Javascript First Mindset

July 19, 2018
CSS web development apprenticeship

CSS is one of the most powerful aspects of the Web. Without it, it would be impossible to have creative, responsive, shiny websites we have today. During the first ages of the web, it wasn’t possible to achieve most of the things with pure CSS. In that times, we used javascript to be able to select certain elements in the page. Luckily, those days are long gone. Now, the platform provides advanced selectors for us to use CSS without Javascript manipulations.

I started programming with C and completed my thesis project with Assembly. When I got hired for the first time, I was using Java. I was using GWT(Rest in Peace) to build web applications. Back then, I knew so little about Javascript and CSS was a complete blank page for me. Then I’ve been hired as a front-end developer, suddenly Javascript became my main programming language. I’ve fascinated by the freedom provided by the Javascript and started to solve every problem with it. But, this attitude made me neglect the CSS and blocked my way to learn it properly. Even more dangerously, this attitude became a habit.

A couple of months later, we had a new teammate. I was lucky enough to be fascinated by his capabilities with CSS. The things I try to do with Javascript was so easy and most importantly way more performant with CSS. Importance of CSS struck me and a war started inside me to get rid of Javascript first mindset.

After years of internal conflict between CSS and Javascript, finally today I found myself while deliberately looking for a CSS first solution to a complicated problem. Of course, there will be no winner, CSS and Javascript have their own scopes. However, with the help of this conflict, I have a better knowledge about both sides right now. That being said, I am not confident in CSS as I am in Javascript, nevertheless, I am not neglecting it anymore.