Observed Signal · Jun 8, 2026 · Technical Release · Source: DEV Community · Impact: 4/5 · Sentiment: Neutral
CSS if() Inline Conditionals Ship in Chrome 137
The CSS if() function introduces inline conditional logic into property declarations, allowing developers to branch style values without separate @media, @supports, or duplicated rules. The syntax accepts condition:value pairs evaluated top-to-bottom and supports three condition types: style() (computed custom property queries), media() (inline media queries) and supports() (feature detection). The feature ships in Chrome 137 and is available in other Chromium browsers (Edge, Opera); Firefox support is in progress and Safari is on the 2026–2027 roadmap. The article recommends progressive enhancement (safe defaults + @supports guard) and shows practical uses for touch targets, theme switching, and modern color fallbacks.
A new CSS feature landed in a major browser (Chrome 137). Browser-level platform releases change what developers can rely on for rendering and progressive enhancement, which influences how web experiences — including ad creatives and responsive layouts — are implemented across the ecosystem.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- CSS if() function enables inline conditional logic in property declarations.
- if() syntax: property: if(condition: value; else: fallback); evaluated top to bottom.
- Supported condition types: style(), media(), and supports().
- Browser support as of mid-2026: Chrome 137+, Edge, Opera (Chromium); Firefox in progress; Safari planned for 2026–2027.
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Chrome Unveils 22 Game-Changing CSS Features for 2025
CSS Wrapped 2025 is a Chrome Developer blog post (published Dec 8, 2025) announcing 22 new CSS features that shipped in Chrome in 2025. The post highlights new customizable components, next-generation interaction capabilities, and ergonomics improvements intended to streamline developer workflows and enable more dynamic interfaces. The blog points readers to a dedicated CSS Wrapped 2025 website that showcases the 22 features. Licensing notes state the page content is under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 and code samples under the Apache 2.0 License.
Critical CSS: Inlining Eliminates Render-Blocking
This technical guide explains why external CSS blocks the browser from painting — because the browser must build both the DOM and the CSSOM before creating the render tree — and shows how inlining "critical CSS" (the styles required for above-the-fold content) in the HTML head removes the network round trip that delays first paint. The article describes extraction automation approaches (headless rendering), tooling (Critters plugin, Next.js integration, the Critical Node package), and a recommended pattern using rel="preload" + onload to load the full stylesheet asynchronously with a noscript fallback. It covers tradeoffs including larger HTML responses, duplicated rules, and complications for client-side rendered pages, and explains why inlining typically improves Lighthouse First Contentful Paint by ~100–500ms depending on network latency.
CSS Gap Decorations Now in Chrome and Edge 149
Chrome and Edge (Chromium) have added CSS "gap decorations"—visual separators drawn in layout gaps—available by default starting with version 149. Built in collaboration between the Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge teams, the feature extends the existing column-rule concept to grid and flexbox via new properties (row-rule, column-rule and related shorthands) and controls for breaks, insets, visibility and animation. Gap decorations support repeat() syntax for varying styles across gaps and are purely visual progressive enhancements (gaps render normally in browsers without support). The blog post (May 15, 2026) includes examples, demos, links to the spec, and notes changes since the developer trial in Chrome 139. A polyfill is in development and bugs can be filed in the Chromium issue tracker.
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