Can you explain the significance behind this unorthodox CSS code?

Assisting a customer in updating their Shopify theme. The previous designer used an unconventional method to establish the grid system. I require assistance in decoding the code.

I came across an old article on this topic but still couldn't grasp it.

$phone:            "screen and (max-width: 640px)";
$tablet:           "screen and (min-width: 641px) and (max-width: 1007px)";
$tablet-and-up:    "screen and (min-width: 641px)";
$pocket:           "screen and (max-width: 1007px)";
$lap:              "screen and (min-width: 1008px) and (max-width: 1239px)";
$lap-and-up:       "screen and (min-width: 1008px)";
$desk:             "screen and (min-width: 1240px)";
$widescreen:       "screen and (min-width: 1500px)";

.\31\/2, .\32\/4, .\36\/12 {
  width: 50%;
}

.\31\/3, .\34\/12 {
  width: 33.33333%;
}

.\32\/3, .\38\/12 {
  width: 66.66667%;
}

.\31\/4, .\33\/12 {
  width: 25%;
}

.\33\/4, .\39\/12 {
  width: 75%;
}

.\31\/12 {
  width: 8.33333%;
}

.\32\/12 {
  width: 16.66667%;
}

.\35\/12 {
  width: 41.66667%;
}

.\37\/12 {
  width: 58.33333%;
}

.\31\30\/12 {
  width: 83.33333%;
}

.\31\31\/12 {
  width: 91.66667%;
}

@media #{$phone} {
  .hidden-phone {
    display: none !important;
  }

  .\31\/2--phone, .\32\/4--phone, .\36\/12--phone {
    width: 50%;
  }

  .\31\/3--phone, .\34\/12--phone {
    width: 33.33333%;
  }

  .\32\/3--phone, .\38\/12--phone {
    width: 66.66667%;
  }

  .\31\/4--phone, .\33\/12--phone {
    width: 25%;
  }

  .\33\/4--phone, .\39\/12--phone {
    width: 75%;
  }

  .\31\/12--phone {
    width: 8.33333%;
  }

  .\32\/12--phone {
    width: 16.66667%;
  }

  .\35\/12--phone {
    width: 41.66667%;
  }

  .\37\/12--phone {
    width: 58.33333%;
  }

  .\31\30\/12--phone {
    width: 83.33333%;
  }

  .\31\31\/12--phone {
    width: 91.66667%;
  }
}

@media #{$tablet} {
  .hidden-tablet {
    display: none !important;
  }

  .\31\/2--tablet, .\32\/4--tablet, .\36\/12--tablet {
    width: 50%;
  }

  .\31\/3--tablet, .\34\/12--tablet {
    width: 33.33333%;
  }

  .\32\/3--tablet, .\38\/12--tablet {
    width: 66.66667%;
  }

  .\31\/4--tablet, .\33\/12--tablet {
    width: 25%;
  }

  .\33\/4--tablet, .\39\/12--tablet {
    width: 75%;
  }

  .\31\/12--tablet {
    width: 8.33333%;
  }

  .\32\/12--tablet {
    width: 16.66667%;
  }

  .\35\/12--tablet {
    width: 41.66667%;
  }

  .\37\/12--tablet {
    width: 58.33333%;
  }

  .\31\30\/12--tablet {
    width: 83.33333%;
  }

  .\31\31\/12--tablet {
    width: 91.66667%;
  }
}

@media #{$tablet-and-up} {
  .hidden-tablet-and-up {
    display: none !important;
  }

  .\31\/2--tablet-and-up, .\32\/4--tablet-and-up, .\36\/12--tablet-and-up {
    width: 50%;
  }

  .\31\/3--tablet-and-up, .\34\/12--tablet-and-up {
    width: 33.33333%;
  }

  .\32\/3--tablet-and-up, .\38\/12--tablet-and-up {
    width: 66.66667%;
  }

  .\31\/4--tablet-and-up, .\33\/12--tablet-and-up {
    width: 25%;
  }

  .\33\/4--tablet-and-up, .\39\/12--tablet-and-up {
    width: 75%;
  }

  .\31\/12--tablet-and-up {
    width: 8.33333%;
  }

  .\32\/12--tablet-and-up {
    width: 16.66667%;
  }

  .\35\/12--tablet-and-up {
    width: 41.66667%;
  }

  .\37\/12--tablet-and-up {
    width: 58.33333%;
  }

  .\31\30\/12--tablet-and-up {
    width: 83.33333%;
  }

  .\31\31\/12--tablet-and-up {
    width: 91.66667%;
  }
}

@media #{$pocket} {
  .hidden-pocket {
    display: none !important;
  }

  .\31\/2--pocket, .\32\/4--pocket, .\36\/12--pocket {
    width: 50%;
  }

  .\31\/3--pocket, .\34\/12--pocket {
    width: 33.33333%;
  }

  .\32\/3--pocket, .\38\/12--pocket {
    width: 66.66667%;
  }

  .\31\/4--pocket, .\33\/12--pocket {
    width: 25%;
  }

  .\33\/4--pocket, .\39\/12--pocket {
    width: 75%;
  }

  .\31\/12--pocket {
    width: 8.33333%;
  }

  .\32\/12--pocket {
    width: 16.66667%;
  }

  .\35\/12--pocket {
    width: 41.66667%;
  }

  .\37\/12--pocket {
    width: 58.33333%;
  }

  .\31\30\/12--pocket {
    width: 83.33333%;
  }

  .\31\31\/12--pocket {
    width: 91.66667%;
  }
}

@media #{$lap} {
  .hidden-lap {
    display: none !important;
  }

  .\31\/2--lap, .\32\/4--lap, .\36\/12--lap {
    width: 50%;
  }

  .\31\/3--lap, .\34\/12--lap {
    width: 33.33333%;
  }

  .\32\/3--lap, .\38\/12--lap {
    width: 66.66667%;
  }

  .\31\/4--lap, .\33\/12--lap {
    width: 25%;
  }

  .\33\/4--lap, .\39\/12--lap {
    width: 75%;
  }

  .\31\/12--lap {
    width: 8.33333%;
  }

  .\32\/12--lap {
    width: 16.66667%;
  }

  .\35\/12--lap {
    width: 41.66667%;
  }

  .\37\/12--lap {
    width: 58.33333%;
  }

  .\31\30\/12--lap {
    width: 83.33333%;
  }

  .\31\31\/12--lap {
    width: 91.66667%;
  }
}

@media #{$lap-and-up} {
  .hidden-lap-and-up {
    display: none !important;
  }

  .\31\/2--lap-and-up, .\32\/4--lap-and-up, .\36\/12--lap-and-up {
    width: 50%;
  }

  .\31\/3--lap-and-up, .\34\/12--lap-and-up {
    width: 33.33333%;
  }

  .\32\/3--lap-and-up, .\38\/12--lap-and-up {
    width: 66.66667%;
  }

  .\31\/4--lap-and-up, .\33\/12--lap-and-up {
    width: 25%;
  }

  .\33\/4--lap-and-up, .\39\/12--lap-and-up {
    width: 75%;
  }

  .\31\/12--lap-and-up {
    width: 8.33333%;
  }

  .\32\/12--lap-and-up {
    width: 16.66667%;
  }

  .\35\/12--lap-and-up {
    width: 41.66667%;
  }

  .\37\/12--lap-and-up {
    width: 58.33333%;
  }

  .\31\30\/12--lap-and-up {
    width: 83.33333%;
  }

  .\31\31\/12--lap-and-up {
    width: 91.66667%;
  }
}

@media #{$desk} {
  .hidden-desk {
    display: none !important;
  }

  .\31\/2--desk, .\32\/4--desk, .\36\/12--desk {
    width: 50%;
  }

  .\31\/3--desk, .\34\/12--desk {
    width: 33.33333%;
  }

  .\32\/3--desk, .\38\/12--desk {
    width: 66.66667%;
  }

  .\31\/4--desk, .\33\/12--desk {
    width: 25%;
  }

  .\33\/4--desk, .\39\/12--desk {
    width: 75%;
  }

  .\31\/12--desk {
    width: 8.33333%;
  }

  .\32\/12--desk {
    width: 16.66667%;
  }

  .\35\/12--desk {
    width: 41.66667%;
  }

  .\37\/12--desk {
    width: 58.33333%;
  }

  .\31\30\/12--desk {
    width: 83.33333%;
  }

  .\31\31\/12--desk {
    width: 91.66667%;
  }
}
/* Create each media query */
@media #{$widescreen} {
  .hidden-widescreen {
    display: none !important;
  }

  .\31\/2--widescreen, .\32\/4--widescreen, .\36\/12--widescreen {
    width: 50%;
  }

  .\31\/3--widescreen, .\34\/12--widescreen {
    width: 33.33333%;
  }

  .\32\/3--widescreen, .\38\/12--widescreen {
    width: 66.66667%;
  }

  .\31\/4--widescreen, .\33\/12--widescreen {
    width: 25%;
  }

  .\33\/4--widescreen, .\39\/12--widescreen {
    width: 75%;
  }

  .\31\/12--widescreen {
    width: 8.33333%;
  }

  .\32\/12--widescreen {
    width: 16.66667%;
  }

  .\35\/12--widescreen {
    width: 41.66667%;
  }

  .\37\/12--widescreen {
    width: 58.33333%;
  }

  .\31\30\/12--widescreen {
    width: 83.33333%;
  }

  .\31\31\/12--widescreen {
    width: 91.66667%;
  }
}

My goal is to comprehend the logic behind "\31", "\32", "\36", "\37" patterns, and hopefully decipher the initial 12-grid declarations.

csscss-selectors

Answer №1

It is a rule in CSS that identifiers, such as classes and IDs, cannot start with a digit (0 - 9).

As stated in the specification:

4.1.3 Characters and case

CSS identifiers are limited to characters [a-z, A-Z, 0-9], plus hyphen (-) and underscore (_); they must not commence with a digit, two hyphens, or a hyphen followed by a digit.

However, there is an exception mentioned in the same section:

Backslash escapes are always seen as part of an identifier or string.

This means that although starting an identifier with a digit is not allowed, using backslash escape codes (\foo) can help represent digits. This applies specifically to CSS, unlike HTML where character combinations hold no such limitations.

Your code showcases numerical HTML class values that need escaping for proper CSS use. Below are examples:

  • \31 represents the Unicode Code Point for one.
  • \32 represents the Unicode Code Point for two.
  • \33 represents the Unicode Code Point for three.

In CSS, backslash escapes also serve to nullify special character meanings.

The forward slash (/) holds significance in CSS and requires escaping for correct interpretation.

Let's interpret the class names in your code:

.\31\/2, .\32\/4, .\36\/12 { width: 50%; }

The first escape (\31) stands for "1".

The second escape (\/2) neutralizes the forward slash's special meaning.

Translated into HTML, it appears as follows:

class = "1/2"
class = "2/4"
class = "6/12"

Here are more examples from your list:

.\31\/3, .\34\/12 { width: 33.33333%; } /* HTML class values = 1/3, 4/12 */
.\32\/3, .\38\/12 { width: 66.66667%; } /* HTML class values = 2/3, 8/12 */
.\31\/12          { width: 8.33333%;  } /* HTML class value  = 1/12      */
.\35\/12          { width: 41.66667%; } /* HTML class value  = 5/12      */
.\31\30\/12       { width: 83.33333%; } /* HTML class value  = 10/12     */
.\31\31\/12       { width: 91.66667%; } /* HTML class value  = 11/12     */

Answer №2

After doing some research online, it seems that a lot of escaping is being used for an unusual naming convention that may not be the best idea to use.

.\31\/2, .\32\/4, .\36\/12 { /* this */
.1/2, .2/4, .6/12 { /* translates to this */
  width: 50%;
}

.\31\/3, .\34\/12 { /* this */
.1/3, .4/12 { /* translates to this */
  width: 33.33333%;
}

I recently came across an article that explains this well. The \3 signifies the start, and the \/ escapes the slash.

What does .container.\31 25\25 mean in CSS?

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