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LESS css making an easier development

garymardellgarymardell ✭
edited June 2010 in Vanilla 2.0 - 2.8
Just starting to get into using Less for my css and surprisingly enough i think it is amazing to work with. Now with the work on a javascript version of Less compiler it can be done at runtime and cached for you into localstorage if possible. It seems to fit with the organisation of vanilla's css schemes.

Nested rules means its even more concise to keep elements together for example styling of buttons, navigation, sidebar. And the variables mean that items such as color schemes can be stored. This means a single variable to change the color of every item rather than finding every single element using that color.

Any thoughts? @Mark @digibomb @tim

http://fadeyev.net/2010/06/19/lessjs-will-obsolete-css/
http://lesscss.org/

Comments

  • SS ✭✭
    http://vanillaforums.org/discussion/11184/
  • garymardellgarymardell ✭
    Hadnt seen that @S sorry, but now we have a javascript version. Means no need to compile before each release for example.
  • digibombdigibomb New
    I think LESS is great. I have been playing around with it as well. In terms of Vanilla theming...not sure yet, we are still working on developing so many other features for themers that LESS is not really in the plans at the moment.

    In terms of using LESS in other ways, well, that is Q for @Mark ;)

    There was an error rendering this rich post.

  • DykamDykam
    I prefer a PHP version, considering browsers not having javascript. And good thing is, in the topic @S linked there is one http://vanillaforums.org/discussion/comment/103257/#Comment_103257
  • SS ✭✭
    edited June 2010
    plessc (php cli version) has similar -w (watch) option. Auto compilation if source has been changed.
    I tried to some pseudo css helper languages (LESS, SASS, xCSS) and can say that none of them is good for me.
  • StashStash ✭
    I think LESS CSS is a fantastic development tool, although I do agree that it still makes more sense to just serve up straight CSS to clients.
  • SS ✭✭
    edited August 2010
    8 CSS preprocessors
    Going to research all of them =)
  • StashStash ✭
    Let us know your findings!
  • SS ✭✭
    edited September 2010
    My findings in a few words.

    1. LessPHP - Buggy. Dont understand non-standard rules. Ex.

    top: expression(eval(document.compatMode && document.compatMode=='CSS1Compat') ? documentElement.scrollTop : document.body.scrollTop);
    Can't parse this - fails with fatal error. Going to trash.

    2. xCSS - Buggy. Produces some strange resulting CSS: selectors are shuffled, reversed... unexpected. Going to trash.

    3. SASS. Actually, I didnt found good parser in PHP for it. Phphaml is big-slow and inactive. Skipped.

    4. Turbine.
    Hateful python like syntax (without brackets).
    Huge. Has many features. Plugins. Slow. It is not my choice.

    5. Switch CSS. Need special server software. Apache with mod_python. Skipped.

    6. CSS Cacheer - no examples on site or in distributive... Looks like that is has poor functionality. Not checked. Skipped.

    7. CSS Preprocessor. Hmm... not found nested selectors in examples. Going to trash.

    8. CSS PP
    Alpha status. No release available. Waiting...

    9. SmartCSS
    Not tested. Unusual syntax.

    10. Mechanical-CSS
    Nice. Light. But poor functionality. No nested selectors feature. Going to trash.

    11. DT CSS
    All "standard preprocessor" features. Lightweight. Fast. My choice.
    Plugin - http://vanillaforums.org/addon/588/dtcss
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