Comments on: CSS Property Order Convention http://blog.neatlysliced.com/2009/01/css-property-order-convention/ Bread was overrated. Wed, 28 Jul 2010 14:58:19 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.2 hourly 1 By: Tony White http://blog.neatlysliced.com/2009/01/css-property-order-convention/comment-page-1/#comment-10573 Tony White Fri, 16 Jan 2009 22:22:59 +0000 http://blog.neatlysliced.com/?p=258#comment-10573 I just noticed firebug alphabetizes the properties. I'd say you're on to something. :) I just noticed firebug alphabetizes the properties. I’d say you’re on to something. :)

]]> By: Jennifer http://blog.neatlysliced.com/2009/01/css-property-order-convention/comment-page-1/#comment-10572 Jennifer Fri, 16 Jan 2009 16:48:09 +0000 http://blog.neatlysliced.com/?p=258#comment-10572 I haven't seen too many suggestions about ordering within the selector - everyone seems to talk about the ordering of the selectors themselves. About a year ago, I read something about alphabetizing (the link is lost in the bowels of my mind). I tried it a few months ago and it works great for me. I recommended to my coworkers to do they same thing and it's helpful when we look at each other's code. Bowman's suggestion is great. The reason Bowman's suggestion doesn't work for me is that it isn't intuitive for someone unfamiliar with that organization - which sometimes can be pretty much everyone besides yourself. Alphabetizing is something that's immediately noticed, because it has nothing to do with the semantics of what the property means. A large number of CSS developers still struggle with semantics in writing selector names <strong>and</strong> what the properties themselves do or mean. I've explain the difference between margin, border, padding, and width and their correlational consequences many times to the same individuals; it takes a while for those relations to "click". So if the developer doesn't fully understand what position has to do with float, or what correlation width and padding might have, or why z-index and position rely on each other, grouping them together or adjacent to each other loses meaning. Then when they need to make an addition, it's randomly placed at the bottom. So for me, alphabetical ordering works best. When I have to hand the code off, my ordering is meaningful regardless of the experience level of the developer. I haven’t seen too many suggestions about ordering within the selector – everyone seems to talk about the ordering of the selectors themselves. About a year ago, I read something about alphabetizing (the link is lost in the bowels of my mind). I tried it a few months ago and it works great for me. I recommended to my coworkers to do they same thing and it’s helpful when we look at each other’s code.

Bowman’s suggestion is great. The reason Bowman’s suggestion doesn’t work for me is that it isn’t intuitive for someone unfamiliar with that organization – which sometimes can be pretty much everyone besides yourself. Alphabetizing is something that’s immediately noticed, because it has nothing to do with the semantics of what the property means.

A large number of CSS developers still struggle with semantics in writing selector names and what the properties themselves do or mean. I’ve explain the difference between margin, border, padding, and width and their correlational consequences many times to the same individuals; it takes a while for those relations to “click”. So if the developer doesn’t fully understand what position has to do with float, or what correlation width and padding might have, or why z-index and position rely on each other, grouping them together or adjacent to each other loses meaning. Then when they need to make an addition, it’s randomly placed at the bottom.

So for me, alphabetical ordering works best. When I have to hand the code off, my ordering is meaningful regardless of the experience level of the developer.

]]> By: Tony White http://blog.neatlysliced.com/2009/01/css-property-order-convention/comment-page-1/#comment-10571 Tony White Fri, 16 Jan 2009 16:30:29 +0000 http://blog.neatlysliced.com/?p=258#comment-10571 Good points. Even if there isn't an industry standard yet, a personal standard is good to establish. Doug Bowman published his preference for properties order, but he wasn't advocating it for everyone - just telling what his habits are. http://stopdesign.com/log/2005/03/04/staying-organized.html Have you noticed what any others have voiced about this? Good points. Even if there isn’t an industry standard yet, a personal standard is good to establish. Doug Bowman published his preference for properties order, but he wasn’t advocating it for everyone – just telling what his habits are.

http://stopdesign.com/log/2005/03/04/staying-organized.html

Have you noticed what any others have voiced about this?

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