Introducing The Book of CSS3
After more than a year of work, I’m absoluteÂly proud and delightÂed to introÂduce my first book: The Book of CSS3. As well as the proÂsaÂic title, the subÂtiÂtle — A DevelÂopÂer’s Guide to the Future of Web Design — should give you some idea of what to expect from it: it’s a book writÂten by a develÂopÂer, for develÂopÂers; in othÂer words, by me, for you.
The book doesÂn’t aim to teach CSS from scratch; it preÂsumes that you’re a workÂing develÂopÂer with a good knowlÂedge of web techÂnoloÂgies, espeÂcialÂly CSS, and you want to take your knowlÂedge to the next levÂel. It aims to transÂlate the someÂtimes comÂplex specÂiÂfiÂcaÂtion into someÂthing that’s easÂiÂer to underÂstand, and has plenÂty of code examÂples and illusÂtraÂtions to aid in achievÂing that aim.
It’s not a book of step-by-step techÂniques, it’s for keepÂing at hand to use as a resource; and as such, I believe it’s the first book of it’s kind on this topÂic. There are plenÂty of books availÂable which teach you about the excitÂing visuÂal eleÂments of CSS3 like aniÂmaÂtions, borÂder radius, and so on, and while my book cerÂtainÂly covÂers those areas it also goes deepÂer into lookÂing at new layÂout methÂods and what we can expect to see in the future.
If you’re a regÂuÂlar readÂer of my blog you should find plenÂty in the book that you’ll enjoy; many of the more popÂuÂlar posts I’ve writÂten, such as Using Media Queries in the Real World or CSS graÂdiÂent synÂtax: comÂparÂiÂson of MozilÂla and WebKit, have been adaptÂed for the book in one way or another.
If you’d like to read a samÂple the pubÂlishÂer has made availÂable a PDF of ChapÂter 6: Text Effects and TypoÂgraphÂic Styles.
You can buy The Book of CSS3 direct from the pubÂlishÂer, No Starch Press, as either a print copy with free eBook (PDF, ePub or Mobi), or eBook alone. You can also order the print book from many online retailÂers includÂing AmaÂzon UK and AmaÂzon USA.
There’s a comÂpanÂion webÂsite with examÂples and resources from the book, which I aim to keep updatÂed so that it becomes a conÂstant online refÂerÂence guide; with browsÂer impleÂmenÂtaÂtion of CSS3 changÂing so quickÂly it’s inevitable that some refÂerÂences in the print book will become outÂdatÂed in the long term, so the webÂsite should go some way to comÂbatÂing that.
I’m anxÂiousÂly awaitÂing the first reviews, although iniÂtial feedÂback has been promisÂing. I hope it’s popÂuÂlar not only because I put a lot of time and effort into it — the sense of achieveÂment I have from writÂing it has been worth all of that effort on it’s own — but also because I believe it’s a book that will be of great use to many peoÂple. (I know, I would say that!)