Tables vs. CSS

November 11th, 2008

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I’ve created lots of websites in the past using the tried and tested method of creating tables and messing about with spacer images until everything seems to work. Sometimes, this has been a hugely frustrating undertaking - especially trying to get things to work across browsers.

…and then we change something, and it all falls to pieces!!!

Now, I’ve always used CSS to manage the styles across my sites, but literally just for setting things like colours and fonts - not for layout. I’m now looking to build a few sites where I need to be a little more creative and more flexible and it seems like CSS is the way to go.  However, it does feel like I’m moving from complicated tables, to complicated CSS files!

CSS Website Design by Eric A. Meyer To help me along the way, I’ve come across a fantastic book by Eric Meyer called CSS Website Design which is probably the best technical book that I’ve ever bought! Rather than being full of reams of reference material, it takes the approach of a training course and walks you step by step through the minefield of CSS.  Like I said, I already knew CSS to a certain extent, but even the early chapters of this book have helped me to understand things at a whole new level.  As I progress, it’s taking me deeper into page layout techniques and into areas that I didn’t even know were possible (did you know that you can create CSS that lays a page out differently for printing???)

However, the question remains: Which is best for today’s internet - Tables or CSS? I already know what my answer is to this (and why) but I’m interested to read your insights!

As for the new sites - watch this space….! ;)

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Technorati Tags: CSS, Tables, Website deisgn




4 Responses to “Tables vs. CSS”

  1. Margaret Says:
    November 12th, 2008 at 4:50 pm

    I’ve found Sitepoint.com to be a fantastic source for cutting edge CSS and HTML practices. They publish quite a few books on those and other subjects and recently published one that includes css tables(!).

    Ever since I learned HTML and CSS at webmonkey, I’ve tweaked and worked on my websites using that knowledge. I enjoy playing with website creation a lot and just wish I had more time to devote to it.

    ê¿ê

  2. EverybodyGeek Says:
    November 29th, 2008 at 9:42 am

    CSS and tables!
    All my recent design are using CSS as much as possible for the layout. It’s a lot easier to design a site using styled div’s than misusing tables.
    On the other hand, sometimes you just need tables, cause CSS would be too much hassle. But tables are more for the inner design, not for the overall layout.
    So my strategy: start with CSS and if some elements are too twisted to design them with CSS, use tables.

  3. techniqueal t. Says:
    December 3rd, 2008 at 9:03 am

    id prefer css because SEO-wise, it’s very search-engine friendly. great book, will certainly check that out.

  4. web development los angeles Says:
    December 4th, 2008 at 12:49 pm

    i agree with you techiquel t.
    i like your blog.

    Ann Torres

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