Home > Articles > Web Development > HTML/CSS

This chapter is from the book

Summary of CSS3 Animation Tools

Web developers, designers and animators can use a number of tools in order to make our lives easier and leverage the expertise of the web development community. These tools range from templates like the HTML5 Boilerplate, to online tools like css3please and Animation Fill Code, to libraries like -prefix-free.

HTML5 Boilerplate

The HTML5 Boilerplate (http://html5boilerplate.com), or “H5BP” for short, is a wonderful template started by Paul Irish and Divya Manian and maintained by a number of talented contributors, including Shi Chuan, Mathias Bynens, and Nicholas Gallagher. The H5BP allows you to leverage the collective wisdom of the web community and quickly get going with HTML5. Rather than learn through painful firsthand experience, the must-have Internet Explorer directives, or the really-should-have-added-that CSS reset, the H5BP gives you a starting point with all of that code already provided.

The H5BP includes a large collection of files in its basic template, including a 404.html page and a default favicon. For our purposes, the most important resource that comes with the H5BP is its stylesheet. Rather than rewrite custom reset styles yourself or set up your own @media queries to adjust your styles for mobile browsers as needed, why not use the tools that a panel of experts have already compiled? Throughout this book, you will see the sample code include a CSS file called base.css. This file is based on conventions in the H5BP’s stylesheets, which you can explore on their GitHub page at https://github.com/h5bp/html5-boilerplate.

Tools for Generating Vendor Prefixes

One of the biggest headaches of writing CSS3 animations—particularly keyframe animations, which are covered in Chapter 4—is generating all the appropriate vendor prefixes. Two tools can help you do this: Prefixr and css3please.

Prefixr

One tool that I strongly recommend to assist you with the generation of the vendor-specific code is Prefixr (http://prefixr.com) by Jeffrey Way. This tool allows you to write all your CSS using just the standard syntax. When you are finished and happy with your page, you paste your code into the tool, and it generates all the vendor prefixes for you. This is an invaluable resource that will save you lots of time, allowing you to take the basic code you’ve written and extend it to work across all browsers.

css3please.com

Another tool that can assist with the generation of the vendor-specific code is css3please (http://css3please.com). You can use this online editor to specify a given property, and then it automatically updates the other vendor prefixes with the values you have specified. There is a link to copy the code generated to the clipboard, as well as a simple element that will generate a preview of the styles you have specified. Figure 1.1 shows an example of using css3please to generate the necessary code for the border-radius property.

Figure 1-1

Figure 1.1. Dynamically generating all border-radius vendor prefixes with css3please

In terms of best practices, it is always a good idea to pick which browser you will use for testing and then code only to that specific vendor prefix as you develop your page. It is not a good idea to try to insert all of the vendor prefixes right from the beginning, as you will inevitably need to change your code after some testing, and that means regenerating all the vendor prefixes. Thus, I recommend coding just to one browser, and when your code is complete, use Prefixr or css3please to generate the other vendor prefixes, and then test your code in all of the browsers.

Animation Fill Code

Another tool that is specific to keyframe animations is a tool by Louis Lazaris called Animation Fill Code (http://animationfillcode.com). With this online tool, you write keyframe at-rules (more on this in Chapter 4) in one vendor prefix, select which prefix you’re using from a set of radio buttons, and paste in your code. The tool generates the other needed keyframe at-rules for you. You can see this tool in action in Figure 1.2.

Figure 1-2

Figure 1.2. Dynamically generating all keyframe at-rule vendor prefixes with Animation Fill Code

-prefix-free

Another tool for generating vendor prefixes is Lea Verou’s JavaScript library -prefix-free. -prefix-free is a JavaScript CSS processor that adds the required vendor prefixes automatically, based on the browser the visitor is using. You can download the library from http://leaverou.github.com/prefixfree/. You can read Verou’s article describing the library at http://coding.smashingmagazine.com/2011/10/12/prefixfree-break-free-from-css-prefix-hell/.

Tools for Reviewing Browser Support

This book provides detailed information about specific browser support for each feature discussed. For more information on browser support, the best resource is the website http://caniuse.com, which allows you to search or browse by feature and see a matrix of how various features are supported by different browsers and versions. The site is constantly updated and also provides links to relevant articles about the features.

Another worthy site is http://html5please.com. It provides suggestions about whether to use a given feature, and provides information on how fallbacks should be provided. It covers CSS3 features as well as other new HTML5 features that are outside the scope of this book.

InformIT Promotional Mailings & Special Offers

I would like to receive exclusive offers and hear about products from InformIT and its family of brands. I can unsubscribe at any time.

Overview


Pearson Education, Inc., 221 River Street, Hoboken, New Jersey 07030, (Pearson) presents this site to provide information about products and services that can be purchased through this site.

This privacy notice provides an overview of our commitment to privacy and describes how we collect, protect, use and share personal information collected through this site. Please note that other Pearson websites and online products and services have their own separate privacy policies.

Collection and Use of Information


To conduct business and deliver products and services, Pearson collects and uses personal information in several ways in connection with this site, including:

Questions and Inquiries

For inquiries and questions, we collect the inquiry or question, together with name, contact details (email address, phone number and mailing address) and any other additional information voluntarily submitted to us through a Contact Us form or an email. We use this information to address the inquiry and respond to the question.

Online Store

For orders and purchases placed through our online store on this site, we collect order details, name, institution name and address (if applicable), email address, phone number, shipping and billing addresses, credit/debit card information, shipping options and any instructions. We use this information to complete transactions, fulfill orders, communicate with individuals placing orders or visiting the online store, and for related purposes.

Surveys

Pearson may offer opportunities to provide feedback or participate in surveys, including surveys evaluating Pearson products, services or sites. Participation is voluntary. Pearson collects information requested in the survey questions and uses the information to evaluate, support, maintain and improve products, services or sites, develop new products and services, conduct educational research and for other purposes specified in the survey.

Contests and Drawings

Occasionally, we may sponsor a contest or drawing. Participation is optional. Pearson collects name, contact information and other information specified on the entry form for the contest or drawing to conduct the contest or drawing. Pearson may collect additional personal information from the winners of a contest or drawing in order to award the prize and for tax reporting purposes, as required by law.

Newsletters

If you have elected to receive email newsletters or promotional mailings and special offers but want to unsubscribe, simply email information@informit.com.

Service Announcements

On rare occasions it is necessary to send out a strictly service related announcement. For instance, if our service is temporarily suspended for maintenance we might send users an email. Generally, users may not opt-out of these communications, though they can deactivate their account information. However, these communications are not promotional in nature.

Customer Service

We communicate with users on a regular basis to provide requested services and in regard to issues relating to their account we reply via email or phone in accordance with the users' wishes when a user submits their information through our Contact Us form.

Other Collection and Use of Information


Application and System Logs

Pearson automatically collects log data to help ensure the delivery, availability and security of this site. Log data may include technical information about how a user or visitor connected to this site, such as browser type, type of computer/device, operating system, internet service provider and IP address. We use this information for support purposes and to monitor the health of the site, identify problems, improve service, detect unauthorized access and fraudulent activity, prevent and respond to security incidents and appropriately scale computing resources.

Web Analytics

Pearson may use third party web trend analytical services, including Google Analytics, to collect visitor information, such as IP addresses, browser types, referring pages, pages visited and time spent on a particular site. While these analytical services collect and report information on an anonymous basis, they may use cookies to gather web trend information. The information gathered may enable Pearson (but not the third party web trend services) to link information with application and system log data. Pearson uses this information for system administration and to identify problems, improve service, detect unauthorized access and fraudulent activity, prevent and respond to security incidents, appropriately scale computing resources and otherwise support and deliver this site and its services.

Cookies and Related Technologies

This site uses cookies and similar technologies to personalize content, measure traffic patterns, control security, track use and access of information on this site, and provide interest-based messages and advertising. Users can manage and block the use of cookies through their browser. Disabling or blocking certain cookies may limit the functionality of this site.

Do Not Track

This site currently does not respond to Do Not Track signals.

Security


Pearson uses appropriate physical, administrative and technical security measures to protect personal information from unauthorized access, use and disclosure.

Children


This site is not directed to children under the age of 13.

Marketing


Pearson may send or direct marketing communications to users, provided that

  • Pearson will not use personal information collected or processed as a K-12 school service provider for the purpose of directed or targeted advertising.
  • Such marketing is consistent with applicable law and Pearson's legal obligations.
  • Pearson will not knowingly direct or send marketing communications to an individual who has expressed a preference not to receive marketing.
  • Where required by applicable law, express or implied consent to marketing exists and has not been withdrawn.

Pearson may provide personal information to a third party service provider on a restricted basis to provide marketing solely on behalf of Pearson or an affiliate or customer for whom Pearson is a service provider. Marketing preferences may be changed at any time.

Correcting/Updating Personal Information


If a user's personally identifiable information changes (such as your postal address or email address), we provide a way to correct or update that user's personal data provided to us. This can be done on the Account page. If a user no longer desires our service and desires to delete his or her account, please contact us at customer-service@informit.com and we will process the deletion of a user's account.

Choice/Opt-out


Users can always make an informed choice as to whether they should proceed with certain services offered by InformIT. If you choose to remove yourself from our mailing list(s) simply visit the following page and uncheck any communication you no longer want to receive: www.informit.com/u.aspx.

Sale of Personal Information


Pearson does not rent or sell personal information in exchange for any payment of money.

While Pearson does not sell personal information, as defined in Nevada law, Nevada residents may email a request for no sale of their personal information to NevadaDesignatedRequest@pearson.com.

Supplemental Privacy Statement for California Residents


California residents should read our Supplemental privacy statement for California residents in conjunction with this Privacy Notice. The Supplemental privacy statement for California residents explains Pearson's commitment to comply with California law and applies to personal information of California residents collected in connection with this site and the Services.

Sharing and Disclosure


Pearson may disclose personal information, as follows:

  • As required by law.
  • With the consent of the individual (or their parent, if the individual is a minor)
  • In response to a subpoena, court order or legal process, to the extent permitted or required by law
  • To protect the security and safety of individuals, data, assets and systems, consistent with applicable law
  • In connection the sale, joint venture or other transfer of some or all of its company or assets, subject to the provisions of this Privacy Notice
  • To investigate or address actual or suspected fraud or other illegal activities
  • To exercise its legal rights, including enforcement of the Terms of Use for this site or another contract
  • To affiliated Pearson companies and other companies and organizations who perform work for Pearson and are obligated to protect the privacy of personal information consistent with this Privacy Notice
  • To a school, organization, company or government agency, where Pearson collects or processes the personal information in a school setting or on behalf of such organization, company or government agency.

Links


This web site contains links to other sites. Please be aware that we are not responsible for the privacy practices of such other sites. We encourage our users to be aware when they leave our site and to read the privacy statements of each and every web site that collects Personal Information. This privacy statement applies solely to information collected by this web site.

Requests and Contact


Please contact us about this Privacy Notice or if you have any requests or questions relating to the privacy of your personal information.

Changes to this Privacy Notice


We may revise this Privacy Notice through an updated posting. We will identify the effective date of the revision in the posting. Often, updates are made to provide greater clarity or to comply with changes in regulatory requirements. If the updates involve material changes to the collection, protection, use or disclosure of Personal Information, Pearson will provide notice of the change through a conspicuous notice on this site or other appropriate way. Continued use of the site after the effective date of a posted revision evidences acceptance. Please contact us if you have questions or concerns about the Privacy Notice or any objection to any revisions.

Last Update: November 17, 2020