May 12, 2020 — For hundreds of years, we have been using white space in typography. Today, in 2020, how do we add spacing to punctuation marks and other symbols, and how do we adjust the space on the left and right side in an easy and consistent way? It is actually not as easy and quick as it should be. Read more…

May 11, 2020 — In this article, Blessing Krofegha introduces Typescript, a superscript of JavaScript that presents the static type feature for spotting common errors as developers codes, which enhances performance, hence results in robust enterprise applications. You’ll also learn how to efficiently set up TypeScript in a React Project as we build a Money Heist Episode Picker App, exploring TypeScript, React hooks such as useReducer, useContext and Reach Router. Read more…

May 8, 2020 — This tutorial would take you on a step by step guide to build a functional survey app using Vue.js and Firebase. From validating the user’s data through Vuelidate, to authentication, storing the user’s data, route protection and sending data to Firebase servers. All the steps used in the tutorial are practical, and can be reproduced in any real-life project, even with a custom backend. Read more…

May 7, 2020 — The pressure to rush market and usability research carries risk. In this article, Eric Olive will offer four practical techniques to mitigate this risk and create designs that better serve customers and the company: context over convenience, compromise, better design decisions, design reduction. Read more…

May 6, 2020 — How much thought have you put into your primary input device? Ever considered how much better your interface with your computer might be? For decades, keyboards have been the primary mechanisms by which we interact with our computers. In this article, Ben Frain is going to dive into the possibilities of mechanical keyboards. The different layouts, switch types and even keycap material. Strap yourself in — this will be a deep dive! Read more…

May 5, 2020 — The cat is out of the bag! Meet SmashingConf Live (Aug 20–21), our very first online conference. For SmashingConf Live, our new online conference, we don’t want to replicate in-person experiences online. Instead, we’ve designed an entirely new conference experience, focusing around interactive live sessions and discussion zones where you actively shape what happens next, and learn along the way. Read more…

May 5, 2020 — In this episode of the Smashing Podcast, we’re talking about building apps on a tight timeline. How can you quickly turn around a project to respond to an emerging situation like COVID-19? Drew McLellan talks to Phil Smith to find out. Read more…

May 4, 2020 — Mobile app development using hybrid frameworks has come a long way since initial release in 2008. With the improvements being made to the JavaScript engine and improved processing power available to mobile phones, the major concern people had when they considered developing their apps using the hybrid approach — namely, performance — has all but been eliminated, and cross-platform frameworks have seen a surge in popularity.

We’re going to build a mobile application that pulls data from the Marvel Comics API; the data will show Marvel comics and you’ll be able to choose your favorites. At the end, we’ll create a native build of the project on Android. Read more…

May 1, 2020 — In recent years a slew of ‘readability’ programs have appeared to help us tidy up the things we write. Used everywhere from newsrooms to browser plugins, these systems offer automated feedback on how writing can be clearer, neater, and less contrived. Sounds good right? Well, up to a point. Readability programs may seem like a godsend, but the worst thing writers can do is write to please them above all others. Finding your voice is hard enough without also trying to sound like everyone else. Read more…

April 30, 2020 — As we have now formalized our workshop process, we thought we’d share a little more about how these events run. Unlike in-person workshops where we keep you in a room for an eight hour day, we realized than many of you have a lot of other commitments right now.  Our initial online workshops went so well, we have scheduled many more. Find out how what we learned from those first workshops and what we have coming up over the next two months. Read more…