Day 36 - Pure CSS Components

🎉 An Awesome CSS Link a Day – Day 36 🎉

Pure CSS Components: Modals, Tabs & More

Today, we're diving into the power of pure CSS components! Back in 2019, Michael Di Prisco shared a series of clever CSS-only experiments that tackled common UI patterns like modals, tabs, and side menus. These experiments not only pushed the boundaries of what CSS could achieve but also highlighted an essential truth: what starts as experimentation in the CSS community often becomes standard practice.

Introduction

In the early days, building components like modals or tabs required JavaScript to handle interactivity. But thanks to CSS advancements and creative problem-solving within the community, it's possible to create these interactive elements using only CSS. Michael Di Prisco's 2019 experiments are perfect examples of how exploring unconventional solutions can shape the future of web development practices.

These components may have seemed experimental at the time, but they paved the way for more robust, accessible CSS solutions, showing that pushing boundaries leads to innovation.

📊 Theory: The Evolution of Pure CSS Components

At the heart of these experiments is the ingenious use of CSS properties to manage interactivity without relying on JavaScript:

• Checkbox and radio hacks: Leveraging :checked pseudo-classes to toggle visibility or state, a common trick in CSS-only components.
• Focus management: Utilizing :focus and :focus-within for keyboard accessibility and interaction control.
• Z-index manipulation: Understanding how z-index: auto behaves in different stacking contexts, as explained in the unsolvable z-index article.

These techniques showcase how creativity in CSS can replace traditional scripting for many UI elements, enhancing performance and simplifying codebases.

🚀 Today’s Link

Explore Michael Di Prisco's original 2019 experiments and see how pure CSS can revolutionize your approach to common UI components:

• The Unsolvable Z-Index Auto Increment
• Creating Tabs with CSS Only
• Creating a Modal with CSS Only
• Creating a Lateral Menu with CSS Only

These posts are a treasure trove of CSS ingenuity and a testament to the power of experimentation.

💫 Giveaways

• Ready-to-use snippets for building modals, tabs, and side menus using only CSS.
• In-depth explanation of the z-index auto increment issue, helping you manage stacking contexts like a pro.
• Best practices for enhancing accessibility in CSS-only components.
• Bonus tip: Learn how to combine CSS-only techniques with minimal JavaScript for even more powerful UI patterns.

❓ Why This Rocks

• No JavaScript required – Achieve complex UI interactions with pure CSS, keeping your codebase lightweightand fast.
• Great for learning – These techniques deepen your understanding of CSS mechanics and inspire new approaches to problem-solving.
• Highly customizable – Modify and adapt these components to fit your design system seamlessly.
• Foundation for modern solutions – What starts as an experiment today might be a standard practice tomorrow!

🗣️ Join the Conversation

• Have you ever built interactive components using only CSS? What challenges did you face?
• How do you balance CSS-only solutions with JavaScript when developing complex UIs?
• What’s your favorite CSS hack that solved a tricky UI problem?
• How do you see the future of pure CSS interactivity evolving?

Let’s discuss how experimentation drives the future of web development! 🚀