HTML and CSS Reference
In-Depth Information
If developers take the time to consider all factors in website performance,
and weigh the pros and cons correctly, there may be good reason to avoid
overusing CSS sprites, and focusing on areas whose performance return is
worth the investment.
Conclusion
Please don't misinterpret anything that I've said here. Many top bloggers
and developers have for years extolled the benefits of using sprites, and in
recent years taken those suggestions further in promoting the use of mega
sprites — so those opinions should be taken seriously. However, not
everyone has the luxury of working in a company that has policies and
systems in place that make website maintenance tasks simple and
streamlined. Many of us work on our own, or have to inherit projects created
by others. In those cases, mega sprites may cause more trouble than they're
worth.
What do you think? Should we reconsider the use of mega sprites in CSS
development? Do the statistics in favor of the savings on HTTP requests
warrant the use of sprites for all background images? Or have sprites in CSS
development evolved from a useful, intuitive and productive technique to a
time-consuming nuisance?
