What are Vendor Prefixes like -webkit- and -moz- in CSS, and Why Are They Used?

Understanding Vendor Prefixes: -moz- and -webkit-

When encountered unfamiliar CSS lines such as those listed below, beginners may wonder about their significance.

-webkit-column-count: 3;
-webkit-column-gap: 10px;
-webkit-column-fill: auto;
-moz-column-count: 3;
-moz-column-gap: 10px;
-moz-column-fill: auto;

These lines represent vendor-prefixed properties, unique to specific rendering engines. -webkit prefixes are used by Chrome and Safari, while -moz prefixes apply to Firefox.

Purpose of Vendor Prefixes

Vendor prefixes enable the implementation of new or proprietary CSS features before their official standardization by the W3C. This allows for early adoption despite potential inconsistencies between browser implementations.

Best Practice

It's recommended to specify vendor-prefixed properties first, followed by unprefixed versions. This ensures that the unprefixed property overrides the vendor-prefixed settings once fully supported by the browser.

.elementClass {
    -moz-border-radius: 2em;
    -ms-border-radius: 2em;
    -o-border-radius: 2em;
    -webkit-border-radius: 2em;
    border-radius: 2em;
}

Application Example

In the CSS example provided, the properties specified are related to multi-column layouts:

• -webkit-column-count: Specifies the number of columns in a multi-column layout for Webkit browsers.
• -webkit-column-gap: Defines the spacing between columns for Webkit browsers.
• -webkit-column-fill: Controls how content is distributed within columns for Webkit browsers.

Similar properties are applied to Firefox using -moz prefixes.

Additional Resources

• [CSS Multi-column layout module](https://www.w3.org/TR/css3-multicol/)
• ['In defence of Vendor Prefixes' by Meyer](https://meyerweb.com/eric/thoughts/2008/05/13/defense-of-vendor-prefixes/)
• [Vendor prefix lists by Meyer](https://meyerweb.com/eric/thoughts/2008/05/13/defense-of-vendor-prefixes/)

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