Create app for producing custom minimized CSS and JS about wet-boew

[sylus]

This is a good idea and think it would greatly help adoption. However this might be out of scope for v3.0 as there is still tons of work that has to be done.

Maybe we could use this issue queue to further discuss this strategy and try to have an implementation for v3.1

Thoughts @LaurentGoderre?

[pjackson28]

It will likely have to be v3.1 because of the scope of work. Also worth noting that we are also investigating CDN solutions so such an approach could greatly minimize the need for such an application (and would be much more bandwidth/cache-friendly for end users).

[nschonni]

Even with the CDN for common elements (scripts/widgets), an application would still benefit the theme packages. See the twitter bootstrap as an example that allows the substitution of colour and font variables (SCSS).

[LaurentGoderre]

Ideally the themes would be on the CDN too.

[nschonni]

Themes on the CDN don't really work since most departments have there own branding colours.
Examples:
http://ec.gc.ca/default.asp?lang=En&n=FD9B0E51-1
http://cbsa.gc.ca/menu-eng.html
http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/tbs-sct/index-eng.asp
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/index.asp

[pjackson28]

Theme files can safely be hosted on a CDN because departments are not supposed to change any of those files as they support the requirements prescribed by the Standard on Web Usability and the FIP Technical Specifications. Departments can host different CSS files on their own servers for the purpose of changing or configuring visual aspects that are not prescribed by either the Standard on Web Usability and the FIP Technical Specifications.

[nschonni]

I didn't realize that the departmental signature wasn't even supposed to be changed anymore. It that's the case, a single FIP sprite could be created.

If you go with the CDN only route you probably will still hit the browser domain request limit unless you create bundles.

[pjackson28]

We're minimizing the number of files that need to be downloaded by merging, compiling and minifying both CSS and JS files as well as Base64 encoding many of the images. The number and total size of files that need to be downloaded in WET v3.0 will be a small fraction of what needed to be downloaded in WET v2.3.

[nschonni]

I like Data-URIs but the do not work on IE<8 http://caniuse.com/#feat=datauri

[pjackson28]

True, which is why we have a fallback for just IE7 and IE8 until we phase out support for them (usage numbers are dropping dramatically). Those browsers will still benefit from the significant reduction in CSS and JS files that need to be downloaded, which will still be but a fraction of what had to be downloaded in WET v2.3.

[nschonni]

So if WET is going in a single homogenous route, should I close this issue?

PS: I setup a room over on JabbR for WET http://jabbr.net/#/rooms/wet-boew for a little more interactive discussion when needed.

[pjackson28]

I don't think so as there are still use cases where custom builds would make sense. We probably won't have time to flesh out the use cases and create the custom scripts in WET v3.0 but it is something that can be looked into for WET v3.1.

[LaurentGoderre]

Hey @nschonni can we close this?

[nschonni]

Yeah, it may make sense later, but I don't think it will happen unless someone is willing to take it on