Zell Liew is a front-end developer, writer, and creator known for deep, practical explorations of CSS, JavaScript, accessibility, and modern web tooling. His work blends thoughtful technical guidance with personal reflections on life, work, and growth, and is frequently featured on CSS-Tricks and Splendid Labz.
340 articles from this blog
A guide to handling both synchronous and asynchronous errors in Express.js applications, including custom error handlers.
A guide for aspiring web developers on choosing programming languages, covering essential frontend (HTML, CSS, JavaScript) and backend options.
Explains the roles of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript in web development using a house analogy to illustrate structure, style, and behavior.
Explains why CSS :hover, :focus, and :active states should be styled differently for better accessibility and user experience.
A tutorial on creating custom CSS focus styles, demonstrating techniques from Smashing Magazine, WTF Forms, and Slack.
Analyzes the pros and cons of browser default focus styles and explores custom design alternatives for better accessibility and branding.
A guide on converting Node.js-style callbacks and non-standard callbacks into Promises using util.promisify and custom promise construction.
Explains three useful Express.js middlewares: Morgan for logging, and custom ones for camelCase conversion and removing empty properties.
Analyzes inconsistent browser behavior when clicking buttons, focusing on focus, tabbing, and keypress handling across Safari and Firefox.
A guide to seeding databases for backend testing, covering methods like create vs. insertMany and when to use each.
A guide on setting up Jest with Mongoose for testing Node.js backend applications, including database connections and cleanup.
A guide to setting up and writing endpoint tests for an Express.js application using the Jest testing framework and Supertest.
A tutorial on setting up a local MongoDB database, covering installation, starting the server, and basic operations using the Mongo Shell and Compass.
A developer's reflection on the fundamental differences between frontend and backend development, focusing on user perception vs. system communication.
A guide to implementing a Flexbox fallback for a CSS Grid calendar, covering three methods and browser support considerations.
A tutorial on building a functional calendar layout using CSS Grid, covering HTML structure and grid placement techniques.
How to fix formatting conflicts when integrating JavaScript Standard Style with VS Code by disabling the default formatter.
Interview with hiring expert Chris Lienert on the developer job application process, covering CV writing, interview prep, and key strategies.
A developer discusses the importance of constructive advocacy in tech communities, focusing on respectful communication over shaming.
Explains the 'callback hell' problem in JavaScript and provides four practical solutions to manage nested callbacks effectively.
