HTML5, CSS, JavaScript Style guide and coding conventions

HTML5, CSS, JavaScript
Style guide and coding conventions
HTML5, CSS, JavaScript
Style guide and coding conventions
Priyanka Wadhwa
Software Consultant
Knoldus Software LLP
Priyanka Wadhwa
Software Consultant
Knoldus Software LLP

Agenda
● Why we need coding Standards?
● HTML5 coding conventions
● CSS style guide
● JavaScript Coding standards
● Why we need coding Standards?
● HTML5 coding conventions
● CSS style guide
● JavaScript Coding standards

What is a need for coding standards ?
Problem
When we learn a new language, we begin to code in a specific style. A style we want and
not the one that has been suggested to us.
Now what?
➢ Can the other person actually read your code? Is it spaced out clearly?
➢ Will he be able to work out what’s happening without needing to look at every line?
➢ Will he be able to know how and why are you commenting the work?
➢ And many more questions may arise…

Need for coding standards
Solution
Coding conventions are style guidelines for programming.
A coding standards document tells developers how they should write their code. Instead of
each developer coding in their own preferred style, they should write all code to the
standards outlined in the document.
Large projects need to be coded in a consistent style – Not just to make the code easier to
understand, but also to ensure that any developer who looks at the code will know what
naming conventions say and what should he expect from the entire application.

HTML5 coding conventions
● HTML5 doctype
Enforce standards mode and more consistent rendering in every browser possible with this simple doctype at
the beginning of every HTML page.
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
</head>
</html>
● Language Attribute
A lang attribute is required to be specified on the root html element, giving the document's language.
<html lang=”en-us”>
<!→-→-->
</html>

● Character encoding
Ensure proper rendering of your content by declaring an explicit character encoding.
<head>
<meta charset=”UTF-8”>
</head>
● Internet Explorer compatibility mode
Internet Explorer supports the use of a document compatibility <meta> tag to specify what version of
IE the page should be rendered as.
<meta http-equiv=”X-UA-Compatibile” content=”IE=Edge”>
● CSS and JavaScript includes
<link rel='stylesheet' href='guide.css'>
<style>/* …… */</style>
HTML5 Coding conventions

● Attribute order
As per the standards, we are required to follow the following order of HTML attributes -
➢ class
➢ id, name
➢ data-*
➢ src, for, type, href, value
➢ title, alt
➢ role, aria-*
<a class=”….” id=”…..” data-toggle=”model” href=”#”>
Example link
</a>
<img src=”...” alt=”...”/>

● Boolean attributes
Requires no declaration.
<input type=”text” disabled>
<input type=”checkbox” value=”1” checked>
<select>
<option value=”1” selected>1</option>
</select>
● Reducing markup
Produce less HTML, avoid superfluous parent elements when writing HTML.
<span class=”avatar”>
<img src=”...”>
</span>
can be re-written as -
<img class=”avatar” src=”...”>

Some more basic standards -
● Always use the alt attribute with images. It is important when the image cannot be viewed.
● Try to avoid code lines longer than 80 characters.
● Spaces and equal signs - HTML5 allows spaces around equal signs. But space-less is easier
to read, and groups entities better together.
● Use the attributes name in lower case letters.
● Close each and every HTML elements even empty HTML elements also.
.

CSS style guide
Am I following the correct
coding conventions here?

CSS style guide
And what about me?

CSS style guide
And what about me?
Let's find out the correct way of coding CSS , following the correct coding conventions.

CSS style guide
Syntax
● Use soft tabs with two spaces—they're the only way to guarantee code renders the same in
any environment.
● When grouping selectors, keep individual selectors to a single line.
● Include one space before the opening brace of declaration blocks for legibility.
● Place closing braces of declaration blocks on a new line.
● Include one space after : for each declaration.
● Each declaration should appear on its own line for more accurate error reporting.
● End all declarations with a semi-colon. The last declaration's is optional, but your code is
more error prone without it.
● Comma-separated property values should include a space after each comma (e.g., box-
shadow).

CSS style guide
● Don't include spaces after commas within rgb(), rgba() values. This helps differentiate
multiple color values from multiple property values.
● Don't prefix property values or color parameters with a leading zero (e.g., .5 instead of 0.5
and -.5px instead of -0.5px).
● Lowercase all hex values, e.g., #fff. Lowercase letters are much easier to read.
● Use shorthand hex values when available, e.g., #fff instead of #ffffff.
● Quote attribute values in selectors, e.g., input[type="text"]. They’re only optional in some
cases, and it’s a good practice for consistency.
● Avoid specifying units for zero values, e.g., margin: 0; instead of margin: 0px;.

CSS style guide
● Declaration order
Following properties should be grouped together :
➢ Positioning (position, top, right)
➢ Box model (display, float, width, height)
➢ Typographic (font, line-height, color)
➢ Visual (background-color, border)
➢ Misc (opacity)
Positioning comes first because it can remove an element from the normal flow of the
document and override box model related styles. The box model comes next as it dictates a
component's dimensions and placement.

CSS style guide
● Don't use of @import
From a page speed standpoint, @import from a CSS file should almost never be used, as it
can prevent stylesheets from being downloaded concurrently.
There are occasionally situations where @import is appropriate, but they are generally the
exception, not the rule.

CSS style guide
● Media query placement
➢ Bundling the media query in a separate file is not preferable.
➢ Decision to add it at the end of the CSS file or placing close to their relevant rule sets
depends upon your CSS file.

CSS style guide
● Single declarations
Consider removing line breaks for readability and faster editing. Any rule set with multiple
declarations should be split to separate lines.
Single-line declaration
Multi-line declaration

CSS style guide
● Shorthand notation
Strive to limit use of shorthand declarations to instances where you must explicitly set all the
available values. Common overused shorthand properties include:
➢ padding
➢ margin
➢ font
➢ background
➢ border
➢ Border-radius
Often times we don't need to set all the values a shorthand property represents.
For example, HTML headings only set top and bottom margin, so when necessary, only
override those two values. Excessive use of shorthand properties often leads to sloppier code
with unnecessary overrides and unintended side effects.

CSS style guide
● Comments
Code is written and maintained by people. Ensure your code is descriptive, well
commented, and approachable by others. Great code comments convey context or
purpose. Do not simply reiterate a component or class name.

CSS style guide
● Class names
Do keep the following points in mind before giving class names to the HTML elements -
➢ Keep classes lowercase and use dashes (not underscores or camelCase). Dashes serve as natural
breaks in related class (e.g., .btn and .btn-danger).
➢ Avoid excessive and arbitrary shorthand notation. .btn is useful for button, but .s doesn't mean
anything.
➢ Keep classes as short and succinct as possible.
➢ Use meaningful names; use structural or purposeful names over presentational.
➢ Prefix classes based on the closest parent or base class.
➢ Use .js-* classes to denote behavior (as opposed to style), but keep these classes out of your CSS.
Class to denote behavior : .js-calculate-price
Some good class names : .sequence { … }, .sequence-header { … }, .important { … }
Not so good class names : .s { … }, .header { … }, .red { … }

CSS style guide
● Selectors
Keep the following in mind before using nested CSS selectors -
➢ Use classes over generic element tag for optimum rendering performance.
➢ Avoid using several attribute selectors (eg., [class^="..."]) on commonly occurring
components. Browser performance is known to be impacted by these.
➢ Keep selectors short and strive to limit the number of elements in each selector to three.
➢ Scope classes to the closest parent only when necessary (e.g., when not using prefixed
classes).

CSS style guide
● CSS quotations
Use single ('') rather than double ("") quotation marks for attribute selectors or property
values.
Do not use quotation marks in URI values (url()).
@import url(“//www.google.com/css”);
html {
font-family: “open sans”, arial, sans-serif;
}
@import url(//www.google.com/css);
html {
font-family: 'open sans', arial, sans-serif;
}

JS coding standards
● Variable Names
Use of letters with camelCase in naming the variables.
✔ firstName = “Knoldus”;
✔ price = 9.90;
✗ middlename = “Softwares”;
● Spaces around operators
Spaces should be used to differentiate operators and also after commas.
✔ var x = y + z;
✔ var values = [“knoldus” , “software”];
✗ var values=[“knoldus”,“software”];

JS coding standards
● Code Indentation
4 spaces for indentation of code block -
function toCelsius(fahrenheit) {
return (5 / 9) * (fahrenheit – 32);
}
* Do not use tabs for indentation Different editors may treat it differently.
● Statement Rules
Simple statements end with a semicolon. Like – declaring a variable
var person = {
firstName: “Knoldus”,
lastName: “Softwares”,
};

JS coding standards
Complex/ compound statements must follow the following -
➢ Opening bracket at the end of first line,
➢ Space before opening bracket.
➢ Closing bracket on a new line, without leading spaces.
➢ And, complex statements doesn't end with a semicolon.
function tocelsius(fahrenheit) {
return (5 / 9) * (fahrenheit - 32);
}
* same applies for the loop and conditional statements.

JS coding standards
● Object Rules -
➢ Placing opening brackets on the same as the object name.
➢ Using colon plus one space between each property and its value.
➢ No adding of comma at the last property-value pair.
➢ Placing of closing brackets on a new line, without leading spaces.
➢ Never forget to end an object with a semicolon.
var person = {
firstName: "Knoldus",
lastName: "Softwares"
};
Short objects can be compressed and written in one line using the spaces only between their properties -
var person = {firstName:"Knoldus", lastName:"Softwares"};

JS coding standards
● Line length < 80 characters
If a javascript statement does not fit on one line, then the best place to break it, is after an
operator or comma.
document.getElementById("knolx").innerHTML =
"Hello Knolders.";
● Naming Conventions
Remember to maintain consistency in the naming convention for all your code.
➢ All variables and functions must be in camelCase.
➢ Global variables and Constants to be written in UPPERCASE.

JS coding standards
● Line length < 80 characters
If a javascript statement does not fit on one line, then the best place to break it, is after an
operator or comma.
document.getElementById("knolx").innerHTML =
"Hello Knolders.";
● Naming Conventions
Remember to maintain consistency in the naming convention for all your code.
➢ All variables and functions must be in camelCase.
➢ Global variables and Constants to be written in UPPERCASE.
Should we use hyp-hens, camelCase or under_scores in variable names?

JS coding standards
Hyphens (-)
● HTML5 attributes can have hyphens (data-element, data-count).
● CSS uses hyphens in property names (background-color, padding-left, font-size)
● JavaScript names does not allow use of hyphens. As they can conflict with subtraction
operator.
Underscores ( _ )
● Underscores (date_of_birth) are mostly used in databases or in documentation. So, we
prefer not to go with using underscores.
PascalCase
● It is often used by C Programmers.
CamelCase
● This is used by javascript, jquery and in various JS libraries.

References
● https://google.github.io/styleguide/htmlcssguide.xml
● http://codeguide.co
● http://www.w3schools.com/js/js_conventions.asp
● http://www.w3schools.com/html/html5_syntax.asp

HTML5, CSS, JavaScript Style guide and coding conventions

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