CSS-Only Web Components: A JavaScript-Free Approach for Marketing Websites
By
zigzag312
Fresh out the oven, still warm. Top of the tray.
Summary
The article argues against using traditional JavaScript-based web components for marketing websites, criticizing their JavaScript dependency as unnecessary for basic UI elements like banners and cards. The author proposes an alternative approach using CSS-only web components that leverage modern CSS features like `@layer`, `@scope`, and custom properties to create reusable, encapsulated components without JavaScript. The article demonstrates how CSS can provide component-like encapsulation and theming capabilities while maintaining a zero-JavaScript approach, making it ideal for performance-critical marketing sites where JavaScript should be optional.
Key quotes
· 5 pulledHot take: I think 'regular' web components (the ones with Shadow DOM and friends) are a terrible solution for marketing website design systems.
Because these are components that (unless you're doing something mighty fancy) should never require JavaScript as a dependency.
But, in the world of web components you are locked into JavaScript from the very start. To even register a web component with the browser you need JavaScript.
The truly No JavaScript web component.
CSS can give us component-like encapsulation and theming without the need for JavaScript.
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