`max-device-width or max-width: Which CSS Media Query Should I Use for Responsiveness?`

Should I Use max-device-width or max-width?

Background

In CSS media queries, you can use two primary properties to target specific devices: max-device-width and max-width. The former targets the device's physical screen width, while the latter targets the viewport's (current browser window) width.

Key Differences

When you resize the browser window on your desktop:

• max-device-width will remain unchanged, targeting the device's full screen size.
• max-width will change according to the browser window's width, allowing for responsive layouts.

Recommendation

For responsiveness and adaptability, it is highly recommended to use min-width/max-width instead of min-device-width/max-device-width.

Deprecation

The device-width media feature has been deprecated in the Media Queries Level 4 specification draft and should be avoided.

Explanation

Differences in pixel densities and screen resolutions make it crucial to consider how pixel values are interpreted on different devices. The viewport meta tag () ensures consistent scaling across devices.

Using max-device-width limits responsiveness on desktops because media queries targeting smaller screens won't apply when the browser window is resized. In contrast, max-width allows for dynamic adaptations to browser window sizes.

Conclusion

For a responsive website that targets a wide range of screen sizes, use min-width/max-width in your media queries. Additionally, remember to include the viewport meta tag to control the viewport's width and scaling.

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