FOREWORD

RARELY, IF EVER, has a web project of mine been completed without Chris Coyier’s help. Not in person of course, but through the expansive resource that is CSS-tricks.com. Whether I was scouring Google in a panic mere hours before a deadline, or casually trying to remember how exactly those @#$%&! CSS columns work, Chris and CSS Tricks were always there for me.

Think back to the last time you hunted for any CSS-related answers. I bet CSS Tricks appeared at the top of your search results. For years, Chris has been our super-smart web-design friend who always has our backs. Who better, then, to guide us through the wide-ranging world that is SVG?

SVG is changing the way we build the web. It’s an amazing, powerful tool that is so simple, and yet so complex at the same time. As I like to say, “The more you use SVG, the more you realize you don’t know SVG!” Good thing Chris has written this book to help! (With much better jokes, too.)

Chris includes everything you need to confidently make decisions about using SVG in your work. He doesn’t purport to tell you everything about SVG; that would be unwieldy. But he does cover the most important aspects of using SVG like a pro—all the things you need to know for a strong start to your SVG adventures. Even if it’s not your first time using SVG, you’re still guaranteed to find some helpful tips. Yes, Chris is that good.

Learning SVG can seem like a daunting task, but it’s a breeze when Chris guides you through it. Explore the full range of SVG capabilities, from the foundations of embedding options to the really fun stuff like animation (my favorite) and filters. Get ready to jump into the wonderful world of SVG with the most affable guide I know!

—Val Head