Jens Oliver Meiert

Why “Reset” Style Sheets Are Bad

Published on Apr 19, 2008 (updated Feb 5, 2024), filed under (feed). (Share this on Mastodon or Bluesky?)

This and many other posts are also available as a pretty, well-behaved ebook: On Web Development.

This post is not as clear as it could be. Of later reset critiques a Google+ post probably sums it up best. If you’re looking to learn when a website uses a reset, check out the Reset Style Sheet Highlighter Chrome extension.

Jonathan set the pace, Eric countered, a few people chimed in, and I, having criticized reset and undo style sheet criticism back in January, feel obligated to repeat that reset style sheets are bad: A novice should not use them, an expert would not use them.

Disadvantages

Since I didn’t plan to discuss resets right this very evening, I didn’t invite any numbers for dinner—the stats I had on my mind need more time to retrieve. There are a few issues with CSS resets like Eric’s or Yahoo’s:

Alternatives

Finally, I feel like Eric: I wouldn’t have it any other way.

As noted in my site disclaimer: This is my personal website, and the views expressed on these pages are mine alone and not necessarily those of my employer or other companies and organizations.

About Me

Jens Oliver Meiert, on November 9, 2024.

I’m Jens (long: Jens Oliver Meiert), and I’m a web developer, manager, and author. I’ve worked as a technical lead and engineering manager for small and large enterprises, I’m an occasional contributor to web standards (like HTML, CSS, WCAG), and I write and review books for O’Reilly and Frontend Dogma.

I love trying things, not only in web development and engineering management, but also in other areas like philosophy. Here on meiert.com I share some of my experiences and views. (I value you being critical, interpreting charitably, and giving feedback.)