Overview of Responsive Design

Broadly speaking, the classic methodology of “responsive design” is focused on predefined device breakpoints. That is, layouts are designed to adapt to mobile, tablet, and desktop viewports.

A responsive history

Technically, responsive design has been possible since the dawn of the Web because browsers allow HTML to reflow as the viewport changes size by default. However, early web design tended to focus on fixed-width layouts designed for a small range of screen sizes, which became increasingly problematic as more screen sizes were developed, including those of mobile and tablet devices.

As the possibilities for CSS developed, the responsive design movement arose as an antidote to inflexible layouts. It allowed layouts to better adapt to the wide range of devices they might appear on.