Less Web Development Essentials - Second Edition

Leverage the features of Less to write better, reusable, and maintainable CSS code

About This Book

• Meet the DRY (Don't Repeat Yourself) principle of software coding for your web development projects by avoiding code duplication
• Shorten the debugging time of complex CSS code with Less for specific devices and browsers
• A comprehensive, fast-paced guide that covers the essential concepts of Less through practical and well-explained code

Who This Book Is For

If you use CSS for web development tasks and want to learn how to create maintainable and reusable code, this is the book for you. Basic knowledge of web development would be helpful.

What You Will Learn

• Discover how to debug your code effectively by setting up an automatic build process with Grunt and Gulp
• Explore the concepts of mixins and variables in Less to script reusable CSS code
• Use postprocessors to autoprefix, compress, and optimize your CSS code
• Create complex relationships between properties and use the built-in functions of Less to write your own functions
• Build a responsive grid with Less to ensure a logical and formal structure for designs
• Develop web applications with Less and integrate it with your WordPress themes using other CSS frameworks and grid systems

In Detail

Less is a preprocessor for CSS that uses less.js for real-time compilation, unlike other preprocessors. Building responsive websites with advanced features such as gradients and animations makes your CSS code complex. Less helps you to write clean, reusable, and maintainable CSS.

Starting off with the fundamental concepts of Less and CSS, you are taken on a tour of how to improve your web development skills with Less.

Next, you get to grips with mixins and variables in Less, which help you to avoid code duplication and write reusable code. Then, you venture into the concepts of nested rules, operations, and built-in functions, which help you in the dynamic creation of CSS properties and help you to create shorter and effective style sheets.

By the end of the book, you will be able to develop code faster and reduce the maintenance time for your web development projects.