Responsive Design

Responsive design refers to the type of web development that allows your website to respond to the device it is being accessed on. Basically, it allows a website to adapt to different devices and screen sizes so, the UI elements do not get disrupted.

Using responsive design in web development is easier than developing websites for multiple devices. It saves time, money, and effort, and is easier to maintain. Responsive design in UX ensures that the website is optimized and its usability does not get impacted negatively.

Principles of Responsive Web Design

Check out the basic responsive design principles below.

1. Fluid Grids - Enables adjustment to different screen sizes by using relative units like percentages or ems to create flexible grids
2. Responsive Typography - Enables font types, sizes, and line lengths to adjust to the screen size by using fluid typography and viewport units.
3. Responsive Images - These types of images scale efficiently to fit perfectly in any browser.
4. Media Queries - Allows adjustment of design to different screen sizes by applying specific CSS rules.
5. Viewport Meta Tag - These tags help browsers understand how to adjust a page’s dimensions and scaling.
6. Incorporating Breakpoints - They result in responsive layouts that adjust the design for various screen sizes and ensure content is understandable.

Responsive Design vs Adaptive Design - Key Differences

While both these designs aim to make websites more accessible on different devices, they work differently. With responsive design, you only have to create one website that adjusts the content and style according to the device. On the other hand, with adaptive design, various versions of a website are created, and different versions load for different devices.

Responsive design uses CSS media queries to change styles based on screen sizes and device types. Adaptive design has multiple fixed layouts and decides which layout to load for which device. Adaptive design loads a simpler version of the website whereas responsive design will load the same version of the website.

Note: All information and/or data from external sources is believed to be accurate as of the date of publication.