preproCeSSor

by Corinne Krych / @corinnekrych
and Olivier Audard / @_dhar

What is it?

Brand new CSS language?

Nope ...

CSS preprocessors take code written in preprocessed language and then convert that code into POCSS

- Plain Old CSS - in case you're puzzled

Which tools?

Less, SASS & Stylus

There are a variety of CSS preprocessors, the main contenders being Less, SASS and Stylus...

80% of SASS, LESS and Stylus is the same

Which one?

Too much choices?

Remember 80% implement the same features

For code snippet we use SASS unless stated.

Problem to Solve

How to stay DRY using CSS

Problem 1. Selector Repetition

Take the following snippet of CSS:

.module img {
  width: 6em;
  padding: 5px;
}
.module p {
  color: #7514e1;
  text-align: center;
  font-size: 0.9em;
}
.module:hover img, .module:active img {
  border: 5px #f23eea solid;
  padding: 0;
  border-radius: 4px;
}
.module.ios h3 {
  color: #214067;
}
.module.android h3 {
  color: #718927;
}
.module.web h3 {
  color: #be420c;
}
.module.hybrid h3 {
  color: #60625e;
}

        

I don't want to keep writing module again and again. It's tedious and repetitive!

Solution 1: Nesting

Much concise:

.module
  img
    width: 6em
    padding: 5px
  p
    color: #7514e1
    text-align: center
    font-size: 0.9em
  &:hover img, &:active img
    border: 5px #f23ee solid
    padding: 0
    border-radius: 4px
  &.ios h3
    color: #214067
  &.android h3
    color: #718927
  &.web h3
    color: #be420c
  &.hybrid h3
    color: #60625e
        

Nesting is a common pattern within CSS preprocessors.

Prepocessors take this and compile it down to CSS for you.

JUST the same syntax fo Less and Stylus

2 syntaxes: sassy scss (.scss) or sass syntax (.sass)

For stylus, 2 syntaxes supported, Less uses "sassy" syntax

Problem 2. Repeating values

Quite often in CSS we stick to a color palette

The whole point is to reuse colors.

h1 {
  font-size: 2em;
  text-color: #669eb2;
}
h2 {
  font-size: 1.75em;
  text-color: #e25027;
}
h3 {
  font-size: 1.25em;
  text-color: #669eb2;
}
h4 {
  font-size: 1em;
  margin-top: 3em;
  text-color: #e25027;
}
        

copy/paste is my only option...

Solution 2. Variables

CSS Preprocessors let you define variables!

/* Variables to hold our base colour, size */
$gear-color: #669eb2
$aero-color: #e25027
$reference-size: 1em
h1
  font-size: $reference-size + 1em
  text-color: $gear-color
h2
  font-size: $reference-size + 0.75em
  text-color: $aero-color
h3
  font-size: $reference-size + 0.25em
  text-color: $gear-color
h4
  font-size: $reference_size
  margin-top: 3em
  text-color:$aero_gear;
        

SASS syntax

In Sass, $reference_size same as $reference-size

Small differences in syntax for Less and Stylus

Operation on variables

Before | After

Changing colours made easy youpi!

Maybe not to abuse...

Just for that...

I would work with a CSS preprocessor

Problem 3. Vendor prefixes

Annoyed by CSS full of vendor prefixes?

.foo {
  background: #87e0fd;
  background: -moz-linear-gradient(top,  #87e0fd 0%, #05abe0 100%);
  background: -webkit-gradient(linear, left top, left bottom, color-stop(0%,#87e0fd), color-stop(100%,#05abe0));
  background: -webkit-linear-gradient(top,  #87e0fd 0%,#05abe0 100%);
  background: -o-linear-gradient(top,  #87e0fd 0%,#05abe0 100%);
  background: -ms-linear-gradient(top,  #87e0fd 0%,#05abe0 100%);
  background: linear-gradient(to bottom,  #87e0fd 0%,#05abe0 100%);
}
        

Can be fixed using mixin

Solution 3. Mixin

Annoyed by CSS full of vendor prefixes?

.foo {
  background-color: #87e0fd;
  @include background-image(
    linear-gradient(
      top,
      #87e0fd 0%,
      #05abe0 100%
    )
  );
}
        

Less redundancy

Use a mixin built into the Compass framework

Problem 3. Vendor prefixes Revisited

Perfect use case for preprocessor usage

Really ???

Problem 3. What are vendor prefixes?

Prefixes to add support for new CSS features

                    Android: -webkit-
                    Chrome: -webkit-
                    Firefox: -moz-
                    Internet Explorer: -ms-
                    iOS: -webkit-
                    Opera: -o-
                    Safari: -webkit- 

By nature, they are temporary

Don't assume properties are named the same

use a generic mixin to generate them, won't work

Use well maintained libraries like Compass or Bourbon

Even better...

postproCeSSor

postprocessor to fix prefixes ;)

like Autoprefixer is kept up to date with can I use database

Problem 4. CSS pattern

For example: vertical align text

to be applied several times on different context

with different variant

Solution 4. mixin with parameter

build your own toolkit

or reuse toolkit like SCUT

    @mixin vertically-center ($child: ".vcentered") {
      display: table;
      & > #{$child} {
        display: table-cell;
        vertical-align: middle;
      }
    }
        

Avoid repetition

use parameter, here with default value

Organize code

Reuse code

Solution4. more mixin

Going further with CSS features

Include block with @content

Loop with @for

Use mixin with @include

Problem 5. Mobile/Desktop

@media queries block scatters styles rules

p {
  max-width: 960px;
}
.feature {
  max-width: 960px;
}

..... Lots of other CSS rules here

/*  AeroGear custom styles for Tablets, break point: 848px */
@media only screen and (max-width: 848px) {
    p {
        max-width: 720px;
    }
    .feature {
        max-width: 720px;
    }
}
        

Solution 5: @media

What if, we could keep the logic at one place

p
  max-width: 960px;
  @media only screen and (max-width: 656px)
    max-width: 720px;
.feature
  max-width: 960px;
  @media only screen and (max-width: 656px)
    max-width: 720px;
} 

All CSS on HTML element are grouped in a same place

but I repeat @media WAIT...

I'm not DRY

anymore

Solution 5: Going further@mixin @if

Parametrized break point!

$break-phone:656px
$break-tablet:848px
@mixin respond-to($media-size)
  @if $media-size == phone
    @media only screen and (max-width: $break-phone)
      @content
  @else if $media-size == tablet
    @media only screen and (min-width:$break-phone + 1) and (max-width: $break-tablet - 1)
      @content
  @else if $media-size == desktop
    @media only screen and (min-width: $break-tablet)
      @content

p
  @include respond-to(desktop)
    max-width: 960px
  @include respond-to(tablet)
    max-width: 720px

        

I can stay DRY!

How?

Is it difficult to use?

Getting starting with SASS

Install

                        >  gem install sass
                    

Convert existing CSS

                        >  sass-convert --from css --to sass -R css

Compile

                        >  sass --watch sass:css

Getting starting with Less

Install

                        >  npm install -g less

Compile

                        >  lessc styles.less

Dev mode

// include JS

// include less file

// To enable watch, append ‘#!watch’
                    

NOT for production

Getting starting with Stylus

Install

                        >  npm install stylus
                    

Convert existing CSS

                        >  stylus --css css/main.css stylus/main.styl

lost my comments and my fonts :(

some error when back to CSS :(

Compile

                        >  stylus css

no watch

YES, I can!

Reverse engineer my CSS into Sass

Start with color variables, progressively use mixin for code reusability

Investigate built-in libraries

Build my own CSS toolbox

Delving further

Topcoat

CSS for clean and fast web apps

also exist in light color

desktop and mobile version

Fabrice's contribution

took him 2 hours work tbh :P

reusability at its best

button bar/list

Existing button-bar

and button-list

Show me the code

@import and @extend

@import topcoat-button
@import button-bar

.topcoat-button-list {
  @extend .button-bar
}

/* Custom behavior to display in list*/
.topcoat-button-list__item {
    width: auto;
    border-radius: 0;
}

/* Custom behavior for top element */
.topcoat-button-list > .topcoat-button-list__item:first-child {
    border-top-left-radius: var-border-radius;
    border-top-right-radius: var-border-radius;
}

/* Custom behavior for bottom element */
.topcoat-button-list > .topcoat-button-list__item:last-child {
    border-bottom-left-radius: var-border-radius;
    border-bottom-right-radius: var-border-radius;
}

.topcoat-button-list__item > input {
  @extend .button-bar__item > input
}

.topcoat-button-list__item:first-child > .topcoat-button-list__button,
.topcoat-button-list__item:first-child > .topcoat-button-list__button--large {
  border-bottom: none;
}

.topcoat-button-list__item:last-child > .topcoat-button-list__button,
.topcoat-button-list__item:last-child > .topcoat-button-list__button--large {
  border-top: none;
}

.topcoat-button-list__button {
  @extend .topcoat-button;
  border-radius: inherit;
}

/* Custom behavior to size to longest text button */
.topcoat-button-list__button,
.topcoat-button-list__button--large {
    width:100%;
}

.topcoat-button-list__button:active,
.topcoat-button-list__button--large:active,
:checked + .topcoat-button-list__button {
  @extend .topcoat-button:active
}

.topcoat-button-list__button:disabled {
  @extend .topcoat-button:disabled
}

.topcoat-button-list__button:hover {
  @extend .topcoat-button:hover
}

.topcoat-button-list__button:focus,
.topcoat-button-list__button--large:focus {
  @extend .topcoat-button:focus
  z-index: 1;
}

.topcoat-button-list__button--large {
  @extend .topcoat-button--large
  border-radius: inherit;
}

.topcoat-button-list__button--large:disabled {
  @extend .topcoat-button:disabled
}

.topcoat-button-list__button--large:hover {
  @extend .topcoat-button:hover
}

                    

That's all?

Fabrice, you're such a lazybutt

CSS Generation

grunt task to generate CSS
4 combinaisons light vc dark, desktop vs mobile

grunt task to generate great doc, awesome demo

grunt task to run unit test!

that's work, man

Fit in

Object Oriented CSS

       /*
   * Base reset components
   * Use the naming convention:
   * {component}-{name}__{subcomponent}--{modifier}
   *
   */

  /* Component */
  .button-group

  /* Component Modifier */
  .button-group--large

  /* Subcomponent */
  .button-group__button

  /* Subcomponent Modifier */
  .button-group__button--cta

  /*
   * Themed components
   * Use the naming convention:
   * {theme}-{component}-{name}__{subcomponent}--{modifier}
   */

  /* Component */
  .topcoat-button-group

  /* Component Modifier */
  .topcoat-button-group--large

  /* Subcomponent */
  .topcoat-button-group__button

  /* Subcomponent Modifier */
  .topcoat-button-group__button--cta
                                    

follow the convention
You're not just hacking CSS, you design and code reusable CSS