Poll: When will you start using CSS Grid Layout?

Ben Moss.
January 06, 2017
Poll: When will you start using CSS Grid Layout?.
January is the time most of us cease reflecting on the year gone by, and start looking to the months ahead. It seems everyone has different ideas on what to expect in 2017 (you’ll read ours next week) and one of the most anticipated changes this year, is the introduction of CSS Grid Layout. Grid Layout allows us to define areas of a page, and determine how they stretch, scale, and respond to the viewport. Developed as a mature layout solution for the web, it delivers an unprecedented level of control in CSS, but if you thought Flexbox was a steep learning curve, you’ve seen nothing yet. One of the reasons no one uses CSS Grid Layout right now is that it offers very limited support; currently, only IE10+ and Edge 12+ [doffs cap in Microsoft’s direction] offer any support at all. However that’s all about to change with full support across all major browsers expected to arrive around March. [pullquote]layout is not really a progressive enhancement[/pullquote] Unfortunately, layout is not really a progressive enhancement. Layout determines many things, not least visual hierarchy, which can be instrumental in conveying meaning. And so, as exciting as Grid Layout is, the new design freedoms that it delivers seem hamstrung for now. The question is, when will CSS Grid Layout be reliable enough to be your default approach to layout online? Probably the most pragmatic answer is: it depends on your target demographic. If you’re building a site for an online CSS conference sponsored by a browser manufacturer, you’re probably good to go; for every other purpose, the point at which CSS Grid Layout is commercially useful, may be a little hazier. CSS Grid Layout is certainly coming soon, to a browser near you. It opens up new possibilities for layout. However, whether it’s usable outside of CodePen anytime soon, is another matter entirely.

Ben Moss

Ben Moss has designed and coded work for award-winning startups, and global names including IBM, UBS, and the FBI. When he’s not in front of a screen he’s probably out trail-running.

Read Next

LimeWire Developer APIs Herald a New Era of AI Integration

Generative AI is a fascinating technology. Far from the design killer some people feared, it is an empowering and…

20 Best New Websites, March 2024

Welcome to our pick of sites for March. This month’s collection tends towards the simple and clean, which goes to show…

Exciting New Tools for Designers, March 2024

The fast-paced world of design never stops turning, and staying ahead of the curve is essential for creatives. As…

Web Tech Trends to Watch in 2024 and Beyond

It hardly seems possible given the radical transformations we’ve seen over the last few decades, but the web design…

6 Best AI Productivity Apps in 2024

There’s no escaping it: if you want to be successful, you need to be productive. The more you work, the more you…

3 Essential Design Trends, February 2024

From atypical typefaces to neutral colors to unusual user patterns, there are plenty of new website design trends to…

Surviving the Leap from College to Real-World Design

So, you’ve finished college and are ready to showcase your design skills to the world. This is a pivotal moment that…

20 Mind-Bending Illusions That Will Make You Question Reality

Mind-bending videos. Divisive Images. Eye-straining visuals. This list of optical illusions has it all. Join us as we…

15 Best New Fonts, February 2024

Welcome to February’s roundup of the best new fonts for designers. This month’s compilation includes some innovative…

The 10 Best WordPress Quiz Plugins in 2024

Whether it’s boosting your organic search visibility or collecting data for targeted email marketing campaigns, a great…

20 Best New Websites, February 2024

It’s almost Valentine’s Day, so this latest collection is a billet-doux celebrating the best of the web this month.

Everything You Need to Know About Image Formats In 2024

Always trying to walk the tightrope between image quality and file size? Looking to branch out from JPGs and PNGs this…