Blog

There's so much to learn out there, and I'm excited to keep exploring. This is where I share some of the things I've encountered lately.

• Injecting Line Breaks

  I like this method of providing visually impactful breaks, especially in titling. By using this method everything still reads as one line for screen readers, but breaks visually for the sighted.

• Character Animation

  It can be easy to underestimate what a program or site is capable of, but as this article on various types of character animations shows, there are all sorts of ways to up your game! Animations can be as simple as using a png image and CSS animation, or using Skeletal Animation, as this post details. I’m not quite there yet, but I am actively looking for a 30-100 day CSS code challenge so I can learn and practice CSS images and animations.

• Floating Labels with CSS

  I was looking up options on how to better align input labels and I came across this article. Making the label appear as a placeholder, then having it move out of the way when the user clicks on the field seems like a fun alternative to the usual styling.

• Little UI Details

  I am so glad this post was shared with me today. As someone without a design background it can sometimes be hard for me to pinpoint why something looks good. This really broke down usable design into bite-sized pieces. You’ll probably see a few of these techniques show up on this site soon!

• Hover Effects With CSS Variables

  Although this effect is a little gaudy for my taste, this is a really fun look at using JavaScript and CSS variables to add some user delight to a simple button interaction.

• Flexbox Zombies

  I’ve had some fun with the first few chapters of Flexbox Zombies. It’s definitely made practicing flexbox more enjoyable. I wish that the parter product, Grid Critters, wasn’t almost $300 a pop!

• Inclusive Design Patterns - Smashing Magazine

  I hope to read this book as soon as my bootcamp concludes. As I continue learning, I want to make sure that I consider the needs of all users. This book covers a lot of useful topics such as WAI-ARIA roles, and keyboard and touch accessibility.

• How To Learn JavaScript When You're Not a Developer with Chris Ferdinandi

  I listened to this episode of JavaScript Jabber today and really liked the guest, Chris Ferdinandi’s outlook on learning a coding language. I appreciated how he educates from the perspective that the internet is for everyone. I also thought his perspective on learning the vanilla version of any language should be encouraged so as to fully understand that language’s functionality.

• CSS Grid Layout - Crossed Sections

  This Medium post helped me better understand what kinds of layouts would benefit best from CSS Grids, as well as better understand he fr unit, and the best use of gaps. I’ll definitely be seeking out a grids tutorial course in the near future to help cement this knowledge.

• Git Stash Tricks

  The Git Stash command has come in handy so often for me, and this article does a great job of explaining some of the more specific uses of this feature.

• Debugging Tips and Tricks

  I’m guessing that I’ll be referencing this article a lot more in the coming weeks as I work through the Grand Circus Front-End Bootcamp.

• Accessibility Through Symantic HTML

  As I start to build my skills as a developer, I really want to focus on writing organized, symantically correct, and therefore accessible code. This article shows some great ways that folks like me can build good habits for how they write HTML.

• Let's Get Started

  I love the idea the the more we know, the more we realize how much we don’t know. Maybe that’s why over the past year or so I’ve slowly been learning more about code, the tech world in general – but I realize I’ve only dipped my toes in the water. I want to continue to seek out as much information as I can, and put that knowledge into practice as best I can. This site is my way of testifying to the things I learn, and the ways I’m growing. Let’s get started.