I’m Sorry, But Your CSS Is Terrible

Modern Web

Rob Ocel and Danny Thompson sit down with Andy Bell to treat CSS as a craft, not a chore. Andy explains why he mentors the browser instead of micromanaging it, how progressive enhancement keeps products resilient, and which modern features deserve attention right now, including has, anchor positioning, and clamp. The conversation gets practical on grid versus flexbox, why grid is often simpler than people think, and how ecosystems and tooling skew usage. They unpack the real reasons Tailwind spread across teams, where it helps with speed and onboarding, and why core CSS skills plus a clear methodology prevent long-term debt. Expect candid consultancy stories, smarter debugging with today’s devtools, and a reminder that play, standards knowledge, and strong communication habits lead to cleaner, more maintainable front ends.Key Takeaways:- Andy Bell stresses mentoring the browser instead of micromanaging it, leaning on progressive enhancement and letting it adapt to context.- Features like :has(), anchor positioning, and clamp are changing how developers approach layouts, interactions, and responsive design.- Despite its power, Grid hasn’t caught on like flexbox, partly due to ecosystem and tooling choices. Andy suggests learning grid first for a clearer foundation.- Tailwind solves organizational and onboarding challenges, but without solid CSS fundamentals and consistent methodologies, teams risk piling up technical debt.

Andy Bell on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andy-bell-347971255/

Rob Ocel on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robocel/

Danny Thompson on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dthompsondev/

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