CSS Lint: one to avoid

[tomjeatt]

I've always been vaguely aware of CSS Lint, imagining it to be a useful tool with a good reputation, although I've never used it before today. I gave it a go earlier (following a link in this article on a A List Apart) and I was massively unimpressed with what it suggested needed 'fixing' in my code. I was going to write a post about why, but happily someone's already done it:

CSS Lint is harmful

I don't really have anything to add. He covered everything that bothered me about it, and then some. I'm also very pleased that it's the second result when googling 'CSS Lint.'

[David]

Wow, he really doesn't like it and I can see why but I'd find it hard to get so wound up about such things. I think grown-ups can probably decide for themselves. I guess what he's angry about is that beginners may consider the CSS Lint rules to be "rules" rather than advisory but you don't have to be an expert to realise that "don't use IDs in selectors" is nonsense.

[tomjeatt]

I didn't like it, but I didn't take it quite as personally as he did! Although the strapline - Will hurt your feelings* (And help you code better) - did grate on me. My problem was more that I've seen CSS Lint referenced by a lot of respectable people/websites (like A List Apart) and I was surprised at just how ill-conceived the whole thing was. I should probably get over it now though since it's not like anyone's forcing me to use it

[yianni88]

why be careful using width:100%?