What does responsive web design mean?

The word ‘responsive’ web design has bothered me since the first time I heard it. Not because it’s complex, not because it’s a whole new level of learning that I had to undertake.

It bothered me because around the same time, I heard the word ‘adaptive’.

What bothered me is that no one had a solid description of either of these words in relation to website. The intent was there, but the descriptions were hazy at best. Where this caused me the most woe was when people then started to compare these two terms.

“Is this website responsive or adaptive?”

This question was without a doubt asked on every project we undertook since hearing both words.

The next 30 minutes would be spent trying to determine the difference between two undefined similar words of which, every person present had either a different understanding or no understanding at all. I spent most of the time with my head in my hands...

It would appear my pain has been shared elsewhere in the world of the web design.

Lyza Danger Gardner’s article What We Mean When We Say “responsive” on A List Apart is a great step in the right direction. Let’s get some definitions down before we start arguing the best/worst/most appropriate anything.

The web’s a big place and based on the ratification or other Internet terms, I’m sure defining ‘responsive’ will take some time, if not as Lyza mentions, just become part of ‘web design’.

Before then however, if we can all read this article and at least when the next ‘is this website responsive?” question comes along, we’ll all be on the same page.