What Is A Responsive Web Design?

Responsive web design is an element of web design that alters the look of elements within a page based on the type of device and screen size to render the page well and clear for all viewers In 2022, websites must include responsive web design to look beautiful and impress. The range of screen sizes and devices used is increasing frequently, and websites must be optimized to be viewable by everyone. StatCounter shows the statistics on worldwide screen resolution markets share and mobile vs desktop vs tablet market share, which paints a clear picture of how important having a responsive website is nowadays.

RESPONSIVE CSS AND BOOTSTRAP

One key element to having a responsive web design is to have responsive CSS (Cascading style sheets) integrated into your front-end code. This is done through using media queries that alter the look of the page based on the screen type and size. For example, if you want something to hide only on screens under 500 pixels, a media query will allow you to do that. One of the best and most commonly used front-end frameworks is Bootstrap 4. It makes responsive web design significantly easier and more consistent. Bootstrap is integrated into a website by adding Bootstrap CSS and Boostrap JS source files.

VIEWPORT, IMAGES, AND VIDEOS

Responsive web design includes other key elements such as viewport, which is defined by W3Schools as “the user’s visible area of a web page,” and responsive images and videos, which is altering the size and aspect ratio of images and videos based on screen size and device. Responsive images and video is supported by Bootstrap 4.

RESPONSIVE WEBSITE TEMPLATES

Many businesses choose to use already built responsive website templates instead of employing web designers and developers to create a responsive template for them. That is okay, considering that employing web developers is costly. We have written an article on deciding between custom web design< vs website template which helps one make the choice based on the characteristics of a business and the requirements and expectations of them. TemplateMonster has thousands of responsive templates for businesses to choose from, but they have a cost.

FAST PAGE SPEED

Responsive design results in faster loading time compared to websites that lack it. Responsive images decrease the image size used based on how the website is accessed. same is valid for videos as well. For users who access the page through mobile phone, only part of the page has to load before the page starts displaying because the screen is significantly smaller and only part of its content is needed to be shown initially. If that page lacks responsiveness, the mobile phone has to load the full webpage before displaying anything. Nowadays everyone claims to have some sort of attention deficit and can’t wait five seconds for a website to load.

RESPONSIVE DESIGN AND SEO

Responsive websites also rank higher in search engines. This is because SEO bots such as Google bot use responsiveness as an important factor in their algorithms. Experts at Google have determined that responsiveness is a quality that websites should have and those who don’t are regarded as ancient. We have written an article on web design and SEO that discusses responsive web design and SEO. Responsive web design is the heart of having a flexible and fluid web design that fits all viewers regardless of the screen size, device type, or orientation platform. Responsive websites have fast loading time and beautiful design, and last, but not least, are a high-ranking factor for Google bot in SEO (Search Engine Optimization). Therefore, responsiveness is a must for any website in 2018.