Learning Modernizr

Create forward-compatible websites using feature detection features of Modernizr

Overview

• Build a progressive experience using a vast array of detected CSS3 features
• Replace images with CSS based counterparts.
• Learn the benefits of detecting features instead of checking the name and version of the browser and serving accordingly.

In Detail

Modern web browsers support a whole range of new HTML5 and CSS3 features that make web development fun. But supporting old browsers can make a web developer’s life difficult. With HTML5 Modernizr, you can check for features and deliver a design around them that is not only backward, but also forward compatible.

“Learning Modernizr” will guide you step by step through the process of converting to a feature rich CSS3 experience using the Modernizr feature detection JavaScript library. With this book, you can take an image-based design and gradually convert it to be 100 percent CSS based using Modernizr to detect feature support.

You will also learn how to implement the bulk of today’s leading CSS3 features not limited to animations, text shadow, content generation, and more. You will also learn to change the page using media queries to determine the dimensions of the page and alter the content accordingly as well as HTML5 features such as localstorage so you can save content to the browser.

You will learn everything you need to know in order to design progressively using feature detection. Prepare your design to not just handle legacy browsers, but additionally for the HTML5 standard features you know will be added into subsequent versions of the browser.

What you will learn from this book

• Perform feature detection with the Modernizr JavaScript library.
• Use HTML classes to alter the look of the page based on features found.
• Check for features using JavaScript
• Explore how feature detection differs from User Agent Detection.
• The difference between blocking versus nonblocking scripts .
• Create various backgrounds using multiple backgrounds and gradients.
• Draw and animate CSS3 clouds that literally rain features.
• Automatically generate vendor prefixes.
• Use CSS to draw and animate an assortment of shapes and shadows.

Approach

Written in an engaging, easy-to-follow style, “Learning Modernizr” is a practical guide for using the feature detection features of HTML5 Modernizr to create forward compatible sites.

Who this book is written for

“Learning Modernizr” is great for developers looking for a broad range of use cases for feature detection. It is particularly meant for web developers who want to take advantage of the cool new HTML5 and CSS5 features but at the same time deliver a design that is not only backward, but forward compatible.