Which is better: CSS gradients or background images?

Question

Which is better: CSS gradients or background images?

Years ago, I came across many CSS codes that used background-image: url(xxx.png) to mimic a gradient background filter, as only (please correct me if I'm mistaken) IE's proprietary filter could achieve a CSS gradient.

In today's world - given the popularity of current browsers and mobile device browsers (smartphones/tablets), should I opt for:

CSS gradients, with one background property for each engine

OR

background-image: url(xxx.png), using one small image (though it still requires a browser request);

?

What about the issue with IE9 that some CSS gradient generators have encountered (like Colorzilla)?

UPDATE: Sorry if I wasn't clear. My question is not "how" to do this, but rather which method is more efficient, acceptable, or the correct way. Thank you!

html css

Answer 1

Answer №1

Addressing a sensitive topic, research conducted at my workplace revealed a significant number of IE8 users among our customer base.

To tackle the challenge of making gradient CSS work in IE, one effective solution is css3 pie: css3pie

Although using an image format fallback with minimal pixel dimensions adds negligible weight, it does result in an additional server request.

In light of this, I opted for css3pie in my case, with hopes that it will function seamlessly on smartphones too.

Please forgive any errors in my English.

Answer 2

Addressing a sensitive topic, research conducted at my workplace revealed a significant number of IE8 users among our customer base.

To tackle the challenge of making gradient CSS work in IE, one effective solution is css3 pie: css3pie

Although using an image format fallback with minimal pixel dimensions adds negligible weight, it does result in an additional server request.

In light of this, I opted for css3pie in my case, with hopes that it will function seamlessly on smartphones too.

Please forgive any errors in my English.

Answer 3

Answer №2

Having pondered the same question myself, I set out to find the optimal solution in terms of performance. After careful consideration, these were my conclusions:

Pros of Using Gradients:

Images can consume bandwidth, potentially causing longer loading times when fetching the image for the first time. However, it is worth noting that browsers cache these files and properly formatted images mitigate this issue. The main impact would likely be felt by casual users logging in for the first time in areas with unreliable internet connectivity.
Gradients offer more flexibility compared to images. Images may require fixed dimensions to display correctly within a defined element, whereas gradients can adapt better to different environments.
In terms of flexibility, customization possibilities extend beyond adjusting dimensions — you have greater control over the background itself by dynamically setting it through JavaScript.

Pros of Using Images:

Displaying gradients can be taxing on the browser. Instead of presenting an already pre-made image, the browser needs to construct the gradient itself. This could pose challenges on older or less powerful devices, leading to slower or suboptimal performance.
Images allow for more intricate patterns, such as wanting a gradient around a triangular shape. While gradients might be able to achieve this, complex CSS styling could quickly become convoluted.

These factors encompass the key considerations I could think of, aiming not to overlook any major aspects. In my approach, I lean towards using gradients due to their enhanced flexibility. Bandwidth also factored into my decision, particularly considering users in remote regions with unreliable reception.

Answer 4

Having pondered the same question myself, I set out to find the optimal solution in terms of performance. After careful consideration, these were my conclusions:

Pros of Using Gradients:

Images can consume bandwidth, potentially causing longer loading times when fetching the image for the first time. However, it is worth noting that browsers cache these files and properly formatted images mitigate this issue. The main impact would likely be felt by casual users logging in for the first time in areas with unreliable internet connectivity.
Gradients offer more flexibility compared to images. Images may require fixed dimensions to display correctly within a defined element, whereas gradients can adapt better to different environments.
In terms of flexibility, customization possibilities extend beyond adjusting dimensions — you have greater control over the background itself by dynamically setting it through JavaScript.

Pros of Using Images:

Displaying gradients can be taxing on the browser. Instead of presenting an already pre-made image, the browser needs to construct the gradient itself. This could pose challenges on older or less powerful devices, leading to slower or suboptimal performance.
Images allow for more intricate patterns, such as wanting a gradient around a triangular shape. While gradients might be able to achieve this, complex CSS styling could quickly become convoluted.

These factors encompass the key considerations I could think of, aiming not to overlook any major aspects. In my approach, I lean towards using gradients due to their enhanced flexibility. Bandwidth also factored into my decision, particularly considering users in remote regions with unreliable reception.

Answer 5

Answer №3

An approach similar to what HTML5 Boilerplate suggests is worth considering:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<!--[if lt IE 7]><html class="lt-ie10 lt-ie9 lt-ie8 lt-ie7"><![endif]-->
<!--[if IE 7]>   <html class="lt-ie10 lt-ie9 lt-ie8"><![endif]-->
<!--[if IE 8]>   <html class="lt-ie10 lt-ie9"><![endif]-->
<!--[if IE 9 ]>  <html class="lt-ie10"><![endif]-->
<!--[if gt IE 9]><!--> <html class=""><!--<![endif]-->

This results in a <html> element with specific classes for different versions of Internet Explorer:

IE6 --> lt-ie10, lt-ie9, lt-ie8, lt-ie7
IE7 --> lt-ie10, lt-ie9, lt-ie8,
IE8 --> lt-ie10, lt-ie9
IE9 --> lt-ie10

In your CSS, you can then target these classes accordingly:

.element { background-image: /*Your CSS3 gradient declaration */; }
.lt-ie10 { background-image: url(/*Your PNG file*/); }

Answer 6

An approach similar to what HTML5 Boilerplate suggests is worth considering:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<!--[if lt IE 7]><html class="lt-ie10 lt-ie9 lt-ie8 lt-ie7"><![endif]-->
<!--[if IE 7]>   <html class="lt-ie10 lt-ie9 lt-ie8"><![endif]-->
<!--[if IE 8]>   <html class="lt-ie10 lt-ie9"><![endif]-->
<!--[if IE 9 ]>  <html class="lt-ie10"><![endif]-->
<!--[if gt IE 9]><!--> <html class=""><!--<![endif]-->

This results in a <html> element with specific classes for different versions of Internet Explorer:

IE6 --> lt-ie10, lt-ie9, lt-ie8, lt-ie7
IE7 --> lt-ie10, lt-ie9, lt-ie8,
IE8 --> lt-ie10, lt-ie9
IE9 --> lt-ie10

In your CSS, you can then target these classes accordingly:

.element { background-image: /*Your CSS3 gradient declaration */; }
.lt-ie10 { background-image: url(/*Your PNG file*/); }

Which is better: CSS gradients or background images?

Answer №1

Answer №2

Answer №3

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