Is the Test Pyramid really dead? Discover the more contemporary testing strategies and evaluate the Test Pyramid’s relevance in today’s software development practices. https://smashingmagazine.com/2023/09/long-live-test-pyramid/
In this article, Joas Pambou builds the tool to provide a sentiment score in real-time with enhanced user experience by providing multilingual support. You will use an OpenAI library called Whisper that transcribes audio files into text and detects the language, and Gradio, a UI framework, to establish the interface. https://smashingmagazine.com/2023/09/generating-real-time-audio-sentiment-analysis-ai/
Let’s get ready for September with some fresh wallpaper designs! Created with love by artists and designers from across the globe, the wallpapers in this collection come in versions with and without a calendar. Enjoy! https://smashingmagazine.com/2023/08/desktop-wallpaper-calendars-september-2023/
The CSS Color Module Level 4 specification defined a slew of new color features when it became a candidate recommendation in 2022, including Oklab and Oklch, which have widened the field of color we have to work with. Explore the Oklch color space and how to start using it in CSS today. https://smashingmagazine.com/2023/08/oklch-color-spaces-gamuts-css/
The so-called “Double Diamond” is a great way of visualizing an ideal design process — but it’s just not the way most companies deliver new projects or services. Andy Budd proposes a new “Double Diamond” idea that better aligns with the way work actually gets done and highlights the place where design has the most leverage. https://smashingmagazine.com/2023/08/improving-double-diamond-design-process/
We often think of shadows in CSS as something to reach for when we want to add depth to a design. But shadows can be used for more than depth. Let’s experiment with different shadows — two CSS properties and a filter — to make interesting hover effects, different text styles, and even casting shadows on other shadows. https://smashingmagazine.com/2023/08/interesting-ways-use-css-shadows/
Discover how to improve the user experience of nested menus and tackle a minor yet common issue with them when the user’s pointer leaves the menu item for a moment, and the nested menu goes away, requiring the user to re-hover and try again. A well-known concept called the “safe triangle” solves this problem. https://smashingmagazine.com/2023/08/better-context-menus-safe-triangles/
The background image used in the hero component, which is slow to load, is a very common problem with any component that uses a large image file as a background image. In this article, Mike Herchel walks you through how to tackle this common performance issue using modern techniques. https://smashingmagazine.com/2023/08/methods-improving-drupal-largest-contentful-paint-core-web-vital/
Most of the projects have at least a few unused files, exports, and dependencies lying around, often because it’s difficult knowing when one thing relies on another and scary removing something you’re not sure is in use. Lars Kappert shares a tool he’s been working on that offers a solution. https://smashingmagazine.com/2023/08/knip-automated-tool-find-unused-files-exports-dependencies/
In Part 2 of the series, Hannah Milan reviews in detail various accessible text over images techniques for designing your web and mobile app content, including framing the image, soft-colored gradients technique, text styles and text position, solid color shapes, and use of colored backgrounds. And finally, the emphasis will once again be placed on the accessibility aspect, which needs to be “baked in” right from the start rather than being an afterthought in your design process. https://smashin