Web Design in a Nutshell, 3rd Edition

Dealing with Browser Differences

How do professional web designers and developers cope with the multitude of browsers and their varying capabilities?

In the past, it required some tough decisions or a lot of extra work. It was common to create multiple versions of a site to ensure similar functionality. Some designers played it safe and avoided any web technology more advanced than basic HTML. On the other end of the spectrum were designers who chose to design cutting edge sites exclusively for the latest version of one specific browser. We can thank the Browser Wars of the late ’90s for that chaos.

Web standards—or more important, the fact that the major browser developers have finally started to support them—have simplified the way designers cope with the multitude of browsers in use. Gone are the days of choosing sides or building several versions of the same site. Today, it is possible to create sites that are accessible to 100% of browsers and that look good in the vast majority of them. The trick is following the standards yourself in the way you write, style, and program your content.

Note that I said “possible” in the last paragraph, and not “easy,” to create sites for all browsers. As of this writing, the web environment, although inching towards standards compliance, is not there yet. There are still inconsistencies, even in the current browser versions, that require some fancy coding to deliver a consistent cross-browser experience. While we are in this period of transition, ...