CSCI 121 - Lecture 22 - Website Layout: Alternatives

Topics Covered

• HTML layout elements
• 
• <header> - Defines a header for a document or a section
• <nav> - Defines a container for navigation links
• <section> - Defines a section in a document
• <article> - Defines an independent self-contained article
• <aside> - Defines content aside from the content (like a sidebar)
• <footer> - Defines a footer for a document or a section
• <details> - Defines additional details
• <summary> - Defines a heading for the <details> element
• Alternative HTML layout techniques, including:
1. HTML tables
• The <table> element was not designed to be a layout tool! The purpose of the <table> element is to display tabular data. So, do not use tables for your page layout! They will bring a mess into your code. And imagine how hard it will be to redesign your site after a couple of months.
2. CSS float property
• It is common to do entire web layouts using the CSS float property. Float is easy to learn - you just need to remember how the float and clear properties work. Disadvantages: Floating elements are tied to the document flow, which may harm the flexibility.
• This was discussed in detail in Lecture 21.
3. CSS flexbox
• Flexbox is a new layout mode in CSS3.
• Use of flexbox ensures that elements behave predictably when the page layout must accommodate different screen sizes and different display devices. Disadvantages: Does not work in IE10 and earlier.
• More on flexbox at: http://www.w3schools.com/css/css3_flexbox.asp
4. CSS framework
• If you want to create your layout fast, you can use a framework, like W3.CSS or Bootstrap.
5. Another great resource is here

Note: Materials from W3Schools.com