Guide: How to work Effectively with LESS
Enhancing productivity with LESS syntax is easy. By setting up syntax highlighting in your editor, using automatic compiler tools and preset mixins, you can quickly compile code and improve performance. Our previous tutorial showed how to use LESS practically with applications like CrunchApp. Now, we’ll provide tips to help you get the most out of it.
Are you ready? Let’s go.
As a web designer, I’ve found certain tips to be helpful in my daily work. While these may not work for everyone, they could still be useful. Here are some of the tips I’ve picked up along the way.
1. Code highlighter
We previously introduced ChrunchApp, but it may not be the right fit for every web designer. Each designer has their own preferences when it comes to their working environment, including the code editor they use.
You don’t need to switch to a new code editor to get syntax highlighting for LESS. Here’s how to enable it in two popular text editors: Sublime Text 2 and Notepad++.
Sublime text 2
This editor is a great choice for coders, regardless of their operating system. It’s available for Windows, Linux and OSX, making it accessible to all.
Download the editor from its official website and try it out. To enable LESS color enhancements, follow the instructions provided.
Before downloading, read the license: the free version is for evaluation only.
Install package console
To open the console in Sublime Text 2, select View > Show Console from the menu.
Run the command line “wget -qO- http://wbond.net/sublime_packages/installer | python” to install the package manager from wBond.net.
A new package check for Sublime Text has been released. To install it, users must create a folder in the installed packages path and download the package from http://sublime.wbond.net/. After installation is complete, users should restart Sublime Text to finish the process.
The Package console will enable users to install the highlight package.
Install LESS highlighting package
To install packages in Sublime Text 2, open the Command Palette from the Tools menu and wait for the package list to load. Then type “Install Package” to search and access repositories.
Find the LESS package in the repository list and press Enter.
Wait until you see a notification on the status bar confirming that Sublime Text 2 has downloaded and installed the package.
Sublime Text 2 now supports .less files, as indicated by the presence of LESS on the Syntax menu. Color enhancement for LESS syntax is also available.
Notepad ++
Notepad ++, a free and open source code editor, is widely used by web designers and developers, particularly those working with Windows. To make the most of its features, users should consider adding the LESS text highlight plugin.
Install LESS highlight in Notepad ++
Making changes to the color scheme of Notepad ++ is simple.
To get started with LESS in Notepad ++, download the package from the provided link and open the User Defined Dialog in View.
Click the Import… button in the next pop-up box, locate your downloaded .xml file and restart Notepad ++ to complete the process.
Open your .less file and access the Language menu to apply color enhancements to your LESS syntax - LESS is now included.
More resources
For those not using any of the editors mentioned, helpful links are provided below.
Adobe DreamWeaver
Dreamweaver, with its vast user base across Mac and Windows, now has a resource to help install LESS highlighting in the editor.
Coda
Mac users are likely familiar with Coda, a popular editor. Here’s how to install LESS in it.
Geany
Linux users often turn to Geany, a popular code editor, for their computing needs. Those in my office who use Linux have found success with it. To add LESS marks to your Geany experience, follow the instructions on SuperUser.com.
2. LESS Compiler
CrunchApp users have a built-in LESS compiler, but other editors don’t. To compile LESS code, Windows users can use WINLESS and OSX users can use LESS.app.
This tool is a major time-saver, automatically converting LESS code into static CSS and reporting errors as soon as the file is saved. Let’s take a look at how it works.
WinLESS can be downloaded and installed.
To add .less files to WinLESS, click the Add folder button and select the directory where they are stored. WinLESS will then scan the folder and display all .less files in a list.
Ensure File> Settings is selected and check the options for accuracy.
When a file is saved, it will be automatically compiled and a message will appear to confirm the successful compilation.
The output file will be saved in the same folder as the .less file, unless otherwise specified.
Edit the .less file in the new folder to customize your design.
WinLESS alerts you when your code has been successfully compiled into .css, or if there’s an error in the code. This allows you to quickly check the .css output without having to wait for the compilation process to finish.
Mac users can take advantage of LESS.app, a program that offers the same features as WinLESS.
Preset mixins
Today, web designers are utilizing CSS3 properties such as gradient, shadow, and border radius to create modern designs. These features can give websites a unique look and feel.
Rounded corners can be added to elements on a webpage with the use of border-radius, which is supported by webkit, moz and other browsers.
A background of linear gradient, ranging from #f0f9ff to #a1dbff, is supported by -moz-, -webkit-, -o-, and -ms- prefixes.
Web designers can save time and effort thanks to the generosity of some in the community who have compiled helpful Mixins. Previously, we had to create our own Mixins, but now they are readily available.
Less Elements simplifies web development by providing preset CSS3 rules, eliminating the need for tedious vendor prefixes.
Putting the above tips into practice can help improve your writing.
Bring them all together
A new HTML document was created with a link button marker, allowing users to quickly access a website.
Create a main stylesheet, named styles.less, in the same folder as your HTML document and add it to WinLESS for compilation.
The syntax for importing the previously downloaded elements.less file is:
Elements.less now offers a range of Mixins, including .gradient, .rounded and .bordered, to simplify styling. The term ‘Mixins’ may not be immediately familiar, but it’s sure to make life easier for developers.
Add the following lines to your style sheet and save it.
This CSS code creates a link with a gradient background, rounded corners, and a border. When hovered over, the gradient background changes color.
WinLESS has added a .less file, which will be automatically compiled into .css. Let’s examine the outcome.
Despite needing fewer lines of code, this button is still functioning properly. The generated static CSS proves it.
A link on a website can be styled with a gray background, rounded corners, and a hover effect.
Summarized
This post discussed the importance of understanding the basics of SEO and how to use it to your advantage. It also highlighted some key tips for optimizing your website and content for search engine rankings. Finally, it provided an overview of the different types of SEO strategies available.
Syntax highlighting in our current editor allows us to compile LESS syntax without needing to install a separate editor, saving disk space and memory. We no longer need to download the LESS.js library and link it to our HTML head section, keeping our HTML document clean. Compiler tools like WinLESS and LESS.app generate static CSS output quickly, allowing us to investigate any syntax errors right away. Preset Mixins like LESS Elements can save time when compiling CSS3 properties.
With our tips now complete, we hope you’ve found them useful for your web projects. If you have any feedback, please leave a comment below.
How to work Effectively with LESS: benefits
Faq
Final note
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