Experimenting with component-based HTML/CSS naming and patterns

README.md

NOTE I now use the conventions detailed in the SUIT framework

Template Components

Used to provide structural templates.

Pattern

t-template-name
t-template-name--modifier-name
t-template-name__subcomponent-name--subcomponent-modifier-name

Examples

t-icon
t-icon--large

t-btn
t-btn--large

t-media
t-media__img
t-media__img--large
t-media__opt
t-media__body

State Components

Used to indicate the state of a component

Pattern

is-state-type

Examples

is-hidden
is-collapsed
is-expanded
is-selected

JavaScript Components

Used to provide JS-only hooks for a component. Can be used to provide a JS-enhanced UI or to abstract other JS behaviours.

Pattern

js-action-name

Examples

js-submit
js-action-save
js-ui-collapsible
js-ui-dropdown
js-ui-dropdown--control
js-ui-dropdown--menu
js-ui-carousel

About theming Components

Could reuse the Template Component naming convention, for example:

specific-name
specific-name--modifier-name
specific-name__subcomponent-name
specific-name__subcomponent-name--subcomponent-modifier-name

Or just let anything go.

html-example.html

<!-- 
What if we used more white-space around class values? 
Does it make the code more readable and surface/separate the components 
among the rest of the info in the HTML?
-->

<div class=" t-unit  t-media ">
    <div class=" t-media__img ">
        <a href="#">
            <img class=" product-img " src="http://example.com" alt="">
        </a>
    </div>
    <form class=" t-media__opt  js-action-rate ">
        <button class=" product-rating " type="submit">
            <div class=" product-rating__panel ">
                <span class=" product-rating__points ">
                    5
                </span>
                <span class=" product-rating__label ">
                    upvotes
                </span>
            </div>
            <strong class=" product-rating__action  t-btn  btn-normal ">
                Upvote
            </strong>
        </button>
    </form>
    <div class=" t-media__body ">
        <h2 class=" h2 ">
            <a href="#">Product title</a>
        </h2>
        <p>[content]</p>
        <ul class=" t-uilist--hz ">
            <li><a class=" tag " href="#">tag name</a></li>
            <li><a class=" tag " href="#">tag name</a></li>
            <li><a class=" tag " href="#">tag name</a></li>
        </ul>
    </div>
</div>

I love the BEM approach in cases where there's a strict hierarchy, but I find it very verbose when working with more global components.

For example:

.header {}
.article .header {}

is much more flexible and reusable than:

.article__header {}

which is very specific to that block.

I use BEM mainly for widgets and cases where I know I really need the namespace, but doing everything the BEM way kind of defeats the Cascading part of CSS in my opinion.

I totally love the states and js hooks though, I think that's great practice as it instantly shows what the component is for.

Let's say I have a menu and within this menu I have the list of items. What's the correct naming then?

Menu and menu list should be:

.menu {}
.menu--list {}

But what about the items? Should be .menu--list--item or .menu__list--item?

rafaelrinaldi

.menu {}
.menu--list {}

The item naming would then fall like this if you needed to modify the menu item

.menu__item--list {}

You could call the modifier what you wanted but it makes sense to keep the modifier name the same as the parent modifier. Then you can couple the new menu item modifier with the parent modifier.

Gotcha! Thanks @mykz.

Zeokat interesting code, i have to adjust it a little. Thanks.

Another variant of writing css-rules is using AMCSS.
For example: http://codepen.io/viT-1/pen/VjXybd

Hi nicolas,

What is the different between a Template Components and theming Component? I can see some of your classes start with a t and some don't. I just want to know the reason and the logic please. Thanks

http://tailwindcss.com + http://getbem.com