Few years back, CSS ruled supreme in the minds of the almost all web designers when it came to building layouts. The fact that CSS layouts have excellent browser support made it easier for web developers to cater to different browsers with diverse instructions. Browser sniffing ran rampant that time taking the advantage of the strong browser support for layouts based on CSS. The situation is not the same in 2014. CSS3 and HTML5 have emerged. Different browsers offer different levels of support for CSS and HTML5. Browser sniffing is no more in practice. Web designers and developers are smart enough to use Modernizr, an open-source JavaScript library that helps to identify features and control user experience in different browsers. Today almost every responsive web design company relies on Modernizr.

Let’s find out why?

Functions of Modernizr Responsive Web Design >>

A modern and successful responsive web design is all about the efficient implementation of HTML5 and CSS3 elements. As already stated, Modernizr is an open-source JavaScript library for HTML5 and CSS3 used for recognizing the diverse features of several browsers. It appears at the top of a web page and it operates when the page loads. Once you install it, you will be able to benefit a ton. First of all, it provides an awesome control in measuring a user’s activities and making sure that users are offered a positive experience.

Once the loading is complete, Modernizr checks whether the browser supports an array of CSS3 features like,

• Border-radius
• Border-image
• Font-face
• Box-shadow

It also detects whether local storage, audio, video and other HTML5 features are supported by the browser or not. With the help of these findings, it becomes easier for you to decide whether you need to build a support based on JavaScript.

This JavaScript library conducts a number of tests against a user’s browser in order to know about the features the browser is equipped with and thereafter, builds a JavaScript object which can be used for running checks. Let me tell you that Modernizr is not something which builds support for a set of features in a particular browser. Instead, it helps you with inputs and ideas to offer an emergency support for novel features.

With Modernizr, you get the power to revise and amend the CSS elements of a page with the help of CSS classes that give the flexibility to create actuators using CSS systems. These actuators set the pages in a way that they can be easily upgraded to new features.

Modernizr is totally against using browser sniffing and user agent. It recognizes features carrying out several JavaScript tests that command the classes added to the HTML tag. You get benefitted with the ability to know whether a certain feature is there in a browser or not by using JavaScript.

Because of all these functions, every responsive website design company and maximum web developers and designers are favouring the use of Modernizr.

Setting upModernizr Responsive Web Design >>

The overall installation process of Modernizr is not at all difficult. You can either use a CDN (Content Delivery Network) or use a customised build by visiting the official website of Modernizr.

However, you may face a bit of trouble while creating the exact version tailored to your requirements. You should know that Modernizr can be downloaded in two versions that are

• Production version
• Development version

Production version –

The production version is useful if you require creating a version with only the tests you need most. With this tool, you can include and exclude the tests according to your requirements and cut down a significant amount of time involved in the loading of a page. Someone who wants to have a personalised version of Modernizr or is not well-versed in JavaScript, the production version is the perfect pick.

Development version–

On the other hand, if someone is adept in JavaScript and wants to make modifications to the tests and checks, the development version is a good choice. The reasons are

• It is an uncompressed file (42 KB)
• It is easy to read
• It can be easily upgraded

So, you can now understand which version will be appropriate for different projects of your responsive website design company.

After you have chosen the ideal version, you need to insert a script suggestion in your HTML document’s head tag. Next, you will be required to include HTML5 elements and also add CSS3 commands in your style sheet.

After going through the above discussion, you probably know the answer that the title of this blog asks. Modernizr is perfect for creating a winning responsive web design. There is every way your responsive website design company can benefit from Modernizr.