The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →iTechGuides is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more
Bytes issue #222, published September 14, 2023, turned its recap of the State of CSS survey into a mock mayoral campaign. Its central message was that developers valued reusable CSS and newer layout tools, but keeping up with browser compatibility remained a major frustration. The figures and judgments below describe the newsletter’s 2023 recap—not current adoption or browser-support statistics.
What was the “Mayor of CSS Town” issue?
Bytes framed its coverage as “State of the ~~Union~~ Cascade” and imagined a candidate promising fixes for CSS developers. The mayoral premise is satire, not a real campaign or policy proposal. The issue’s observations were based on the newsletter’s summary of the 2023 State of CSS survey.
The survey site described CSS as undergoing “a period of unprecedented progress.” It credited Chen Hui Jing with helping design the 2023 survey and said browser vendors use survey data as part of the Interop initiative to help prioritize feature work. Sacha Greif is credited beneath the survey introduction. State of CSS 2023
What did the recap say CSS developers valued?
Custom Properties led the feature rankings
Bytes said Custom Properties—often called CSS variables—ranked first for both “highest usage” and “highest awareness” among CSS features for the fourth consecutive year. The issue joked that variables helped prevent developers from accumulating many slightly different spellings of lightgrey. These are the newsletter’s descriptions of the survey results, not a claim about every CSS developer.
#1 Best Overall
- HTML CSS Design and Build Web Sites
- Comes with secure packaging
- It can be a gift option
Reported use of gap increased
Bytes’ recap reported that gap usage rose from 55% of State of CSS respondents in 2021 to 90% in 2023. Those figures belong to their respective survey years; they should not be read as a current usage estimate.
What did the issue say was frustrating about CSS in 2023?
The recap identified browser compatibility as the survey’s leading pain point. That concern sat alongside the rapid progress highlighted by the survey itself: new and evolving CSS features can be useful, while uneven browser support can make adopting them more difficult. The reviewed survey introduction provides context for how browser vendors use survey data through Interop, but it does not independently verify every point in Bytes’ summary or provide a current compatibility assessment.
What did Bytes say about CSS-in-JS and learning resources?
CSS-in-JS was described as trending down
In September 2023, Bytes characterized CSS-in-JS as trending downward and named styled-components, Emotion, and Stitches as examples. The issue said Stitches was no longer maintained at that time and described Panda CSS as an attempted comeback, emphasizing performance, type safety, and compatibility with React Server Components. These are dated remarks from the issue’s publication; they are not recommendations about current maintenance status or suitability.
CSS-Tricks was presented as a leading learning resource
Bytes described CSS-Tricks as remaining a leading resource for learning CSS. That is the newsletter’s editorial judgment, not a measured ranking with methodology reproduced in the issue.
Rank #3
- Brand: Wiley
- Set of 2 Volumes
- A handy two-book set that uniquely combines related technologies Highly visual format and accessible language makes these books highly effective learning tools Perfect for beginning web designers and front-end developers
Was the mayoral promise serious?
No. The issue closed with a deliberately absurd pledge: “if you elect me as Mayor of CSS Town, I promise that every browser will support the :has() selector and CSS Nesting — and all our drinking fountains will be filled with soda.” It is comic rhetoric, not a promise about browser road maps or a statement of present-day support.
Quick Recap
Best Value
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
