Hi Chris!

My question is fairly simple, how on earth do you fit everything in??

You manage CSS-Tricks, work on CodePen, host ShopTalk, and a whole load of other things. Do you have a strict work schedule, or have you developed a tidy workflow that fits everything in?

I personally feel as though I struggle to find spare time, yet still don't feel like I get enough done. How do you do it?

Hi Chris,

Thanks for doing an AMA on Designer News today. A few questions:

• What are the origin stories for CSS-Tricks and CodePen?
• What web technologies are you currently most interested in? What do you think transcends the hype?

Hi Chris, two things:

1) Thank you! For everything you do for the web community.

2) I saw you in Austin in 2013 for the talk "Preprocessing is for Everyone". You had a pretty awesome shirt on that you supposedly bought in the hotel lobby? My question is: do you still own that? If so, do you wear it and for what occasions?

Hi Chris, Thanks for css-tricks.

1. What's most important skill(s) or language(s) every front-end developer should know?

2. What are your favorite mac apps for development?

Hey Chris, thanks for your Tricks, Pen and Talk!

As you know the learning never stops in our industry, so my question is what are you personally trying to learn these days?

Also do you hate tomatoes?

Cheers Petr @ihatetomatoes

Hi Chris,

Do you have spotify list you listen to while working? and you are using the sublime text?

Thanks for the reply

Hey Chris -

Everyone else is thanking you so instead I will say .... GOOD ON YOU MATE! A little weird ... a little strange? Just wanted to make you feel at home like you were starting off a show on Shop Talk :) #LoveShopTalk. But for real thank you for your contribution to our industry.

My question is how did you get into doing web talks? I'm guessing it was a natural progression from CSS-Tricks but I might be wrong. I am interested in speaking myself but do not know the best way to get into doing it inside our industry. I know one could just do local meet up talks, but I am thinking more in terms of conferences. Thanks in advance!

I'm a designer. You are awesome. Shop Talk is the only dev related podcast I can tolerate listening too. That is all.

Hey Chris!

Your AMA has made me come out of lurking to register & comment! Thanks for all your work, I'm constantly referencing and learning from your sites & the podcast - the CSS-Tricks almanac in particular has been a godsend!

QUESTION: What is your favorite newly-discovered site right now and why? (for me it's echojs.com, helps me stay somewhat sane while trying to keep up with the javascripts)

Hey Chris, love your work and glad you're doing an AMA!

My question is do you think that web design is dying? Similarly to how you started css-tricks as a get rich quick scheme, I thought learning web design would allow me to make some easy money. 4 years after taking my first class in high school, and here I am still doing doing it, and not just for money, but because I enjoy it.

However, it seems as though all these free, simple site builders and template based systems like wordpress are killing off the web design industry, at least smaller businesses. I feel like only the medium-large web design companies will continue to prosper, because smaller business sites will be made by things like squarespace.

It's kinda scary because I don't know what this means for my future, and if I should even continue learning web design. What are your thoughts on this and what I should do?

Thanks for doing this AMA, you are a huge inspiration. Being a front-end dev wouldn't be nearly as much fun without you or your work.

Hit me up if you are visiting Iceland again. My workplace would love to book a front-end talk. You name the topic and price! :)

Hey Chris, you're arguably the most famous front end dev on the planet and for sure one of the nicest, humble and polite person on the net. Does all the attention sometimes get to you? I know you've written about being an introvert and I was wondering if the attention ever bugged you.

Huge fan of your work! You're awesome man

Hey, Chris :)

Firstly, thanks for all your incredible contributions to the web!

I'm curious to know what the thing that you're most proud of is?

Cheers, Josh.

Hi Chris!

You're the inspiration of so many young web developers. I'd like to ask: How did you get inspired to get into coding life?

What would you like to suggest young web developers, especially teens who are willing to be leading part of the industry like you?

Is it alright for a web developer who's also a school kid to give more time to coding than to school work?

Hi Chris!

Thank you so much for letting us mere mortals ask anything. Before I do, I'd like to say how it brings me much comfort it brings to see your name appear when i google some CSS mess I had to deal with!

which leads me to my question. How do you ever keep up with the ever so many new things for CSS that keeps popping up left right center? I mean, how do you know what method to use when and where.

thanks!

Hi Chris! Thanks for doing AMA! love reading your comments! :) Making style guide is getting more popular now days but i find it hard to understand what a good style guide is and how do you make them usable through the whole project, Do you have some tools or guide? Which front-end tools do you currently use?

Hey Chris, my questions have already been asked by others, so just wanted to say thank you for your contribution to the growth of the community and thanks for Codepen <3

Hi Chris, huge fan here!

I love CSS-Tricks and what you did with it so far. Got a couple of questions for you. How long did it take for your blog to take off? How is your revenue model (the lodge) doing? Does it pay for your time? Any advices for those who want to make a living from their blogs?

Thanks^

Hey chris if you saw heavy traffic at css-tricks in 2011 from nepal, that was me. I learned much of css from you. My question is :

Do you have any plans to moving your career to ux world?

Eat healthy, never stop :)

Hi Chris! It's great to have you here.

How old were you when you started coding, I mean enter the web industry?

I'm 19 years old front-end developer. Any suggestion how can I improve myself for working, skills, and communication?

Thank you! Salam!

Hey Chris,

I've been a long standing reader of CSS Tricks and I'm a premium user on Codepen (Love using it for coding out quick layouts etc).

My question is, what do you think the most exciting thing is around front-end development at the moment? Maybe its a tool or a new piece of tech. Would be interested to hear what you are looking forward to or enjoying!

• Tom

Hi Chris,

Thank you so much for creating CSS-Tricks and Codepen.

I learn a lot from both websites.

Wish you best of luck for your future projects.

Cheers!

Yo Chris,

First, thanks for all of your help and for doing this ama.

What is your computer set up?(Mouse, Monitor, Computer)

Thanks again!

Not a question, just a thank you. You've taught me more about css than anybody else, without Css Tricks I doubt i'd be making websites.

Hey Chris,

Aside from prepping your code at times, other times not, and sometimes creating a slideshow, you seem to essentially improv everything in your videos which gives them a sort of genuine comfort. How much script (if any) do you have written for them?

PS - when is #137 coming???

Thanks!

Chris, Thanks for being a nice guy but you need more fart jokes and sound effects on the shop talk show!

Who are your heroes, web or otherwise, that you look to for inspiration?

How's the banjo? ;)

Do you make banjo chase music?

Hi Chris,

I love css-tricks. From time to time, I find things I want to share that I think other front-end devs can benefit from, what are your tips for writing for an audience of developers? You make css-tricks so easy to understand! Any tips?

Hey Chris!!! im dying to jump more into coding but i have no idea where to start!!!! Any thoughts?!?! like should i learn SASS first and then move on to CSS 3 transitions and animations? my coding skills are ok, i can fight my way thru it; i can follow a jQuery plugin and change the classes the plugin is calling out but idk how to write it. any leads would be awesome and i would love to switch to UI developer but idk what does that title differs from Front-End Dev. i dont know if im making sense here. thanks in advance and nice to meet you!!!

Hey Chris! Any good resources or tips for learning to play the banjo?

Hi Chris - I'm a big fan of your work (CSS-Tricks, ShopTalk, Codepen).

I check out CSS-Tricks often and have even sifted through all of the older posts. I draw inspiration from the flexibility of the site and its propensity towards talking about small, but important considerations - the "scroll-then-fix" comes to mind along with the flexbox navbar post.

My question is, in building CSS-Tricks, what sites, if any, did you draw on for inspiration content-wise. What sites inspire you from a design standpoint?

Hey Chris,

Thanks for doing this AMA.

As someone who uses Codepen & CSS-Tricks on a daily basis to test out snippets of code and to study existing front-end patterns, it suffices to say that I find both quite useful & resourceful.

My questions:

• With the wide array of front-end technologies, and its ever growing nature, what would you say is a good stepping stone beyond HTML, CSS and Javascript (along with basic knowledge libraries & frameworks) to get deeper into the world of front-end? • Which are the CSS preprocessor features would you like to see become part of the standard spec?

Hi Chris! I’m a huge fan of your site (it’s always number 1 or 2 when I search anything about css in google) and your podcast. So much input!

I’m a designer and keep learning myself coding. While I really love what coding does on the web/app, it also always scares me. I’m fairly sufficient in HTML/CSS but I’m kind of got hung up with basic JS for long time. It’s like reading a book real hard and not being able to remember the story the next day. Maybe I’m not really smart enough or may I’m not trying enough… So my question is, have you ever felt confident with your coding skill? If yes, at what point made you feel that way?

Thanks in advance!!

Hi Chris, thanks for everything. When you come back to St Pete will you bring some bottles from New Glarus and/or Central Waters for trade? But seriously, thanks for all you do for the community- that is all.

Hey Chris! If you're familiar with graphic design tools (like InDesign and Illustrator) do you think we'll ever get tools like this for web design? My reasoning is that no-one writes stuff in raw Postscript, which is what InDesign and Illustrator essentially output. Will html/css ever "settle down" so that we can have editors that can handle what designers need?

Hi Chris!

I just want to thank you for the HUGE work that you do for every web developer like me. Your site is a wonderful resource and I use it almost daily.

Thank you!