Object-Oriented CSS for JavaScript Pirates

oocss for javascript pirates
john hann
brian cavalier

part 1 – oocss distilled
aye!
is it good fer drinkin’, matey?

what is oocss?

term coined by nicole sullivan*.
but what is it?
another name for css4
a proposal to patch the holes in css
a wicked cool library that fixes ie
none of the above
* http://stubbornella.org

what is oocss?

term coined by nicole sullivan*.

X
but what is it?
another name for css4
a proposal to patch the holes in css
a wicked cool library that fixes ie
none of the above
|
* http://stubbornella.org

what is oocss?

plain-old css 2.1 and css 3
works with html4 or html5
works with all major browsers*

*well… ie 6 needs some help, as usual

basics of oocss

maximizes reuse of css rules

basics of oocss

creates maintainable, concise css

basics of oocss

creates maintainable, concise css
relies on two core principles:
separation of container from content
separation of structure from skin

aaaarrrrrhh!!

not another “css
best practices”!?!
blimey!!

this oocss stuff is already startin’
to make me trigger finger itch!

oocss objects

an oocss object consists of the following
parts:
1) an html fragment / dom nodes
2)associated css rules and resources
(fonts, images)
3)javascript (behavior, events, etc.)

oocss “construction”
an oocss object is not actually constructed
rather, its parts are associated via a css
class name:
1)<tag class=“my-oocss-class”>…</tag>
2).my-oocss-class { /* … */ }
3)$(‘.my-oocss-class’)
! ! .click(function () { /*…*/ });

oocss inheritance

oocss classes inherit from
other classes

oocss inheritance

X
oocss classes inherit from
other classes

oocss inheritance

oocss objects inherit from
other oocss objects
(sound familiar? it should to a js pirate!)

“learn to love grids”*

use grid layouts to position content
grid columns determine content width
content height flows naturally

*http://www.slideshare.net/stubbornella/object-oriented-css

aaaarrrrrhh!!

i ain’t buildin’
no cms system!
shiver me timbers!*
all this lollygagging with grids,
columns, and content…
i want dialogs! data-linking!
templates!

*translation: “wut the f___!”

oocss vs. architecture
“Each layer in the web stack has its own
architecture.”* – Nicole
oocss objects don’t correlate with back-end
components / views – they are completely
independent

* http://www.stubbornella.org/content/2010/06/12/visual-semantics-in-
html-and-css/

aaaarrrrrhh!!
this oocss
concoction ain’t
drinkable!
there’s no way i’m going to rejigger
every one of me mvc-based php
templates so it can work the “oocss
way”

it’s too bad, too…
some of that oocss stuff seemed
useful… hmmm…

let’s take a look at oocss from the eye
of a javascript pirate…

part II – oocss in the pirate’s eye
in your good eye, anyway, Brendan!

(aaarrrrrrhhh!!!)

container vs. content

content objects flow naturally
container objects restrict where/how
content objects flow
containers don’t have to be only grids
and columns!

<section class=“my-oocss-container”>
! 
! <p class=“my-oocss-content” >…</p>
! <span>some other content</span>
</section>


content can now be laid-out differently
by changing the container object /
container class
the container and content objects don’t
always have to be separate, but often
they are!

structure vs. skin

structure classes determine layout
skin classes determine the look (aka
“theme”, “styling”)

structure vs. skin

<aside class=“structure skin”>…</aside>

.structure {
.skin {
! ﬂoat: left;
! color: #2faced;
! width: 8em;
! border: 1px;
! max-height: 20em;
}
}

structure v. skin

if we want to reuse the skin class, the
structure declarations don’t tag along
if we want to reuse the structure class, we
don’t have skin “stowaways”, either

oocss inheritance
base overrides / mixins

{
-
<tag class=“class1 class2 class3”>…</tag>

inheritance is defined in html, not css
this isn’t broken, but isn’t ideal*
*sass and less.css attempt to “fix” this (and do a good job of it)

oocss inheritance
order doesn’t matter

{
<tag class=“class1 class2 class3”>…</tag>

.class1 { }
overrides

matters!
order

.class2 { }

.class3 { }

oocss inheritance
classical oo:
classes inherit attributes + behavior

oocss inheritance
classical oo:
pure prototypal:
objects inherit attributes + behavior

oocss inheritance
classical oo:
pure prototypal:
objects inherit attributes + behavior
oocss:
objects inherit attributes + run-time state
inheritance is defined two different ways

oocss inheritance type 1

<section class=“base special”>…</section>

.base { .special {
! ﬂoat: left; ! margin-right: -0.5em;
! width: 8em; ! width: 8.5em;
} }

oocss inheritance type 2
span inherits from button
-
! <button class=“simple-action with-icon”>
! ! <span>content / data</span>
! </button>
.with-icon { color: #bada55; }
.with-icon span { /* inherits with-icon! */
! margin-left: 32px;
}

oocss state inheritance
identity state

{
{
<tag class=“base special state1 state2”/>

.base { }
.special { /* inherits .base */ }
.state1 { /* run-time overrides */ }
.state2 { /* more overrides */ }

oocss state inheritance
<div class=“base-view my-view unbound”>
! <h4>some title</h4>
! <span>raw content / data</span>
</div>

.base-view.unbound { color: #abacab; }
.base-view.unbound span { visibility: hidden; }

part III – fringe benefits
fortune and glory!

(aaarrrrrhhhh!!!!)

loose coupling
message passing == loose coupling
state classes are messages!
change html/css without changing js

bad: $(‘.my-widget ul’).css(‘display’, ‘none’);

$(‘.my-widget’).addClass(‘no-list’);
good:
.no-list ul { display: none; }

separation of concerns
styling / layout separated from behavior
css/html and js dev work independently
bad: good:
$(‘.my-view’) $(‘.my-view’)
! .find(‘li’) ! .addClass(‘filtered’);
! .css(‘color’, ‘red’) ––––––––––––––––
! .filter(‘.obsolete’) .filtered li { color: red; }
! .css(‘color’, ‘gray’); .filtered li.obsolete {
! color: gray; }

organized css
css is organized into object “classes” just
like all of your other code

.progress-bar { }
.progress-bar .cancel-button { }
.progress-bar .spinner { }
.progress-bar .progress-frame div span { }
.progress-bar.progress-complete { }!
.progress-bar.progress-error { }

part IV – step by step
aaacckkk! too much rope!
show me how not to get meself hanged!

identify objects

#1 rule: ignore the HTML!
scan the wire frames for oocss objects:
can it be reused?
does it have it’s own behavior?
list run-time states

identify objects
progress bar object states

content

containers

html template

<div class="progress-bar progress-upload">
! <h2>progress title</h2>
! <div class="progress-frame">
! ! <div><span></span></div>
! </div>
! <a href="#" class="cancel-action">x</a>
! <p>transaction status</p>
</div>

css classes
.progress-bar { }
.progress-bar.progress-canceled h2 { }!
.progress-bar.progress-complete h2 { }!
.progress-bar.progress-error h2 { }

.progress-frame { }
.progress-frame div { }
.progress-frame div span { }
.progress-display .cancel-action { }

.progress-upload { }

javascript controller
$(‘.progress-bar’).each(function () {
! var progressBar = $(this);
! progressBar.ﬁnd(‘.cancel-action’)
! ! .click(function () {
! ! ! progressBar.addClass(‘progress-canceled’)
! ! ! ! .ﬁnd(‘h2’).text(‘Canceled’);
! ! ! /* coordinate actual cancel work here */
! ! ! return false;
! ! });
});

part V – pitfalls
follow this sage advice or ye’ll end up in a gibbet!!

.css() is EVIL
css does not belong in your javascript!*
(*except when it does)

.css() is EVIL
animations, too!
fadeIn(), fadeOut(), animate(), hide(),
show()

.css() is EVIL
animations, too!
show()
css3 + progressive enhancement or

.css() is EVIL
animations, too!
show()
css3 + progressive enhancement or
regressive enhancement:
jquery css transitions, cujo.js

avoid IDs and elements
bad:

div.my-class {}
#myNode.my-class {}

these create unnecessary specificity
ids lure you into creating non-reusable
rules

“class-itis”

<section class=“intro colorful-intro has-callout
has-second-callout exclusive front-page”>

consolidate similar rules / classes
consider using SASS or Less.css in
complex applications

oocss vs. ie6
gotcha:

.base.state { /* ie6 ignores .base */ }

solutions:
name-spaced (unambiguous) states
e.g.: .base.base-state
selectivizr, cujo.js

part VI – demo!
http://bit.ly/css3-digital-clock
fork it on github!

thanks!

john hann brian cavalier
@unscriptable @briancavalier
life image, inc. hovercraft studios
http://lifeimage.com http://hovercraftstudios.com

questions?
ye must phrase all queries like a true seadog!

landlubbers will be keel-hauled
(or tarred-and-feathered – choose yer poison)

images
jolly roger: http://flickr.com/photos/earlg
pirates:
“Don’t mess with pirates - Declan Hann”
http://www.flickr.com/photos/slipstreamblue/2716444681/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/brothermagneto/3476288029/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jsconf/4587502948/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/fenchurch/237726110/
moon shine still: http://flickr.com/photos/seanlloyd/
gold coins: http://www.flickr.com/photos/myklroventine/3400039523/
dead pirate: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeffreykeefer/540423620/
corsair: http://www.flickr.com/photos/portofsandiego/4952170821/
ducks: http://www.flickr.com/photos/tiefpunkt/2571937817/
piece of eight: http://flickr.com/photos/woodysworld1778/

Object-Oriented CSS for JavaScript Pirates

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