When users visit a website or an app, they expect that the basic functionality will behave in the same way, regardless of whether they used a PC or mobile device. Responsive web design helps to make the resource more convenient. Let’s figure out what responsive web design is and learn about its main elements.
What is a responsive web design
If the users access the website from a mobile device, then it will be very inconvenient for them to read small text and look at small images, from time to time having to zoom them using horizontal or vertical scrolling. This is annoying and makes users leave your website and go to your competitors’ sites instead.
However, if the professional UX/UI design agency used responsive web design, then reading the necessary information and viewing images will be simple and easy, regardless of the device from which the visitor comes. The page automatically adjusts to the desired screen resolution.
Algorithm for working with responsive web design
While creating a web version of a website for smartphones, UX/UI design agencies try to correctly transfer the main idea to a small screen. One column is typically used, the content is reduced, all blocks of secondary importance are removed, and only the most important element remains. It’s crucial to always keep content in mind, as it’s a key to the site’s success. To make sure your content is perfect, use the term paper assistance. The adaptive version is created according to the following algorithm:
- Apply a responsive layout using a grid.
- Using flexible pictures, photographs, and other images.
- Working with media queries.
- Gradual improvement of the web version, elimination of bugs.
Responsive layout options
Experts identify the following types of responsive layouts:
- Rubber – This is one of the easiest. Blocks are automatically reduced to fit the width of the mobile screen. If this method is not possible, then they line up horizontally.
- Transfer – When the screen is reduced, the blocks are rearranged and “go” to the bottom of the page.
- Switching – Several layouts are being developed at once, suitable for different screen resolutions.
- Scaling – Typography, drawings, and text are scaled. This layout is fine for small, simple websites.
- Panels – The layout is done on the principle of smartphone apps. The menu appears on tapes placed horizontally or vertically.
Main elements
Web layouts are created using the CSS markup language, which allows the website to display the same in all browsers. While creating a web design for smartphones, you need to use the basic rules of media queries. СSS has recently gone through some changes, however. Now, to represent the width of an object, percentages are used, not pixels.
For example, if the main block occupied 700px and the navigation (sidebar) took up 300 px, now these values will have to be written as a percentage. The main block will be 70% wide and the sidebar 30%.
There are more properties such as max-width and width; these make it possible to get rid of the horizontal scrolling on the page. The page becomes flexible and automatically takes the same width as the screen of the device. For large-screen resolutions, max-width is used. This property allows you to avoid the situation when a website becomes stretched to the point that it is unreadable.
Two more important properties are min-width and width. If it was necessary to get rid of horizontal scrolling earlier, now it is required to have it. With decreasing screen resolution, a block of 100% is “compressed” to the size of the window. The min-width metric limits the reduction to certain limits, after which horizontal scrolling is displayed. You can take, for example, the value min-width: 200 px. This will be the minimum value at which the block stops shrinking and displays a horizontal scroll bar.
Summing up
Proper use of the main elements will make the website responsive and user friendly. And this will have a beneficial effect on user loyalty and contribute to effective brand promotion.