Do It With Style: Rethinking CSS - Dylan Beattie - NDC London 2026

Value of the Information & Strength of the Argument

The talk provides valuable insights into the current state of CSS, offering practical examples and demonstrations that highlight its capabilities. Beattie’s argumentation is solid, as he supports his points with historical context and real-world examples. He effectively challenges the notion that CSS is not a real programming language by showcasing its advanced features and the complexity it can handle. The presentation is well-structured, moving from the problems with CSS to its evolution and finally to modern solutions, making a compelling case for rethinking CSS.

Scientific Rigor, Source Quality, Title Accuracy

The talk demonstrates high scientific rigor, with accurate historical references and up-to-date information on CSS features. Beattie cites specific sources, such as the CSS Working Group wiki and the Baseline project, and his claims are consistent with current web standards. The title ‘Rethinking CSS’ accurately reflects the content, as the talk encourages a fresh perspective on CSS. The speaker’s expertise is evident, and the talk is well-received by the audience, including a CSSWG member who praised its accuracy.

The title 'Rethinking CSS' accurately reflects the talk's aim to encourage developers to reconsider their attitudes towards CSS and explore modern capabilities.

9/10

High-quality talk by an experienced web developer, with accurate historical context and up-to-date CSS features. The speaker demonstrates deep knowledge and the content is well-received by the audience, including a CSSWG member who found no meaningful errors.

Markers derived by PSI from the transcript: the creator did not define chapters.

• 02:00Introduction to the talk and the controversial nature of CSS.
• 05:00Discussion on why CSS is difficult to test and the lack of error messages.
• 10:00Historical overview of CSS, including the early days of the web and the evolution of rounded corners.
• 15:00Introduction to the <details> element and its use for accordions.
• 20:00Demonstration of CSS transitions and building a Mac OS dock effect.
• 25:00Explanation of the transition to auto issue and its resolution.
• 30:00Showcase of modern CSS features like nesting and pseudo-elements.
• 35:00Discussion on the importance of semantic HTML and reducing JavaScript usage.
• 40:00Examples of CSS-only animations and interactions.
• 45:00Conclusion and call to embrace modern CSS.

• NDC Conferences — Conference website mentioned in the talk.
• NDC London — Conference website for NDC London.

• MDN Web Docs — General reference for web technologies, consistent with the talk's content.