Mobile internet usage now exceeds desktop usage, so having a responsive website has become extremely important. As a Webflow developer, making sure your client’s site looks great and functions smoothly on all devices is essential.
Build responsive websites
The Webflow visual editor makes creating fully responsive sites simple, with no coding required.
- Device previewing – webflow developer lets you preview your design on various device sizes in real time. Toggling between device views makes optimizing the responsive behavior effortless.
- Fluid canvas – Webflow’s canvas automatically adjusts as you add elements, arrange content, and resize columns. Designing responsively is built into the platform’s functionality.
- Media queries – Custom media queries be added to fine-tune styles and layout changes at specific breakpoints. Use them to tweak the design for certain devices.
- Flexbox – Webflow leverages the power of flexbox for incredibly flexible and robust responsive layouts. Columns, divs, images, text, and more are set to flexibly resize and reflow.
- Custom breakpoints – You control the breakpoints for phone, tablet, and desktop views. Default values match common device sizes, but you add custom ones too.
- Responsive navigation – Convert navigation menus into off-canvas or dropdowns for mobile. Hamburger menus, sticky headers, and overlays also are added.
- Responsive typography – The Typography panel provides easy control over font sizes, margins, and more. Styles are adjusted for each device size.
- Responsive images – Upload images at the proper resolution for every screen width. Image cropping and auto-resizing ensure they appear crisp on any device.
- Mobile-friendly interactions – Buttons, links, dropdowns, sliders, and other UI are optimized for touch interaction. Element spacing, padding, and hover states work flawlessly cross-device.
With these tools and more, Webflow enables designers to create responsive sites faster and easier than ever.
Testing responsive websites
Building a site responsively is one thing – thoroughly testing it across devices is just as crucial. Nothing ruins the user experience faster than layouts breaking, text overflowing, images distorting, or taps/swipes not working properly.
Carefully test responsive behavior using these best practices:
- Physical devices – View the site on actual phones, tablets, laptops, and desktop monitors. Test the latest iOS and Android devices at a minimum.
- Browser dev tools – Inspect how the design adapts using Chrome, Firefox, and Safari web developer tools. Toggle device and viewport sizes.
- Webflow preview – Utilize Webflow’s built-in device previewing to inspect each breakpoint. Zoom and pan to mimic gestures.
- Screenfly and Am I Responsive? – These services display your site across multiple device sizes simultaneously for easy visual testing.
- Click around – Browse all pages and test all UI thoroughly on touch devices. Tap menus, expand accordions, play videos, submit forms – leave no stone unturned.
- Ask for feedback – Get input from friends or colleagues browsing on their own mobile devices. Fresh perspectives help uncover flaws.
- Fix issues – Pinpoint any responsive problems at particular breakpoints and tweak the design or media queries to resolve them.
Thoroughly testing for responsiveness identifies problems early to be fixed before launch. This helps provide a flawless viewing experience for visitors.
