It is a good time to start learning and experimenting with Houdini APIs as some of them are currently available for use and the browser support for Houdini is continuously improving (Browser support).
CSS Houdini is a term used to describe a set of upcoming APIs and technologies that allow developers to create custom CSS properties and styles using JavaScript. Houdini aims to give developers more control over the rendering engine of web browsers, enabling them to create new CSS properties and effects that were previously impossible to achieve with standard CSS.
Houdini is made up of several APIs, including the Paint API, Layout API, and Animation API. These APIs allow developers to create custom paint styles, layout algorithms, and animations that can be used in CSS.
One of the most significant benefits of Houdini is that it can improve website performance by reducing the workload of the browser’s rendering engine. Instead of relying on pre-built CSS properties, Houdini allows developers to create more efficient and lightweight styles that can be optimized for specific devices and browsers.
Houdini is currently a work in progress, and not all browsers fully support its APIs. However, as more browsers adopt Houdini, developers will have more flexibility and control over how their websites look and behave.
Learn more at:
- Mozilla MDN Web Docs
- Smashing Magazine A Practical Overview Of CSS Houdini
