Why invent the wheel over and over again? We don’t want to discuss this philosophical question. We just want to offer you a collection of fresh tools and trendy code snippets which can help to save some time when designing a new website.
45 Fresh Tools and Code Snippets for Web Designers
Markup Coding Shifts to HTML5/CSS3 and RWD, HTMLcut Reports
Although XHTML still has a decent market share, new markup standards HTML5 and CSS3, as well as RWD (responsive web design) are becoming more and more in demand in the PSD to HTML conversion market in 2013. This is the summary of sales statistics analysis made by HTMLcut’s managers. Continue reading
The Website Redesign Checklist [Infographic]
![Website redesign checklist [Infographic]](http://www.htmlcut.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/website-redesign.jpg)
There are a lot of recommendations and checklists on how to redesign or improve websites. So, why write yet another post? The answer is very simple: Drastic change. Today web design, front-end development, markup coding standards, SEO, and site promotion are changing so quickly that many recommendations become obsolete in the course of months or even weeks.
In the infographic below we’ve collected questions, many of which reflect recent trends. Of course, it’s difficult to make such a checklist absolutely exhaustive. But comments on its textual version was encouraging and positive, for example, like this one: “A sensational checklist… – it was nice to read substance” (read more). Hope you find it helpful too. Continue reading
Flat Web Design – What It Is, Flat vs. Skeuomorphism, and Examples
Flat web design is among the most interesting trends in the modern web design. Truth be told, flat design always was here but sometimes it was trendy, other times it was just one of possible alternatives. The difference of its recent emergence is that this time it looks like Microsoft’s response to Apple’s skeuomorphism. Though new flat designs – at least some of them – are lovely. I mean they are fresh, memorable, with a good conversion rate, and accessible.
Below you’ll find a collection of recent articles on what flat design is, comparison of the flat approach vs. skeuomorphism, opinions on the trend, and examples of websites developed with the help of this technique.
How to Improve Your Website – A Checklist to Answer Before You Start Redesigning
The life cycle of every website includes a lot of phases and operations: design, PSD to HTML/CSS conversion, back-end development, testing, beta stage, official launch, regular operation, gathering of feedbacks and comments, analysis of website and marketing statistics, improvements and updates, and so forth.
Of these one of the most important actions are the “improvements and updates.” It is clear why: to a large extent the operations before them are based on assumptions and suppositions. But after the website launching, its owner can collect information on how the assumptions correspond to the real user experience and owner’s expectations. Moreover, life doesn’t stand still, and new technologies and trends are continuously becoming actual and used as a must.
Below you’ll find a checklist for those who have decided to optimize their website and those who are developing the website from scratch and want to know things that may be essential for the further site improvement. Continue reading
Trends, Predictions, and Truth About Web Design 2013
HTML5 and CSS3, vendor prefixes, frameworks and pre-processors, responsive design (RWD), touchscreens, retina displays and HD design, SVG, custom fonts, large typography, full-screen (or large) and blurred photo backgrounds, parallax and infinite scrolling, color blocking, retro interfaces, centered headers, fixed header bars, skeuomorphism, minimalism, gamification, user experience, open source – these and many other words are names and signs of web design 2012. But what about 2013? What will be important next year?
Below you’ll find a collection of summarizing and predictive articles and posts. Some predictions are repeated many times, some are unique. Which are true and to what extent? Continue reading
Web Design 2013: Emphasis on Website Performance?
For web design 2013 should be a year of the website performance and conversion. I don’t mean so-called PSD to HTML conversion. I say about the ability of websites to convert visitors into buyers (or Likes, repeat visitors, and so forth).
But why does web design need to make an emphasis on the website performance and conversion in 2013? They should always be on the top of the list. Unfortunately, “should” does not often mean “is”. However, when the economy is not good, businesses and individuals have to remember the role of conversion and that one of the main tasks of websites is to help companies and people to achieve their business and living goals. This circumstance may strongly affect web design in 2013 and stimulate a more pragmatic approach to the web.
Let’s look at some popular web topics of 2012 and possible trends of 2013 through the prism of the website performance and conversion. Continue reading
20+ Thoughts on CSS/HTML Preprocessors and Frameworks (Updated)
First of all, I’d like to say thank you to BoagWorld.com for this post and to all those who have shared their thoughts and experience in working with CSS/HTML preprocessors and frameworks in their comments.
The question we asked in that post isn’t accidental. We provide PSD to HTML coding as a service for lots of designers on a daily basis. Clients always expect to get the best result, so we strive to keep abreast of the best practices of front end development. In other words, it’s not just a curiosity, to understand the future of HTML/CSS coding and the most efficient ways to convert designs into high quality markups is a practical need for us. IMO, it’s important for any webdev services and freelancers, especially in today’s competitive business environment.
Below you’ll find a collection of opinions, thoughts, and case studies twittered recently which may help to clarify the role of CSS/HTML preprocessors, frameworks and libraries in the modern web design. Of course, these tools are too “young” to say exactly what they mean for the future of webdev and whether they are here to stay, at least in their present form. So all opinions and experience are important. If you have your own thoughts, feel free to share them in comments. Continue reading
#RWD – Mastering Best Practices: Round-Up of Recent Results
Responsive web design (RWD) has clearly indicated that time of the one-dimensional Web is over once and for all and all variations of the modern Web are of equal worth for web designers and developers. Nowadays the web design community is actively mastering RWD. In this post we’ve collected some recent results.
Retina Display – The Future of Web Design. Internet Overview (Updated)
“Retina Display” sounds like a movie or science fiction novel name. But is it an adventure film with a happy end or a new challenge or even drama? That is the question.
What does Retina display mean for web design and development? How to optimize your website design for Retina screens? How to prepare images for it? These all and much more you can find in the recent articles from the web design community gathered below. Hope you’ll find this round-up useful. Continue reading
