at all aware of such things or let me say: “Welcome to the world of (modern) web design!!” :-)

Though something like Foundation has a bit of built in tolerance for that bug, so I wouldn’t worry too much.

OK.

Anyway, I use griddle for my grid system which doesn’t have that problem. We use griddle in Textpattern 4.6 too.

Interesting…I, of course, never heard about Griddle and thought you’re Foundation user so wanted to ask you whether to consider 3.x or 4.x…

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#12 2013-03-18 09:46:08

philwareham
Core designer
From: Haslemere, Surrey, UK
Registered: 2009-06-11
Posts: 3,564
Website GitHub Mastodon

Re: Help choosing CSS framework

I’ve not tested Foundation v4 yet, but I guess that would logically have improvements over v3. It’s a pretty solid and well supported framework, so I can’t see that they would have messed up at all in the latest version.

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