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Graceful degradation is a design approach that ensures the basics of a website will still function even if specific individual parts of it stop working. The approach removes single points of failure: just because one thing stops working doesn’t mean the system as a whole fails. A site following this principle fails in pieces instead of all at once, so the most important features remain available when some components encounter an error.

The idea or the concept of single points of failure is well known in the manufacturing sector. It’s one of the most common resilience strategies in manufacturing and supply chain operations. A factory with multiple sources of material can keep working even when one supplier becomes unavailable. However, it’s become increasingly crucial to web development as user expectations around availability and functionality rise.

Data center redundancy is a common example of graceful degradation in web development. By using multiple server components, websites ensure they’ll stay up when one or more servers fail. In a design context, it may look like guaranteeing the lack of support for a given feature in a user’s browser or device doesn’t render an app unusable.

Escalators are a familiar real-world example of the same concept. When they stop working, they can still get people from one floor to the next by acting as stairs. They may not be as functional as they normally are, but they’re not entirely useless.

The BBC News webpage is a good example of graceful degradation in web design. As this screenshot shows, the site prioritizes loading navigation and the text within a news story over images. Consequently, slow speeds or old, incompatible browser plugins may make pictures unavailable, but the site’s core function — sharing the news — is still accessible.

In contrast, the Adobe Express website is an example of what happens without graceful degradation. Instead of making some features unavailable or dropping load times, the entire site is inaccessible on some browsers. Consequently, users have to update or switch software to use the web app, which isn’t great for accessibility.

Graceful Degradation vs. Progressive Enhancement

The graceful degradation approach acts as the opposite of progressive enhancement — an approach in which a designer builds the basics of a website and progressively adds features that are turned on only if a browser is capable of running them. Each layer of features is turned off by default, allowing for one seamless user experience designed to work for everyone.

There is much debate between designers about whether graceful degradation or progressive enhancement is the best way to build site functionality. In reality, though, both are important. Each method has unique pros and cons, so the two can complement each other to provide the most resilience.

Progressive enhancement is a good strategy when building a new site or app because you ensure a functional experience for everyone from the start. However, new standards and issues can emerge in the future, which is where graceful degradation comes in. This approach helps you adjust an existing website to comply with new accessibility standards or resolve a compatibility problem you didn’t notice earlier.

Focusing solely on one design principle or the other will limit accessibility. Progressive enhancement alone struggles to account for post-launch functionality issues, while graceful degradation alone may fail to provide the most feature-rich baseline experience. Combining both will produce the best result.

How Graceful Degradation Impacts Accessibility

Ensuring your site or app remains functional is crucial for accessibility. When core functions become unavailable, the platform is no longer accessible to anyone. On a smaller scale, if features like text-to-speech readers or video closed captioning stop working, users with sight difficulties may be unable to enjoy the site.

Graceful degradation’s impact on accessibility is all the larger when considering varying device capabilities. As the average person spends 3.6 hours each day on their phone, failing to ensure a site supports less powerful mobile browsers will alienate a considerable chunk of your audience. Even if some complex functions may not work on mobile, sacrificing those to keep the bulk of the website available on phones ensures broader accessibility.

Outdated browsers are another common accessibility issue you can address with graceful degradation. Consider this example from Fairleigh Dickinson University about Adobe Flash, which most modern browsers no longer support.

Software still using Flash cannot use the multi-factor authentication feature in question. As a result, users with older programs can’t log in. Graceful degradation may compromise by making some functionality unavailable to Flash-supporting browsers while still allowing general access. That way, people don’t need to upgrade to use the service.

How to Incorporate Graceful Degradation Into Your Site

Graceful degradation removes technological barriers to accessibility. In a broader sense, it also keeps your site or app running at all times, even amid unforeseen technical difficulties. While there are many ways you can achieve that, here are some general best practices to follow.

Identify Mission-Critical Functions

The first step in ensuring graceful degradation is determining what your core functions are. You can only guarantee the availability of mission-critical features once you know what’s essential and what isn’t.

Review your user data to see what your audience interacts with most — these are generally elements worth prioritizing. Anything related to site security, transactions, and readability is also crucial. Infrequently used features or elements like video players and interactive maps are nice to have but okay to sacrifice if you must to ensure mission-critical components remain available.

Build Redundancy

Once you’ve categorized site functions by criticality, you can ensure redundancy for the most important ones. That may mean replicating elements in a few forms to work on varying browsers or devices. Alternatively, you could provide multiple services to carry out important functions, like supporting alternate payment methods or providing both video and text versions of content.

Remember that redundancy applies to the hardware your platform runs on, too. The Uptime Institute classifies data centers into tiers, which you can use to determine what redundant systems you need. Similarly, make sure you can run your site on multiple servers to avoid a crash should one go down.

Accommodate All Browsers

Remember that graceful degradation is also about supporting software and hardware of varying capabilities. One of the most important considerations under that umbrella for web design is to accommodate outdated browsers.

While mobile devices don’t support Flash, some older versions of desktop browsers still use it. You can work with both by avoiding Flash — you can often use HTML5 instead — but not requiring users to have a non-Flash-supporting browser. Similarly, you can offer low-bandwidth, simple alternatives to any features that take up considerable processing power to keep things accessible on older systems.

Remember to pay attention to newer software’s security settings, too. Error messages like this one a Microsoft user posted about can appear if a site does not support some browsers’ updated security protocols. Always keep up with updates from popular platforms like Chrome and Safari to meet these standards and avoid such access issues.

Employ Load Balancing and Caching

Load balancing is another crucial step in graceful degradation. Many cloud services automatically distribute traffic between server resources to prevent overloading. Enabling this also ensures that requests can be processed on a different part of the system if another fails.

Caching is similar. By storing critical data, you build a fallback plan if an external service or application program interface (API) doesn’t work. When the API doesn’t respond, you can load the cached data instead. As a result, caches significantly reduce latency in many cases, but you should be aware that you can’t cache everything. Focus on the most critical functions.

Test Before Publishing

Finally, be sure to test your website for accessibility issues before taking it live. Access it from multiple devices, including various browser versions. See if you can run it on a single server to test its ability to balance loads.

You likely won’t discover all possible errors in testing, but it’s better to catch some than none. Remember to test your site’s functionality before any updates or redesigns, too.

Getting Started With Graceful Degradation

Designers, both big and small, can start their graceful degradation journey by tweaking some settings with their web hosting service. AWS offers guidance for managing failures you can use to build degradation into your site’s architecture. Hosting providers should also allow you to upgrade your storage plan and configure your server settings to provide redundancy and balance loads.

Businesses large enough to run their own data centers should install redundant server capacity and uninterruptible power supplies to keep things running. Smaller organizations can instead rely on their code, using semantic HTML to keep it simple enough for multiple browsers. Programming nonessential things like images and videos to stop when bandwidth is low will also help.

Virtualization systems like Kubernetes are also useful as a way to scale site capacity and help load elements separately from one another to maintain accessibility. Testing tools like BrowserStack, WAVE, and CSS HTML Validator can assist you by revealing if your site has functional issues on some browsers or for certain users.

At its core, web accessibility is about ensuring a platform works as intended for all people. While design features may be the most obvious part of that goal, technical defenses also play a role. A site is only accessible when it works, so you must keep it functional, even when unexpected hiccups occur.

Graceful degradation is not a perfect solution, but it prevents a small issue from becoming a larger one. Following these five steps to implement it on your website or app will ensure that your work in creating an accessible design doesn’t go to waste.

Pantone has unveiled its Color of the Year for 2025: Mocha Mousse (PANTONE 17-1230), a warm, soft brown that exudes comfort and sophistication.

This selection reflects a cultural gravitation towards harmony and balance, offering designers a versatile hue to enrich their creative projects.

Understanding Mocha Mousse

Mocha Mousse is a light brown shade that evokes a sense of warmth and indulgence, reminiscent of its namesake dessert.

Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute, describes it as a color that reflects the need for harmony, aligning with current global sentiments.

Applications in Design

Fashion: Mocha Mousse has made significant inroads into fashion, with designers like Fendi, Acne, and Gucci incorporating it into their collections. Its adaptability allows it to serve as both a foundational neutral and a standout feature, pairing well with a spectrum of colors from muted tones to vibrant accents.

Interior Design: In interior spaces, Mocha Mousse offers a calming backdrop that complements various styles, from modern to rustic. It harmonizes with soft hues like sage green and dusty rose, as well as bolder shades like burgundy and ochre, making it suitable for elements such as walls, furniture, and décor accessories.

Graphic Design: For graphic designers, Mocha Mousse provides a grounded and inviting tone, ideal for branding that seeks to convey reliability and warmth. Its neutrality ensures compatibility with diverse color palettes, enhancing both digital and print media.

“For Pantone Color of the Year 2025, we look to a mellow brown hue whose inherent richness and sensorial and comforting warmth extends further into our desire for comfort, and the indulgence of simple pleasures that we can gift and share with others.”

Laurie Pressman – Vice President of the Pantone Color Institute

Incorporating Mocha Mousse into Your Designs

• Pairing with Other Colors: Combine Mocha Mousse with deep reds or gold accents to create a luxurious feel, or with soft blues and greens for a more tranquil ambiance.
• Textures and Materials: Utilize materials like suede, leather, or natural fibers in Mocha Mousse to add depth and tactile appeal to your designs.
• Seasonal Versatility: Mocha Mousse’s warmth makes it suitable for autumnal themes, while its softness allows for seamless integration into spring and summer palettes.

Conclusion

Embracing Mocha Mousse in your design projects can foster a sense of comfort and elegance, resonating with contemporary trends that prioritize authenticity and emotional connection.

Its versatility across various design disciplines makes it a valuable addition to any creative toolkit.

Official Pantone Website

In a world that often feels both hyperconnected and disconnected, Adobe’s 2025 Creative Trends Forecast captures the essence of what today’s consumers are craving.

It’s a fascinating mix of opposites—fantasy and reality, nostalgia and futurism, simplicity and immersion.

These trends, identified by Adobe, give us a glimpse into how art and design are shaping—and being shaped by—our collective psyche. Let’s dive into these themes and explore what they mean for creatives, brands, and anyone who loves design.

1. Fantastic Frontiers: Where Imagination Runs Wild

Have you noticed how much people are drawn to the magical and otherworldly these days? Whether it’s through fantastical movie settings or AI-generated surrealist art, there’s an undeniable pull towards the extraordinary. Adobe calls this trend “Fantastic Frontiers,” and it’s all about creating dreamlike experiences that offer an escape from the mundane.

Think of it as a response to the pressures of everyday life. After all, who wouldn’t want a moment to step into a world where gravity doesn’t exist, colors glow in unexpected ways, and imagination has no limits? Tools like generative AI are making this more accessible than ever, enabling creators to whip up visuals that feel straight out of a dream.

For brands, tapping into this trend isn’t just about visual appeal—it’s about creating an emotional refuge. Offering consumers a chance to escape, even for a moment, can be incredibly powerful.

2. Levity and Laughter: The Power of Play

Here’s something we all know deep down—life is better when we laugh. Adobe’s forecast highlights how humor continues to dominate the creative space. And it’s no surprise: studies show that funny ads stick with us longer and are far more likely to get shared. It’s the meme culture effect!

Brands are leaning into this trend big time, using clever puns, absurd scenarios, and playful designs to stand out in a crowded digital landscape. Think of those ads that make you chuckle and instantly want to share them with your friends. That’s the magic of humor—it makes us feel connected, even in a virtual space.

For creators, this trend is a call to not take things too seriously. Humor humanizes brands and creates authentic moments that resonate, making it a creative goldmine.

Explore the gallery

3. Time Warp: Nostalgia Meets Futurism

Isn’t it funny how we’re always looking back while moving forward? The “Time Warp” trend captures this perfectly, blending elements of nostalgia with futuristic aesthetics. It’s like pairing retro typography with holographic visuals—unexpected, but it works.

This trend speaks to our love for the familiar. Whether it’s the comforting vibes of 80s neon or the sleek optimism of mid-century modern, mixing past and future gives audiences a fresh perspective on the world around them. It’s like a remix of history, reimagined for today.

For brands, this is an opportunity to play with storytelling. How can you make something old feel new again? How can you give a futuristic twist to something classic? The possibilities are endless.

4. Immersive Appeal: Blurring Reality and Fantasy

Here’s where technology truly shines. “Immersive Appeal” is all about pulling people deeper into experiences through augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and interactive design. It’s not just about seeing—it’s about feeling, touching, and engaging.

Imagine walking into a store and virtually trying on clothes before you buy them or attending a concert where holograms of your favorite artists perform right in your living room. These aren’t just futuristic fantasies—they’re happening now, and they’re reshaping how we interact with the world.

For creatives, the challenge is to push boundaries. How can you create something so immersive that people can’t help but lose themselves in it? For brands, it’s about building experiences that go beyond the screen and create genuine connections.

What Do These Trends Mean for Creatives?

Adobe’s 2025 trends paint a picture of a world that wants it all—magic and humor, nostalgia and innovation, simplicity and immersion. For creators, this is both exciting and daunting. How do you balance these contrasting desires? How do you use them to tell stories that resonate?

The key lies in understanding your audience. Are they looking for an escape, a laugh, a trip down memory lane, or a cutting-edge experience? Sometimes, they might want a bit of everything.

For brands, this is a wake-up call. Creativity isn’t just about making things look good—it’s about making people feel something.

Whether it’s the wonder of a surreal landscape, the joy of a clever joke, or the awe of stepping into a new reality, these trends remind us that emotion is at the heart of impactful design.

As we move into 2025, the lines between art, technology, and culture will continue to blur. The creative world is evolving faster than ever, and trends like these are just the beginning.

Explore the galleries at Adobe or Read the full report

Some animation can make things feel natural. Too many animations becomes distracting.

Some line spacing can help legibility. Too much hurts it.

Some alt text is contextual. Too much alt text is noise.

Some padding feels comfy. Too much padding feels exposed.

Some specificity is manageable. Too much specificity is untenable.

Some technical debt is healthy. Too much of it becomes a burden.

Some corner rounding is classy. Too much is just a circle.

Some breakpoints are fluid. Too many of them becomes adaptive.

Some margin adds breathing room. Too much margin collapses things.

Some images add context. Too many images takes a long time to download (and impacts the environment).

Some JavaScript enhances interactions. Too much becomes a bottleneck.

A font pairing creates a typographic system. Too many pairings creates a visual distraction.

Some utility classes come in handy. Too many eliminates a separation of concerns.

Some data helps make decisions. Too much data kills the vibe.

Some AI can help write the boring parts of code. Too much puts downward pressure on code quality.

Some SEO improves search ranking. Too much mutes the human voice.

Some testing provides good coverage. Too much testing requires its own maintenance.

A few colors establish a visual hierarchy. Too many establish a cognitive dissonance.

Some planning helps productivity. Too much planning creates delays.

Striking the right balance can be tough. We don’t want cool mama bear’s porridge or hot papa’s bear porridge, but something right in the middle, like baby bear’s porridge.

The Law of Diminishing Returns originally published on CSS-Tricks, which is part of the DigitalOcean family. You should get the newsletter.

For decades, Google has been the cornerstone of how we navigate the internet. Whether you’re searching for the best pizza in town or troubleshooting a tech issue, Google has been the go-to solution for nearly everyone.

But a recent WallStreet Journal article reveals a troubling trend for the search giant: younger audiences, particularly Gen Z, are skipping Google entirely in favor of platforms like TikTok and Instagram.

For web designers, this shift has profound implications. It challenges how we think about search behavior, content presentation, and user expectations in an evolving digital landscape.

A Generational Shift in Search Behavior

For younger internet users, the way they interact with the digital world is fundamentally different from the habits of older generations.

Instead of typing queries into a search bar, many Gen Z users are turning to platforms where answers are integrated into visual and social content.

TikTok, for instance, has become a surprising hub for finding everything from restaurant recommendations to life hacks, with its algorithm-driven feed offering highly curated and engaging results. Similarly, Instagram’s visually driven content appeals to those seeking inspiration, advice, or entertainment.

This shift in behavior undermines Google’s traditional search model. Younger users expect immediate, personalized results often embedded in a visual and social context, whereas Google’s search experience—dominated by text-heavy links—feels increasingly outdated to this demographic.

Implications for Google’s Core Business

The decline in younger users’ reliance on Google doesn’t just impact search; it threatens the company’s core business model. Google Search drives a significant portion of the company’s revenue through advertising.

If younger audiences continue to migrate to other platforms, advertisers may follow, allocating their budgets to social media channels that better capture this coveted demographic.

This potential erosion of Google’s dominance in search has led the company to introduce new features, such as integrating generative AI into search results to offer more conversational and contextually rich answers. However, whether these adaptations will resonate with younger users remains to be seen.

Regulatory Pressures Add to the Strain

As if the challenge of shifting user behavior weren’t enough, Google is also navigating intense regulatory scrutiny. On November 20, 2024, the U.S. Department of Justice filed antitrust actions against the company, targeting its alleged monopolistic practices.

These lawsuits could result in a significant restructuring of Google’s operations, further complicating its ability to innovate and compete effectively.

The legal battle underscores broader concerns about Big Tech’s outsized influence on markets and consumer choice.

For Google, the stakes are particularly high as its competitors—ranging from Meta to Amazon—are equally eager to claim a larger slice of the digital advertising and AI-driven services markets.

Adapting for the Future

To remain relevant in the face of these challenges, Google will need to embrace more aggressive innovation.

This might involve further integrating AI capabilities, enhancing its mobile experience, or even partnering with emerging platforms to recapture younger audiences. Additionally, Google may need to rethink its approach to advertising, ensuring its solutions remain attractive to brands seeking to engage with Gen Z.

The road ahead for Google is not without precedent. Microsoft faced a similar existential crisis in the early 2000s, when it transitioned from a software-centric company to a cloud powerhouse.

Whether Google can execute a comparable reinvention will determine its ability to stay at the forefront of the tech industry.

What This Means for Web Designers

If Google is becoming “old school,” how should web designers adapt? Here are a few takeaways:

1. Design for Visual Engagement

Web design needs to embrace more visual storytelling. Think beyond stock photos and static banners—users are drawn to short videos, animations, and interactive elements. If your site can mimic the engaging, visual-first approach of TikTok or Instagram, you’re more likely to keep users’ attention.

2. Prioritize Mobile UX

Younger users are almost exclusively mobile-first. A clunky desktop-first design isn’t just inconvenient; it’s irrelevant to how they browse. Ensure your designs are responsive, load quickly, and provide a seamless experience on smaller screens.

3. Rethink Search Interfaces

Search bars remain critical, but their presentation and functionality need an upgrade. Incorporate features like voice search, contextual suggestions, and conversational AI (similar to Google’s new generative AI initiatives). Users should feel like they’re interacting with a helpful guide, not just typing into a void.

4. Optimize for Social Platforms

It’s no longer enough to focus solely on optimizing for Google. Younger users are discovering content through TikTok, Instagram, and even Pinterest.

Designers and content creators need to think about how their work translates to these platforms—whether it’s a catchy video, a swipeable carousel, or a well-designed social ad.

For web designers, this means two things: adapting our designs to fit these platforms and reconsidering how we present information. A static website with dense blocks of text simply won’t cut it anymore.

Instead, we need to focus on creating designs that are fluid, interactive, and optimized for a social-first audience. Whether it’s integrating AI-powered personalization or adopting visual-first layouts, the goal is to stay relevant in an increasingly fragmented digital ecosystem.

Conclusion

The shift in digital habits among younger users highlights the ephemeral nature of tech dominance. What was once indispensable to one generation may become irrelevant to the next.

For Google, this reality represents both a challenge and an opportunity: a chance to evolve and redefine what search means in an age of social media and generative AI.

As regulatory battles loom and new competitors emerge, one thing is clear: the future of search—and Google itself—is being rewritten.

So, is Googling really for old people? Maybe. But if we embrace these changes in user behavior, we can design for the future—and stay ahead of the curve.

If you’ve ever owned an IKEA FRAKTA bag (yes, that iconic blue wonder that seems capable of holding your entire life), then you’ll want to check out IKEA’s latest design-inspired pop-up: the ‘Hus of FRAKTA.’

Located on London’s bustling Oxford Street, this pop-up isn’t just a retail space—it’s a celebration of the design innovation and cultural significance behind one of the most recognizable items in IKEA’s catalog.

A Design Icon Reimagined

Let’s talk about the FRAKTA bag. It’s not just a bag—it’s a symbol of IKEA’s democratic design ethos: practical, affordable, and surprisingly stylish.

With its bold blue color, durable polypropylene material, and minimalistic yet functional structure, the FRAKTA bag has been a staple for over 30 years.

It’s the ultimate in “form meets function,” designed to adapt to countless uses, from carrying groceries to serving as a laundry basket or even a plant protector (seriously, people have gotten creative!).

The ‘Hus of FRAKTA’ takes this humble design marvel and elevates it into an experience. Every corner of the pop-up is thoughtfully curated to highlight how a simple design object can inspire creativity and utility in everyday life.

Design Features to Explore at the Pop-Up

1. The Atelier: Customization Meets Craft

At the heart of the pop-up is The Atelier, a personalization station where visitors can transform their FRAKTA bags into unique design pieces.

The beauty of the FRAKTA lies in its simplicity, and this is a perfect blank canvas for creative expression. Think screen prints, patches, and embroidery—elements that allow you to make this everyday object truly your own. It’s design democratization at its finest: a high-end custom experience for just £3 (or free if you’re an IKEA Family member).

2. The FRAKTA Walk: Immersive Design Storytelling

Ever wondered what it would feel like to walk inside a FRAKTA bag? The pop-up features an immersive walkway inspired by the bag’s design. It’s playful, bold, and a bit surreal—an ode to the product’s larger-than-life status in the world of functional design.

3. Curated Collection: A Tribute to IKEA’s Best Designs

The pop-up also showcases a curated collection of IKEA products, with a focus on items that reflect FRAKTA’s bold blue aesthetic.

From the sleek RÄFFELBJÖRK vase to the versatile DOMSTEN stool, this collection highlights IKEA’s ability to balance form, function, and affordability. It’s a reminder that great design doesn’t have to come with a hefty price tag.

Why It Works: The Genius of Simple Design

The success of the FRAKTA bag, and by extension the ‘Hus of FRAKTA’ pop-up, lies in the principles of democratic design.

At IKEA, every product is created with five pillars in mind: form, function, quality, sustainability, and affordability. The FRAKTA embodies all of these, which is why it’s such an enduring classic.

By focusing on this bag, the pop-up underscores the idea that even the simplest designs can have a profound impact. It’s a celebration of everyday objects that make life easier and better—and isn’t that what good design is all about?

A Fusion of Fashion and Function

What makes the ‘Hus of FRAKTA’ particularly exciting is how it bridges the gap between fashion and functionality.

The FRAKTA bag has already inspired countless memes, DIY hacks, and even high-fashion knockoffs (remember Balenciaga’s expensive tribute?).

By leaning into this cultural phenomenon, IKEA has created a space that’s as much about lifestyle and creativity as it is about retail.

Final Thoughts

If you’re in London, the ‘Hus of FRAKTA’ is a must-visit for anyone who loves design. It’s playful, inspiring, and a testament to the power of thoughtful design in everyday life.

And if you leave with a personalized FRAKTA bag, even better—it’s not just a shopping tote; it’s a piece of design history.

For a multistep form, planning involves structuring questions logically across steps, grouping similar questions, and minimizing the number of steps and the amount of required information for each step. Whatever makes each step focused and manageable is what should be aimed for.

In this tutorial, we will create a multistep form for a job application. Here are the details we are going to be requesting from the applicant at each step:

• Personal Information
  Collects applicant’s name, email, and phone number.
• Work Experience
  Collects the applicant’s most recent company, job title, and years of experience.
• Skills & Qualifications
  The applicant lists their skills and selects their highest degree.
• Review & Submit
  This step is not going to collect any information. Instead, it provides an opportunity for the applicant to go back and review the information entered in the previous steps of the form before submitting it.

You can think of structuring these questions as a digital way of getting to know somebody. You can’t meet someone for the first time and ask them about their work experience without first asking for their name.

Based on the steps we have above, this is what the body of our HTML with our form should look like. First, the main element:

<form id="jobApplicationForm">
  <!-- Step 1: Personal Information -->
  <!-- Step 2: Work Experience -->
  <!-- Step 3: Skills & Qualifications -->
  <!-- Step 4: Review & Submit -->
</form>

Step 1 is for filling in personal information, like the applicant’s name, email address, and phone number:

<form id="jobApplicationForm">
  <!-- Step 1: Personal Information -->
  <fieldset class="step" id="step-1">
    <legend id="step1Label">Step 1: Personal Information</legend>
    <label for="name">Full Name</label>
    <input type="text" id="name" name="name" required />
    <label for="email">Email Address</label>
    <input type="email" id="email" name="email" required />
    <label for="phone">Phone Number</label>
    <input type="tel" id="phone" name="phone" required />
  </fieldset>

  <!-- Step 2: Work Experience -->
  <!-- Step 3: Skills & Qualifications -->
  <!-- Step 4: Review & Submit -->
</form>

Once the applicant completes the first step, we’ll navigate them to Step 2, focusing on their work experience so that we can collect information like their most recent company, job title, and years of experience. We’ll tack on a new

<form id="jobApplicationForm">
  <!-- Step 1: Personal Information -->

  <!-- Step 2: Work Experience -->
  <fieldset class="step" id="step-2" hidden>
    <legend id="step2Label">Step 2: Work Experience</legend>
    <label for="company">Most Recent Company</label>
    <input type="text" id="company" name="company" required />
    <label for="jobTitle">Job Title</label>
    <input type="text" id="jobTitle" name="jobTitle" required />
    <label for="yearsExperience">Years of Experience</label>
    <input
      type="number"
      id="yearsExperience"
      name="yearsExperience"
      min="0"
      required
    />
  </fieldset>

  <!-- Step 3: Skills & Qualifications -->
  <!-- Step 4: Review & Submit -->
</form>

<form id="jobApplicationForm">
  <!-- Step 1: Personal Information -->
  <!-- Step 2: Work Experience -->

  <!-- Step 3: Skills & Qualifications -->
  <fieldset class="step" id="step-3" hidden>
    <legend id="step3Label">Step 3: Skills & Qualifications</legend>
    <label for="skills">Skill(s)</label>
    <textarea id="skills" name="skills" rows="4" required></textarea>
    <label for="highestDegree">Degree Obtained (Highest)</label>
    <select id="highestDegree" name="highestDegree" required>
      <option value="">Select Degree</option>
      <option value="highschool">High School Diploma</option>
      <option value="bachelor">Bachelor's Degree</option>
      <option value="master">Master's Degree</option>
      <option value="phd">Ph.D.</option>
    </select>
  </fieldset>
  <!-- Step 4: Review & Submit -->
  <fieldset class="step" id="step-4" hidden>
    <legend id="step4Label">Step 4: Review & Submit</legend>
    <p>Review your information before submitting the application.</p>
    <button type="submit">Submit Application</button>
  </fieldset>
</form>

<form id="jobApplicationForm">
  <!-- Step 1: Personal Information -->
  <!-- Step 2: Work Experience -->
  <!-- Step 3: Skills & Qualifications -->

  <!-- Step 4: Review & Submit -->
  <fieldset class="step" id="step-4" hidden>
    <legend id="step4Label">Step 4: Review & Submit</legend>
    <p>Review your information before submitting the application.</p>
    <button type="submit">Submit Application</button>
  </fieldset>
</form>

<link rel="stylesheet" href="https://cdn.simplecss.org/simple.min.css" />

<details>
  <summary>View CSS</summary>
  body {
    min-height: 100vh;
    display: flex;
    align-items: center;
    justify-content: center;
  }
  main {
    padding: 0 30px;
  }
  h1 {
    font-size: 1.8rem;
    text-align: center;
  }
  .stepper {
    display: flex;
    justify-content: flex-end;
    padding-right: 10px;
  }
  form {
    box-shadow: 0px 0px 6px 2px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2);
    padding: 12px;
  }
  input,
  textarea,
  select {
    outline: none;
  }
  input:valid,
  textarea:valid,
  select:valid,
  input:focus:valid,
  textarea:focus:valid,
  select:focus:valid {
    border-color: green;
  }
  input:focus:invalid,
  textarea:focus:invalid,
  select:focus:invalid {
    border: 1px solid red;
  }
</details>

<form id="jobApplicationForm">
  <!-- Step 1: Personal Information -->
  <fieldset>
    <!-- ... -->
    <button type="button" class="next" onclick="nextStep()">Next</button>
  </fieldset>

  <!-- Step 2: Work Experience -->
  <fieldset>
    <!-- ... -->
    <button type="button" class="previous" onclick="previousStep()">Previous</button>
    <button type="button" class="next" onclick="nextStep()">Next</button>
  </fieldset>

  <!-- Step 3: Skills & Qualifications -->
  <fieldset>
    <!-- ... -->
    <button type="button" class="previous" onclick="previousStep()">Previous</button>
    <button type="button" class="next" onclick="nextStep()">Next</button>
  </fieldset>

  <!-- Step 4: Review & Submit -->
  <fieldset>
    <!-- ... -->
    <button type="button" class="previous" onclick="previousStep()">Previous</button>
    <button type="submit">Submit Application</button>
  </fieldset>
</form>

// Step 1 fields
const name = document.getElementById("name");
const email = document.getElementById("email");
const phone = document.getElementById("phone");

// Step 2 fields
const company = document.getElementById("company");
const jobTitle = document.getElementById("jobTitle");
const yearsExperience = document.getElementById("yearsExperience");

// Step 3 fields
const skills = document.getElementById("skills");
const highestDegree = document.getElementById("highestDegree");

let errorMsgs = [];

<div id="errorMessages" style="color: rgb(253, 67, 67)"></div>

const errorMessagesDiv = document.getElementById("errorMessages");

function nextStep() {
  errorMsgs = [];
  errorMessagesDiv.innerText = "";

  switch (currentStep) {
    case 1:
      addValidationErrors(name, email, phone);
      validateStep(errorMsgs);
      break;

    case 2:
      addValidationErrors(company, jobTitle, yearsExperience);
      validateStep(errorMsgs);
      break;

    case 3:
      addValidationErrors(skills, highestDegree);
      validateStep(errorMsgs);
      break;
  }
}

function addValidationErrors(fieldOne, fieldTwo, fieldThree = undefined) {
  if (!fieldOne.checkValidity()) {
    const label = document.querySelector(label[for="${fieldOne.id}"]);
    errorMsgs.push(Please Enter A Valid ${label.textContent});
  }

  if (!fieldTwo.checkValidity()) {
    const label = document.querySelector(label[for="${fieldTwo.id}"]);
    errorMsgs.push(Please Enter A Valid ${label.textContent});
  }

  if (fieldThree && !fieldThree.checkValidity()) {
    const label = document.querySelector(label[for="${fieldThree.id}"]);
    errorMsgs.push(Please Enter A Valid ${label.textContent});
  }

  if (errorMsgs.length > 0) {
    errorMessagesDiv.innerText = errorMsgs.join("n");
  }
}

function validateStep(errorMsgs) {
  if (errorMsgs.length === 0) {
    showStep(currentStep + 1);
  }
}

function showStep(step) {
  steps.forEach((el, index) => {
    el.hidden = index + 1 !== step;
  });
  currentStep = step;
}

const steps = document.querySelectorAll(".step");

function previousStep() {
  errorMessagesDiv.innerText = "";
  showStep(currentStep - 1);
}

<form id="jobApplicationForm">
  <div class="stepper">
    <span><span class="currentStep">1</span>/4</span>
  </div>
  <!-- ... -->
</form>

const currentStepDiv = document.querySelector(".currentStep");

currentStepDiv.innerText = currentStep;

const form = document.getElementById("jobApplicationForm");

// Save data on each input event
form.addEventListener("input", () => {
  const formData = {
    name: document.getElementById("name").value,
    email: document.getElementById("email").value,
    phone: document.getElementById("phone").value,
    company: document.getElementById("company").value,
    jobTitle: document.getElementById("jobTitle").value,
    yearsExperience: document.getElementById("yearsExperience").value,
    skills: document.getElementById("skills").value,
    highestDegree: document.getElementById("highestDegree").value,
  };
  localStorage.setItem("formData", JSON.stringify(formData));
});

window.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", () => {
  const savedData = JSON.parse(localStorage.getItem("formData"));
  if (savedData) {
    document.getElementById("name").value = savedData.name || "";
    document.getElementById("email").value = savedData.email || "";
    document.getElementById("phone").value = savedData.phone || "";
    document.getElementById("company").value = savedData.company || "";
    document.getElementById("jobTitle").value = savedData.jobTitle || "";
    document.getElementById("yearsExperience").value = savedData.yearsExperience || "";
    document.getElementById("skills").value = savedData.skills || "";
    document.getElementById("highestDegree").value = savedData.highestDegree || "";
  }
});

// Clear data on form submit
form.addEventListener('submit', () => {
  // Clear localStorage once the form is submitted
  localStorage.removeItem('formData');
}); 

localStorage.setItem("storedStep", currentStep);

const storedStep = localStorage.getItem("storedStep");

if (storedStep) {
    const storedStepInt = parseInt(storedStep);
    steps.forEach((el, index) => {
      el.hidden = index + 1 !== storedStepInt;
    });
    currentStep = storedStepInt;
    currentStepDiv.innerText = currentStep;
  }

localStorage.removeItem("storedStep");

With a 13 billion year head start on evolution, why haven’t any other forms of life in the universe contacted us by now?

(Arrival is a fantastic movie. Watch it, but don’t stop there – read the Story of Your Life novella it was based on for so much additional nuance.)

This is called the Fermi paradox:

The Fermi Paradox is a contradiction between high estimates of the probability of the existence of extraterrestrial civilizations, such as in the Drake equation, and lack of any evidence for such civilizations.

– There are billions of stars in the galaxy that are similar to the Sun including many billions of years older than Earth.
– With high probability, some of these stars will have Earth-like planets, and if the Earth is typical, some might develop intelligent life.
– Some of these civilizations might develop interstellar travel, a step the Earth is investigating now.
– Even at the slow pace of currently envisioned interstellar travel, the Milky Way galaxy could be completely traversed in about a million years.

According to this line of thinking, the Earth should have already been visited by extraterrestrial aliens. In an informal conversation, Fermi noted no convincing evidence of this, nor any signs of alien intelligence anywhere in the observable universe, leading him to ask, “Where is everybody?”

To me, this is a compelling argument, in the same way that the lack of evidence of any time travellers is:

Many have argued that the absence of time travelers from the future demonstrates that such technology will never be developed, suggesting that it is impossible. This is analogous to the Fermi paradox related to the absence of evidence of extraterrestrial life. As the absence of extraterrestrial visitors does not categorically prove they do not exist, so the absence of time travelers fails to prove time travel is physically impossible; it might be that time travel is physically possible but is never developed or is cautiously used. Carl Sagan once suggested the possibility that time travelers could be here but are disguising their existence or are not recognized as time travelers.

It seems, to me at least, clear evidence that time travel is not possible, given the enormous amount of time behind us. Something, somewhere, would certainly have invented it by now… right?

So if not, what happened? The Great Filter maybe?

The Great Filter theory says that at some point from pre-life to Type III intelligence, there’s a wall that all or nearly all attempts at life hit. There’s some stage in that long evolutionary process that is extremely unlikely or impossible for life to get beyond. That stage is The Great Filter.

I liked Wait But Why’s take on this a lot, which covers three main filter possibilities:

1. Life is extraordinarily rare, almost impossible

2. We are not a rare form of life, but near the first to evolve

3. Almost no life makes it to this point

Those are three Great Filter possibilities, but the question remains: why are we so alone in the observable universe? I grant you that what we can observe is appallingly tiny given the unimaginable scale of the universe, so “what we can observe” may not be enough by many orders of magnitude.

I encourage you to read the entire article, it’s full of great ideas explained well, including many other Great Filter possibilites. But Mostly I want to share my personal theory of why we haven’t encountered alien life by now. Like computers themselves, things don’t get larger. They get smaller. And faster. And so does intelligent life.

Why build planet-size anything when the real action is in the small things? Small spaces, small units of time, everything gets smaller.

Large is inefficient and unnecessary. Look at the history of computers: from giant to tiny and tinier. From slow to fast and faster. Personally, I have a feeling really advanced life eventually does away with all physical stuff that slows you down as soon as they can, and enters the infinite spaces between:

This is, of course, a variant on the Fermi paradox: We don’t see clues to widespread, large-scale engineering, and consequently we must conclude that we’re alone. But the possibly flawed assumption here is when we say that highly visible construction projects are an inevitable outcome of intelligence. It could be that it’s the engineering of the small, rather than the large, that is inevitable. This follows from the laws of inertia (smaller machines are faster, and require less energy to function) as well as the speed of light (small computers have faster internal communication). It may be – and this is, of course, speculation – that advanced societies are building small technology and have little incentive or need to rearrange the stars in their neighborhoods, for instance. They may prefer to build nanobots instead.

— Seth Shostak

Seth delivers an excellent TED talk on this topic as well:

If we can barely see far in the universe as is, there’s no way we could possibly see into the infinite space and time between.

That is of course just my opinion, but we’ll see.. eventually.

It’s that time of year again—Spotify Wrapped season is just around the corner, and this year, the streaming giant has found a new way to keep us guessing.

Instead of the usual hints, Spotify is teasing 2024 Wrapped with mysterious, cryptic logos, and the internet is buzzing with theories.

What’s Spotify Wrapped Again?

If you’ve somehow missed the Wrapped craze, here’s a quick recap: every December, Spotify drops a personalized, colorful snapshot of your music habits from the year. It tells you everything from your most-played songs and artists to the oddest hours you were up listening to your guilty pleasure tracks.

It’s a total vibe—and a major flex when you post your stats on Instagram or TikTok.

Wrapped isn’t just fun; it’s a whole cultural moment. Everyone’s sharing their playlists, tagging friends, and debating their “Top Artist” results. And now, Spotify’s teasing its 2024 edition in the most cryptic way possible.

What’s Up with These Logos?

Instead of a straightforward teaser, Spotify has dropped these wild logo designs that feel like a puzzle waiting to be cracked. They’re bold, colorful, and kind of trippy—think warped shapes, motion-inspired graphics, and colors that pop like your favorite album cover.

So, what’s the deal? Are these logos hinting at new Wrapped features? Maybe we’ll get more dynamic visuals or an entirely new way to interact with our year-end stats. Whatever it is, people are losing it trying to figure it out.

Fans Are ALL In

Naturally, the internet is doing what it does best—overanalyzing everything. Some think Spotify is gearing up to introduce community stats, like regional trends or playlists that show what your city’s been vibing to.

Others are hoping for AI-generated insights (think: “What song defines your 2024 energy?”). And there’s speculation about AR or 3D Wrapped experiences because those logos definitely look futuristic.

On TikTok, users are stitching videos with their predictions, while on Twitter, the theories are flying. And Reddit? Let’s just say the rabbit hole of Wrapped conspiracies runs deep.

Why This Works

Honestly, Spotify knows exactly what it’s doing. These cryptic teasers are brilliant marketing. They’ve turned a yearly recap into an event—and now, the mystery has everyone hyped. Instead of just waiting around for Wrapped, people are talking about it, guessing about it, and hyping it up even more.

This playful, design-forward approach is peak Spotify: it’s creative, engaging, and just cryptic enough to keep us on edge.

So, What Can We Expect?

Let’s be real—we won’t know for sure until Spotify officially drops Wrapped, but the teaser logos definitely suggest some exciting updates. Whether it’s next-level visuals, interactive features, or entirely new ways to relive your year in music, one thing’s for sure: Wrapped 2024 is going to hit differently.

In the meantime, why not revisit your favorite songs and playlists from this year? Who knows—your 3 a.m. summer anthem might just become your top track.

Keep your eyes on Spotify’s socials, and get ready to wrap up 2024 in style!