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Adaptive Web Design: Crafting Rich Experiences with Progressive Enhancement
"Adaptive Web Design not only provides the clearest, most beautiful explanation of progressive enhancement I've ever read, it's also packed full of practical know-how pumped directly into your neocortex through Aaron's warm and friendly writing style. If you aren't already using progressive enhancement to build websites, you soon will be." —Jeremy Keith, Author, HTML5 for Web Designers
"Finally. Progressive enhancement explained with a perfect balance of theory and practice. Aaron's take-aways will have you progressively-enhancing your markup, style and behavior with ease." —Dan Cederholm, Author, CSS3 For Web Designers
"With this forward-thinking book Aaron shows us that anyone can produce accessible, engaging web experiences without sacrificing their ambitions. Through progressive enhancement, he'll show you how to bring designs to life without compromising the integrity of content. I've been learning from Aaron for many years, and suggest you do the same." —Simon Collison, Co-author, CSS Mastery
"You hear the term 'Progressive Enhancement' bandied about as a good thing, and it absolutely is. However, few resources cover the breadth of the topic as well as this book does. Adaptive Web Design includes some of the best and broadest coverage in an easy-to-read and well-structured book." —Jonathan Snook, Co-author, The Art and Science of CSS
"Finally. Progressive enhancement explained with a perfect balance of theory and practice. Aaron's take-aways will have you progressively-enhancing your markup, style and behavior with ease." —Dan Cederholm, Author, CSS3 For Web Designers
"With this forward-thinking book Aaron shows us that anyone can produce accessible, engaging web experiences without sacrificing their ambitions. Through progressive enhancement, he'll show you how to bring designs to life without compromising the integrity of content. I've been learning from Aaron for many years, and suggest you do the same." —Simon Collison, Co-author, CSS Mastery
"You hear the term 'Progressive Enhancement' bandied about as a good thing, and it absolutely is. However, few resources cover the breadth of the topic as well as this book does. Adaptive Web Design includes some of the best and broadest coverage in an easy-to-read and well-structured book." —Jonathan Snook, Co-author, The Art and Science of CSS
144 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
23 people are currently reading
436 people want to read
About the author
Aaron Gustafson
15books25followersAaron has nearly 15 years experience on the web and, in that time, has cultivated a love of web standards and an in-depth knowledge of website strategy and architecture, interface design, and numerous languages (including XHTML, CSS, JavaScript, and PHP). He co-founded , an intimate technology training series, and is Group Manager of the (WaSP) where he has spearheaded both and a . He wrote the JavaScript library , serves as Technical Editor for , is a contributing writer for , and has filled a small library with his technical writing and editing credits.. His latest book is .
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
February 4, 2012
Most books with "web design" in the title are actually about front-end web development, and Adaptive Web Design is no different.
Many web developers craft a great experiences based around ideal situations, then pare it down for inferior browsers, people with disabilities, etc. � often called Graceful Degradation. Instead, Gustafson advocates for Progressive Enhancement, where a developer starts with those extremes as the baseline experience, then adds enhancements as the user's situation becomes more ideal. It's a subtle shift, but one I'm convinced is valuable after reading this book.
Despite its merits, I gave Adaptive Web Design three stars because Gustafson came across as too mired in the intricacies of code and recent technology to see the overarching theme of his own work: to hide and abstract technology for people so they don't have to think about it anymore. This has been a fundamental principle or realization of every design field, not something new or unique to web design.
When pared with the books in the A Book Apart series, it is exciting to see what the future of the web will become: accessible by anyone, and adaptable to any situation, browser, or medium. We've come a long way since the web of the early '90s, and these books shine a light on what's next.
Many web developers craft a great experiences based around ideal situations, then pare it down for inferior browsers, people with disabilities, etc. � often called Graceful Degradation. Instead, Gustafson advocates for Progressive Enhancement, where a developer starts with those extremes as the baseline experience, then adds enhancements as the user's situation becomes more ideal. It's a subtle shift, but one I'm convinced is valuable after reading this book.
Despite its merits, I gave Adaptive Web Design three stars because Gustafson came across as too mired in the intricacies of code and recent technology to see the overarching theme of his own work: to hide and abstract technology for people so they don't have to think about it anymore. This has been a fundamental principle or realization of every design field, not something new or unique to web design.
When pared with the books in the A Book Apart series, it is exciting to see what the future of the web will become: accessible by anyone, and adaptable to any situation, browser, or medium. We've come a long way since the web of the early '90s, and these books shine a light on what's next.
September 18, 2018
A good resource book for web designing... 😊
October 10, 2011
I enjoyed the book, I thought it was well written and the techniques presented were useful. I glossed over most of the CSS section because there wasn't really anything new to me there. The JavaScript section was the most useful part to me. This is basically a collection of all the current best practice techniques out there today. I liked how many of the JS examples used jQuery - no need to triple the amount of code in the examples when we're all using jQuery anyway.
I was a little turned off by the "if you don't do it, you're doing it wrong" approach to progressive enhancement, I work on rich web application UIs where without JavaScript, much of the value of the application would be lost and the development time would substantially increase. I was hoping there would be more guidance on how to handle this situation rather than ignoring it. Also, some information on how to take an old, non progressive design and update it would be great.
I was a little turned off by the "if you don't do it, you're doing it wrong" approach to progressive enhancement, I work on rich web application UIs where without JavaScript, much of the value of the application would be lost and the development time would substantially increase. I was hoping there would be more guidance on how to handle this situation rather than ignoring it. Also, some information on how to take an old, non progressive design and update it would be great.
August 30, 2011
'Adaptive Web Design Patterns' probably would have been a more accurate title for this book. The examples aren't as deep as I'd personally like them, but the philosophies are solid and it's worth reading if only for those.
The book covers a range of different concepts in a clear and easy manner, which makes it a great book for those just getting into thinking about the web (as well as those of us that have been around it for a while).
I usually struggle with books like this (I'm more of a fiction sort of guy) but for a for a web book, it was easy enough.
The book covers a range of different concepts in a clear and easy manner, which makes it a great book for those just getting into thinking about the web (as well as those of us that have been around it for a while).
I usually struggle with books like this (I'm more of a fiction sort of guy) but for a for a web book, it was easy enough.
January 21, 2012
Anyone that wants to get started in Web Design (or even people that have been doing it for quite some time) should read this book. The author gives you the best description and walk-though of Progressive Enhancement I have ever come across. You do need to have a basic understanding of HTML, CSS & JavaScript to get the most out of the content. It is written clearly and to the point, I was able to read though this book in one evening.
October 8, 2011
This is a great book for anyone that is interested in the more technical, but not too technical niche of web design. Aaron does a great job of walking the reader through the technical implementations of an adaptive web design and progressive enhancement. It is short so worth taking a read through then using as a reference for future project work. Great job Aaron!
February 20, 2017
It gives you a global view of what it's needed to think when you are working specially on the Front-End part of a proyect. One term I've learned... progressive enhancement. I started reading it because at work we were planing to improve our accessibility, and I've realized so much more things we need to improve. good book.
July 11, 2011
Great content, and a good read if you are new to progressive enhancement, but there's nothing revolutionary here if you've been keeping up. Ultimately, it's just another book that says, "Our previous design philosophies were misguided; here are our new best practices."
July 3, 2011
Excellent. A great summary of the current work of art in front-end web development.
April 6, 2016
One of the best books I've ever read. I learned about the core of Progressive Enhancement for the web and how we can apply that concept in our design process. I will definitely read it again.
February 10, 2022
I'm on a back-to-the-roots World Wide Web kick right now. (Well, I never really stopped being on that kick, but now I've kicked the kick in to high gear.)
This entire book is worth the price of admission for this beautiful quote alone:
If you've ever dealt with a crappy JavaScript interface that broke on your mobile device, ever seen a page that wouldn't render on your favorite browser, but WOULD render on one written by [Large Evil Corporation], or otherwise been kept from doing Important Things by a page that expected certain things from your browser, your operating system, the dimensions of your screen, the type of input device you use, or YOUR physical ABILITIES, then you understand why progressive enhancement matters.
This book may or may not help you craft your next website or web "app", but I consider it to be fundamentally important nontheless. Learn it, know it, live it.
This entire book is worth the price of admission for this beautiful quote alone:
Fundamentally, progressive enhancement is about accessibility, but not in the limited sense the term is most often used. The term "accessibility" is traditionally used to denote making content available to individuals with "special needs" (people with limited mobility, cognitive disabilities, or visual impairments); progressive enhancement takes this one step further by recognizing that we all have special needs. Our special needs may also change over time and within different contexts. When I load up a website on my phone, for example, I am visually limited by my screen resolution (especially if I am using a browser that encourages zooming) and I am limited in my ability to interact with buttons and links because I am browsing with my fingertips, which are far larger and less precise than a mouse cursor.
If you've ever dealt with a crappy JavaScript interface that broke on your mobile device, ever seen a page that wouldn't render on your favorite browser, but WOULD render on one written by [Large Evil Corporation], or otherwise been kept from doing Important Things by a page that expected certain things from your browser, your operating system, the dimensions of your screen, the type of input device you use, or YOUR physical ABILITIES, then you understand why progressive enhancement matters.
This book may or may not help you craft your next website or web "app", but I consider it to be fundamentally important nontheless. Learn it, know it, live it.
December 26, 2019
I wish all devs would adhere to this philosophy for development. Maybe then I wouldn't feel like the web is broken whenever I use websites on my phone. Granted, most sites work. But many are bloated which makes it hard to use on the phone. Or they don't have a mobile version, or rather adapt to mobile. Or they break on mobile even though on the desk top they work. Or they make a page which should just be simple HTML with only a sprinkling of JavaScript but instead make it all JS and bloated so it barely works if at all.
October 1, 2018
Testo scoperto parlando con la libraia della Hoepli.
Cercavo un testo sulle interfacce, ma non tecnico.
Questo testo (letto in italiano) contiene moltissime valutazioni "filosofiche", scelte durante la progettazione e sviluppo di una interfaccia.
Personalmente ritengo molto piu' importante sapere come altri ritengono utile sviluppare interfacce, e perche'.
Il testo mi ha un po' deluso nella parte centrale. Eccellenti valutazioni su javascript e aria, ma un po' troppo a lungo, secondo me.
Ho potuto appuntare molte idee nuove, e altre che conoscevo sono state proposte da punti di vista differenti.
Lo ritengo utilissimo per chi, come me, sviluppa anche chatbot e app. Il web e' piu' (da tempo) una pagina da leggere.
Cercavo un testo sulle interfacce, ma non tecnico.
Questo testo (letto in italiano) contiene moltissime valutazioni "filosofiche", scelte durante la progettazione e sviluppo di una interfaccia.
Personalmente ritengo molto piu' importante sapere come altri ritengono utile sviluppare interfacce, e perche'.
Il testo mi ha un po' deluso nella parte centrale. Eccellenti valutazioni su javascript e aria, ma un po' troppo a lungo, secondo me.
Ho potuto appuntare molte idee nuove, e altre che conoscevo sono state proposte da punti di vista differenti.
Lo ritengo utilissimo per chi, come me, sviluppa anche chatbot e app. Il web e' piu' (da tempo) una pagina da leggere.
March 17, 2017
Adaptive Web Design isn't bad but I didn't learn a lot personally.
November 16, 2011
This is the best single resource I've come across that teaches and applies the concept of progressive enhancement to every aspect of web design. I especially had some lightbulb moments regarding Accessibility and ARIA in web applications. While there seem to be some complaints that the examples are not in depth enough, I felt they were just right. Not too involved that it encumbered reading the book, yet reaching far enough into each topic that you can begin applying them immediately. I wouldn't change a thing. This isn't a how-to manual. It's an introduction to a way of thinking and designing for the web. I recall the debate over graceful degradation vs. progressive enhancement and I'm thankful the more beautiful of the two concepts won out, due in no small part to this book's author. Thanks for this great resource Aaron. I look forward to whatever may follow.
January 6, 2012
Not a bad book, listing various techniques in web development that accomplish "Progressive Enhancement" design pattern. Most of the suggestions and techniques for the HTML and CSS sections are pretty straight forward so I didn't pick up anything new there. I was happy that the author included microformats since they are hardly ever used yet with wider adoption could be quite useful.
The JavaScript section was more helpful and the final chapter on accessibility was very good.
Overall a good book to pick up to learn about Progressive Enhancement. I find that a lot of developers don't know about these techniques and as a result the web suffers.
The JavaScript section was more helpful and the final chapter on accessibility was very good.
Overall a good book to pick up to learn about Progressive Enhancement. I find that a lot of developers don't know about these techniques and as a result the web suffers.
August 2, 2013
This book is a great starting point for everyone who wants to jump into the web's world, both web designers and developers. It talks about progressive enhancement, a word that you should know and care about if you're building today and tomorrow's web (and I didn't before I read this book!).
What I appreciated the most in this book was the way it's written. You can read it in a single day. Soft language, easy to read and understand. It's like having Aaron talking to you and explaining it all to you in your head.
It has a really strong practical approach as well, which makes it easier to understand the concepts and assimilate them instantly.
I loved M&M metaphor :)
What I appreciated the most in this book was the way it's written. You can read it in a single day. Soft language, easy to read and understand. It's like having Aaron talking to you and explaining it all to you in your head.
It has a really strong practical approach as well, which makes it easier to understand the concepts and assimilate them instantly.
I loved M&M metaphor :)
January 6, 2015
Siento que de haber leído éste libro antes me habría ahorrado muchos dolores de cabeza entendiendo el funcionamiento de varias librerías que se usan normalmente en los sitios “responsivos�. El enfoque y el lenguaje que usa Gustafson es muy sencillo y fácil de entender, los ejemplos son muy concretos y dan una idea perfecta sobre cómo llegar al ideal de ejecutar un sitio con estándares capaz de adaptarse al constante cambio de la web.
Definitivamente no es un libro para gente que va empezando con HTML y CSS, pero eventualmente lo agrego a la lista de cosas que se deben leer. Si bien ya cumple al menos 3 años de su publicación, el material sigue siendo relevante a la profesión.
Definitivamente no es un libro para gente que va empezando con HTML y CSS, pero eventualmente lo agrego a la lista de cosas que se deben leer. Si bien ya cumple al menos 3 años de su publicación, el material sigue siendo relevante a la profesión.
November 2, 2014
This book gives some good history on web design and the author does a good job of expressing the purpose of design, just about any design itself.
But where I got stuck was when the author proposed adding a lot of details through the rel, media or the import declarations, that would make the pages bulky. In an era where we are striving to reduce even the last byte, I'm not sure if adding these data to the page would make it justifiable.
But where I got stuck was when the author proposed adding a lot of details through the rel, media or the import declarations, that would make the pages bulky. In an era where we are striving to reduce even the last byte, I'm not sure if adding these data to the page would make it justifiable.
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May 24, 2014This a pretty good introduction to many basics of contemporary web practice. Using media queries to determine which CSS style sheet to present and the whole idea of progressive enhancement and graceful degradation are basics which any front end web developer worth their salt should be thinking about. Unfortunately not always the case with 'dark matter' developers I sometimes encounter.
June 30, 2013
This was the first book I have read about responsive web design and its principles. It is very useful for people who wants to learn the fundamentals of the best practices in responsive front - end development and I definitely recommend it as one of the essential books about this theme.
October 10, 2011
This would be a great book for any novice. Little too much of a history lesson for what I was hoping for.
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April 8, 2013Finiti
September 5, 2014
The best one in the field!
This is something worth reading!
hank you Aaron!
This is something worth reading!
hank you Aaron!
August 14, 2013
This may be the most influential book I have read on web development, in terms of principles. Translating it into working habits is....harder.
November 15, 2013
Really enjoyed this book. It reinforced some things I had forgotten about and made me keen to fine tune my front end code.
January 18, 2014
Nothing I didn't already know, it's a good introduction into progressive enhancement though. A better title for this book would have been "Progressive enhancement, ins and outs".
October 17, 2016
This book clearly explain what makes a good adaptive web design through its concept of 'progressive enhancement'. The author also knows how to write a fun and engaging book.
June 19, 2014
I read this in about 40 minutes. It is way too thin on content.
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