Since my last post about frameworks (a year ago!) I've done more work with different CSS and Javascript frameworks and libraries and have come to the following conclusion: every web design professional that works as part of a small team should be using frameworks.
Frameworks and Libraries Get You There Sooner
I think its safe to say most web teams, like most corporate employees, are under pressure to do more with less. Less time and less people usually means less progress being made on the website, but that is no longer acceptable in today's workplace. Enter CSS frameworks and Javascript libraries.
CSS Frameworks
A CSS framework can remove most of the basic problems professionals come across in major browsers. A CSS framework sets all browsers to the same level of default styles, and provides a simple way to rapidly layout the elements of your page.
The most popular frameworks, Blueprint and 960 Grid System, work off of a grid format that simplifies sizing and flow of elements on a layout (find out more about grid systems). Floating elements, clearing hacks, and numerous other bugs are minimized. Both are setup up to be extended and customized as needed to meet your design or CMS needs.
I started with Blueprint on a couple of personal sites earlier this year and found that I could acheive a simple layout in a fraction of the time it would normally take to code by hand. In recent designs at work, we have started implementing 960.gs in all of our redesigns as its flexibility fits better in our corporate environment and makes it much easier to make incremental changes without creating a huge CSS file. Regardless of your preference, the time savings in prototyping and design, paired with the reduced time in changes and maintenance make CSS frameworks the way to go for any web designer practicing the "less is more" corporate ethos.
Javascript Libraries
Javascript libraries are a little different than frameworks. Using a similar philosophy, a javascript library is a set of functions that take create a basic level of tools to greatly simplify the code when adding interactivity to your website (aka Web 2.0). In short, what used to take 50 lines of code to create a simple AJAX call, can now be done in 5.
There are a slew of libraries out there (DOJO, YUI, Prototype, etc), but I've been focused on using jQuery. The reason for jQuery is mostly because a co-worker had decided sometime last year that jQuery had the best upside of all the libraries in speed and flexibility. It also seems to have the largest community adoption and plugin library. Personally, I've learned to love jQuery.
Not only has jQuery cleaned up my scripting code dramatically, like using CSS frameworks, I've been able to do more faster. To top it off, we've integrated some very cool plugins into our company's site to enable better interactivity for our customers. For the quality, speed to market, and performance, jQuery is hard to beat.
More Frameworks in the Future
As I continue to sharpen my CSS and jQuery skills, I've started turning my attention to application frameworks. Notably, Django. I'm more than intrigued by Jeff Croft's blog post that states:
I think Django is a great tool for those of us who really aren’t programmers
Django...takes care of a lot of the programming work that goes into building web applications and other database-driven websites so I don’t have to.
And that was in 2006. Two years later I see Django getting very popular. To me, an application framework/library to develop server-side, ala Rails? I'll be taking that test drive very soon.
