The Importance of Separating Content and Presentation Styling in Web Development, and How B.E.M. Can Help

In web development, there is a clear separation of concerns between the content of a web page, the markup language used to structure it, and the presentation styling that defines its appearance. This separation is important because it allows web designers and developers to work more efficiently, and it ensures that web pages are accessible and can be easily understood by both humans and machines. In this blog post, we will discuss the importance of semantic markup, the separation of concerns between HTML and presentation styling, and how B.E.M. (Block Element Modifier) can help to achieve this.

What is Semantic Markup?

Semantic markup is a way of writing HTML that gives meaning to the content of a web page, rather than just specifying its appearance. It involves using HTML tags to define the purpose of each piece of content on a web page, such as headings, paragraphs, lists, and tables. This makes the content more accessible to users with disabilities, as well as to search engines and other automated systems that rely on HTML to understand the content of a web page.

Separation of Concerns between HTML and Presentation Styling:

The separation of concerns between HTML and presentation styling is important because it allows web designers and developers to work more efficiently. By separating the content and structure of a web page from its appearance, changes can be made to the appearance of a web page without affecting its content or structure. This also allows for better scalability and maintainability of web projects.

However, frameworks like Tailwind and Bootstrap encourage opinionated markup, meaning that the markup is structured with the style in mind. This goes against the principles of semantic markup and the separation of concerns, as the content and structure are influenced by the presentation style.

B.E.M. (Block Element Modifier):

B.E.M. (Block Element Modifier) is a methodology that helps to achieve the separation of concerns between HTML and presentation styling. It involves separating the content and structure of a web page into “blocks” (the major components of a web page), “elements” (the minor components of a block), and “modifiers” (variations of a block or element). By doing this, B.E.M. helps to create a more modular and scalable approach to web development.

B.E.M. also encourages the use of semantic markup, as it focuses on the structure and purpose of the content, rather than its presentation. This approach helps to ensure that web pages are accessible, and that they can be easily understood by both humans and machines.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, the separation of concerns between HTML and presentation styling is important in web development, as it allows for better scalability and maintainability of web projects. Semantic markup plays a key role in achieving this separation, as it helps to define the purpose of the content on a web page. While frameworks like Tailwind and Bootstrap may encourage opinionated markup, B.E.M. provides a solution to achieve the separation of concerns, while also encouraging the use of semantic markup. By following these principles, web designers and developers can create web pages that are accessible, scalable, and maintainable.