Modern CSS Optimization Techniques
Learn how to make your stylesheets faster, more efficient and maintainable with these professional tips.
CSS Specificity
Keep specificity low and avoid overly complex selectors for better performance and maintainability.
/* Avoid */
div.container > ul.nav > li.active > a { ... }
Hardware Acceleration
Use transform and opacity for animations to leverage GPU acceleration and ensure smooth performance.
will-change: transform, opacity;
}
transform: translate3d(0, 0, 0);
CSS Variables
Use CSS custom properties for theme colors and reusable values to reduce duplication.
--primary: #3b82f6;
--secondary: #10b981;
}
.btn {
background: var(--primary);
}
CSS Performance Checklist
Minify and Compress
Always minify your CSS in production and enable compression (Gzip/Brotli).
Critical CSS
Inline critical CSS for above-the-fold content to improve perceived performance.
Avoid @import
Use link tags instead of @import which can block rendering.
Modern Layouts
Prefer CSS Grid and Flexbox over floats for better performance and responsive designs.
Optimization Tools
PurgeCSS
Removes unused CSS from your stylesheets. Essential when using frameworks like Tailwind.
Learn morePostCSS
A tool for transforming CSS with JavaScript plugins to add vendor prefixes and more.
Learn moreCSSNano
A modern, modular minifier that optimizes CSS files for production.
Learn more