New Way to Write Media Query CSS

CSS media queries have been among the most important constituents in responsive web design for quite a while. They make it possible for a developer to provide alternative styles based on several characteristics of the device: the screen resolution, size, and orientation. As time passed, the syntax evolved to become more intuitive and flexible according to the advancement of web standards and requirements. We will explain the change from old syntax towards new syntax for CSS media queries in this post.

The Old Way

Traditionally, CSS media queries used min-width and max-width to define ranges for applying styles. Here’s how it looked

@media (min-width: 700px) {
  /* Your style logic */
}

/* Old way for max-width */
@media (max-width: 700px) {
  /* Your style logic */
}

• min-width: 300px applied styles if the viewport width was 300 pixels or more.
• max-width: 300px applied styles when the viewport width was 300 pixels or less.

These were relatively simple rules, logically requiring sometimes a little more thought to ensure the application of the same styles across different devices and orientations.

The Old Way

Recently, CSS introduced a new syntax using width-based comparison operators (>= for minimum and <= for maximum), which offers more clarity and flexibility

/* New way for min-width */
@media (width >= 700px) {
  /* Your style logic */
}

/* New way for max-width */
@media (width <= 700px) {
  /* Your style logic */
}

In the new syntax:

• width >= 700px applies styles when the viewport width is 300 pixels or more.
• width <= 700px applies styles when the viewport width is 300 pixels or less.

Advantages of the New Syntax

1. Clarity and Readability: The use of >= and <= directly communicates the intended behavior of the media query, making it easier for developers to understand at a glance.
2. Consistency: The new syntax aligns more closely with how developers often think about conditional statements in programming languages, promoting consistency in approach.
3. Future-Proofing: As CSS continues to evolve, using these operators ensures your stylesheets are compatible with new features and specifications.