Learning Responsive Web Design: A Beginner's Guide

Clarissa Peterson

Jun 2014 · "O'Reilly Media, Inc."

About this ebook

Deliver an optimal user experience to all devices—including tablets, smartphones, feature phones, laptops, and large screens—by learning the basics of responsive web design. In this hands-on guide, UX designer Clarissa Peterson explains how responsive web design works, and takes you through a responsive workflow from project kickoff to site launch.

Ideal for anyone involved in the process of creating websites—not just developers—this book teaches you fundamental strategies and techniques for using HTML and CSS to design websites that not only adapt to any screen size, but also use progressive enhancement to provide a better user experience based on device capabilities such as touchscreens and retina displays.

• Start with content strategy before creating a visual design
• Learn why your default design should be for the narrowest screens
• Explore the HTML elements and CSS properties essential for responsive web design
• Use media queries to display different CSS styles based on a device’s viewport width
• Handle elements such as images, typography, and navigation
• Use performance optimization techniques to make your site lighter and faster

About the author

Clarissa Peterson is a UX designer and web developer, and co-founder of Peterson/Kandy, a Montreal-based digital consultancy specializing in creating responsive websites. She frequently speaks and gives workshops on responsive design, mobile strategy, and user experience.