Sass, which stands for "Syntactically Awesome Stylesheets", is a meta-language that provides simpler, more elegant syntax for CSS. Joel Oliveira and Adam Darowski will explain how Sass can improve your CSS-wrangling quality of life. They will explain what Sass is, what the benefits are, and go through some step-by-step examples of how you can put it to use in your own workflow.

1. Sassive Aggressive
Using Sass to make your life easier

2. Who?
Joel Oliveira Adam Darowski
Developer, The47th Web Developer, PatientsLikeMe

3. What is this “Sass”?
• CSS on steroids.
• Variables, Mixins, Nesting,
Inheritance, and more…
• Two “flavors” - SASS & SCSS

6. Compiling?
$ sass --watch ./sass/:./css/
# all .sass files compiled into ./css
$ sass --update
sass/style.sass:css/style.css
# ... style.sass => style.css

7. Compiling?
... on the what?
blech...

8. Compiling?
... on the what?
blech...

9. Why?

14. Why?
• Vendor Prefixes
• “DRY” - Don’t Repeat Yourself
• Instant Compression / Minification
• Organization - partials (“includes”)
• It’s the future - Chrome team
already exploring these concepts.

15. Compress / Minify
~/sites/designsponge joel $ ls -hal style.css
-rw-r--r-- 1 joel staff 32K Mar 18 11:26 style.css
~/sites/designsponge joel $ cp style.css style.scss
~/sites/designsponge joel $ sass -t compressed style.scss
style_compressed.css
~/sites/designsponge joel $ ls -hal *.*css
-rw-r--r-- 1 joel staff 32K Mar 18 11:26 style.css
-rw-r--r-- 1 joel staff 32K Mar 18 11:33 style.scss
-rw-r--r-- 1 joel staff 26K Mar 18 11:34 style_compressed.css

16. Compress / Minify

18. The Goods

23. CSS3 Mix-ins

24. .foo {
-moz-border-radius: 10px;
-webkit-border-radius: 10px;
border-radius: 10px;
}

25. -moz-border-radius: 10px;
-webkit-border-radius: 10px;
border-radius: 10px;
}
.bar {
property: value;
-moz-border-radius: 10px;
-webkit-border-radius: 10px;
border-radius: 10px;
}
.dude {
property: value;
property: value;
-moz-border-radius: 10px;
-webkit-border-radius: 10px;
border-radius: 10px;
}
.guy {
property: value;
-moz-border-radius: 10px;

26. When using Sass…
.foo
+border_radius(10px)
Will render as:
.foo {
-moz-border-radius: 10px;
-webkit-border-radius: 10px;
border-radius: 10px;
}

27. The mixin:
@mixin border_radius($radius)
-moz-border-radius: #{$radius}
-webkit-border-radius: #{$radius}
border-radius: #{$radius}

28. Another example:
.foo
+box_shadow(0, 0, 5, #AAA)
Will render as:
.foo {
-moz-box-shadow: 0 0 5px #AAA;
-webkit-box-shadow: 0 0 5px #AAA;
box-shadow: 0 0 5px #AAA;
}

29. Or, pre-populate the mixin:
@mixin box_shadow($h_offset: 0, $v_offset: 0,
-->$blur_radius: 5, $color: #AAA)
-moz-box-shadow: #{$h_offset}px #{$v_offset}px
-->#{$blur_radius}px #{$color}
-webkit-box-shadow: #{$h_offset}px #{$v_offset}px
-->#{$blur_radius}px #{$color}
box-shadow: #{$h_offset}px #{$v_offset}px
-->#{$blur_radius}px #{$color}
--> Denotes “not a real line break”

30. Now, no argument is needed:
.foo
+box_shadow
Will render as:
.foo {
-moz-box-shadow: 0 0 5px #AAA;
-webkit-box-shadow: 0 0 5px #AAA;
box-shadow: 0 0 5px #AAA;
}

31. Or, you can override:
.foo
+box_shadow(2, 2, 10, #CCC)
Will render as:
.foo {
-moz-box-shadow: 2px 2px 10px #CCC;
-webkit-box-shadow: 2px 2px 10px #CCC;
box-shadow: 2px 2px 10px #CCC;
}

32. Gradients!
.foo
+box_gradient(#FFFFFF, #000000)
Will render as:
.foo {
background-image: -moz-linear-gradient(top, #FFFFFF,
-->#000000)
background-image: -o-linear-gradient(top, #FFFFFF,
-->#000000);
background-image: -webkit-gradient(linear,left top,left
--> bottom,color-stop(0, #FFFFFF),color-stop(1, #000000))
background-image: -webkit-linear-gradient(#FFFFFF,
-->#000000)
background-image: linear-gradient(top, #FFFFFF, #000000)
filter: progid:DXImageTransform.Microsoft.gradient
-->(startColorStr='#FFFFFF', EndColorStr='#000000')
}
--> Denotes “not a real line break” http://css3please.com/

33. The mixin:
@mixin box_gradient($start,$end)
background-image: -moz-linear-gradient(top, #{!start},
-->#{!end})
background-image: -o-linear-gradient(top, #FFFFFF,
-->#000000);
background-image: -webkit-gradient(linear,left top,left
--> bottom,color-stop(0, #{!start}),color-stop(1,
-->#{!end}))
background-image: -webkit-linear-gradient(#{!start},
-->#{!end})
background-image: linear-gradient(top, #{!start}, #{!end})
filter: progid:DXImageTransform.Microsoft.gradient
-->(startColorStr='#{!start}', EndColorStr='#{!end}')
--> Denotes “not a real line break”

34. http://tech.patientslikeme.com/2010/09/10/deconstructing-my-favorite-sass-mixin/

35. .dropdown-inner {
-moz-border-radius: 0 3px 3px 3px;
-webkit-border-radius: 0 3px 3px 3px;
border-radius: 0 3px 3px 3px;
-moz-box-shadow: 1px 1px 4px #CCC;
-webkit-box-shadow: 1px 1px 4px #CCC;
box-shadow: 1px 1px 4px #CCC;
background-image: -moz-linear-gradient(top, #FFFFFF,
-->#FCF5DE)
background-image: -o-linear-gradient(top, #FFFFFF,
-->#000000);
background-image: -webkit-gradient(linear,left top,left
--> bottom,color-stop(0, #FFFFFF),color-stop(1, #FCF5DE))
background-image: -webkit-linear-gradient(#FFFFFF,
-->#FCF5DE)
background-image: linear-gradient(top, #FFFFFF, #FCF5DE)
filter: progid:DXImageTransform.Microsoft.gradient
-->(startColorStr='#FFFFFF', EndColorStr='#FCF5DE')
}

36. .dropdown-inner {
+border_radius(0 3px 3px 3px
-moz-border-radius: 03px 3px) 3px;
+box_shadow(1, 1, 4, #CCC)
-webkit-border-radius: 0 3px 3px 3px;
border-radius: 0 3px 3px 3px;
+box_gradient(#FFFFFF, #FCF5DE)
-moz-box-shadow: 1px 1px 4px #CCC;
-webkit-box-shadow: 1px 1px 4px #CCC;
box-shadow: 1px 1px 4px #CCC;
background-image: -moz-linear-gradient(top, #FFFFFF,
-->#FCF5DE)
background-image: -o-linear-gradient(top, #FFFFFF,
-->#000000);
background-image: -webkit-gradient(linear,left top,left
--> bottom,color-stop(0, #FFFFFF),color-stop(1, #FCF5DE))
background-image: -webkit-linear-gradient(#FFFFFF,
-->#FCF5DE)
background-image: linear-gradient(top, #FFFFFF, #FCF5DE)
filter: progid:DXImageTransform.Microsoft.gradient
-->(startColorStr='#FFFFFF', EndColorStr='#FCF5DE')
}

37. More with mixins:
• Re-usable interface elements (buttons,
headers—with or without arguments).
• Reset styles (data tables, lists, etc.).
• References to frequently-accessed sprites.
• Frequently used IE hacks.
• Etc.

38. Organization &
Refactoring

47. “.Class Soup”

51. Math

52. Color Manipulation:
.gray
background-color: fade_out(#000, 0.4)
Will render as:
.gray {
background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.6);
}

53. lighten & darken:
.lighter
background-color: lighten(#000064, 30%)
Will render as:
.lighter {
background-color: #4B4BFF;
}

54. With a variable:
$default_color: #000064
.level1
background-color: $default_color
.level2
background-color: lighten($default_color, 15%)
.level3
background-color: lighten($default_color, 30%)
.level4
background-color: lighten($default_color, 45%)
.level5
background-color: lighten($default_color, 60%)

55. With a variable:
.level1 {
background-color: #000064; }
.level2 {
background-color: #0000b1; }
.level3 {
background-color: #0000fd; }
.level4 {
background-color: #4b4bff; }
.level5 {
background-color: #9797ff; }

56. Simple math:
$container_width: 1000px
$photo_width: 480px
.caption
width: $container_width - $photo_width
Will render as:
.caption {
width: 520px;
}

57. https://github.com/adarowski/The-Hall-of-wWAR

58. <ul id="timeline-in">
<li id="dwhite" class="3b level5">White</li>
<li id="canson" class="1b hof level2">Anson</li>
<li id="jorourke" class="hof lf level4">O'Rourke</li>
<li id="pgalvin" class="p hof level2">Galvin</li>
<li id="mward" class="hof ss level5">Ward</li>
<li id="jmccormick" class="p level3">McCormick</li>
<li id="kkelly" class="hof rf level5">Kelly</li>
<li id="ggore" class="cf level5">Gore</li>
<li id="jglasscock" class="ss level4">Glasscock</li>
...
<li id="jbagwell" class="1b level2"></li>
</ul>

59. ul
list-style: none
padding: 40px 0 0
margin: 0
li
cursor: pointer
margin: 0 0 5px
padding: 0
display: block
padding: 2px
color: white
position: relative

60. We need
padding-left
and width.

61. The mixin:
@mixin bar($start,$end)
$start_value: $start - 1870
margin-left: ($start_value*8) + px
$length: $end - $start
width: ($length*8) - 4px

62. The mixin:
@mixin bar($start,$end)
$start_value: $start - 1870 Pass in
margin-left: ($start_value*8) + px arguments for
start and end
$length: $end - $start
year.
width: ($length*8) - 4px

63. The mixin:
@mixin bar($start,$end)
$start_value is
$start_value: $start - 1870
the difference
margin-left: ($start_value*8) + px between the
$length: $end - $start start year and
width: ($length*8) - 4px 1870.

64. The mixin:
@mixin bar($start,$end)
$start_value: $start - 1870 Multiply
$start_value by
margin-left: ($start_value*8) + px
8 to get the left-
$length: $end - $start margin (8 pixels
width: ($length*8) - 4px per year).

65. The mixin:
@mixin bar($start,$end)
$start_value: $start - 1870 Career $length
will be used to
margin-left: ($start_value*8) + px
determine the
$length: $end - $start width of the
width: ($length*8) - 4px box.

66. The mixin:
@mixin bar($start,$end)
$start_value: $start - 1870 Again, multiply
margin-left: ($start_value*8) + px by 8 to get the
width, and also
$length: $end - $start
subtract 4 pixels
width: ($length*8) - 4px (padding).

67. The magic:
#jbagwell
+bar(1991, 2005)
@mixin bar(1991,2005)
$start_value: 1991 - 1870 = 121
margin-left: (121*8) + px = 968px
$length: 2005 - 1991 = 14
width: (14*8) - 4px) = 108px

68. The magic:
#jbagwell
+bar(1991, 2005)
Will render as:
#jbagwell {
margin-left: 968px;
width: 108px;
}

69. margin-left: 16px;
width: 164px; }
#pgalvin {
Repeat: margin-left: 40px;
width: 132px; }
#kkelly {
margin-left: 64px;
width: 116px; }
#mward {
margin-left: 64px;
width: 124px; }
#dbrouthers {
margin-left: 72px;
width: 196px; }
#mwelch {
margin-left: 80px;
width: 92px; }
#tkeefe {
margin-left: 80px;
width: 100px; }
#rconnor {
margin-left: 80px;
width: 132px; }
#bewing {
margin-left: 80px;
width: 132px; }
#cradbourn {
margin-left: 88px;
width: 76px; }
#jclarkson {
margin-left: 96px;
width: 92px; }
#bmcphee {
margin-left: 96px;
width: 132px; }
#tmccarthy {
margin-left: 112px;
width: 92px; }

70. https://github.com/adarowski/The-Hall-of-wWAR

71. Wrapping Up

72. Installation
$ sudo gem install haml
c:> ruby gem install haml

73. Resources
• sass-lang.com
• beta.compass-style.org
• @sasswatch
• wiseheartdesign.com/weblog/
• rubyinstaller.org (windows)
• github.com/adarowski
• github.com/jayroh

74. Joel @jayroh
Adam @adarowski

75. Questions?