You Don’t Need JavaScript | A Practical CSS eBook

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A practical guide for building modern components with CSS

You Don’t Need JavaScript is a complete, 125-page book packed with modern CSS techniques, real-world examples, and step-by-step tutorials. Learn how to replace unnecessary JavaScript with lightweight CSS components that are faster, easier to maintain, and future-proof.

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You don't need JavaScript ebook cover

What you will learn

Create a popover menu with pure CSS

Thanks to the Popover API, you can build an accessible drawer menu that works seamlessly across almost all devices. This technique can be extended to create a variety of interactive components.

Create accessible accordions easily in CSS

Using semantic HTML and modern CSS, you can build accordions that are fully accessible and work seamlessly across devices. Perfect for FAQs, content toggles, and more.

Create stunning scroll-driven animations 100% CSS

Discover how to use CSS and a sprinkle of modern APIs to animate elements on scroll, adding interactivity and depth to your pages while keeping performance in mind.

And a lot more...

Explore advanced components you never thought possible with pure CSS. Like dark mode toggles, comparison sliders, anchor navigation, and powerful effects using :has()...

COMPLETE TABLE OF CONTENTS

PART 1 - Everyday Features

8 chapters

  1. Conditionally Styling with :has() 5

  2. Dark Mode in CSS 12

  3. Smooth Scrolling to Sections 18

  4. Native Modals with <dialog> 22

  5. Accordions with Pure CSS 27

  6. Pure-CSS Automatic Slider 32

  7. Auto-Numbered Headings 39

  8. Other Use-Case of Counter 43

PART 2 - Modern CSS Power Moves

5 chapters

  1. Custom Border Animations48

  2. View Transitions55

  3. CSS Motion Path59

  4. CSS Mask Effects68

  5. CSS-Only Form Validation77

PART 3 - A Glimpse of the Future

6 chapters

  1. Scroll-Driven Animations83

  2. Native Popovers90

  3. Customized Selects97

  4. Anchor Positioning106

  5. Native CSS Carousels112

  6. And more to come...118

What makes this guide unique

  • Clear and direct approach

    If you're a visual learner, this guide is for you. It focuses more on actionable advice and tips.

  • Real-life examples

    All the examples in this guide are things that you face in your day to day work. Nothing is abstract.

  • Modern CSS techniques

    Learn the latest CSS features and best practices that make JavaScript unnecessary for many UI interactions.

  • Faster and greener

    Building with pure CSS means lighter pages, faster load times, and a smaller carbon footprint.

Loved by the community

  • Second testimonial
    It’s an easy-to-follow guide with everything explained step by step. I also liked the extra pointers on accessibility, troubleshooting, and browser compatibility.
    Hopefully, this will help people appreciate CSS a bit more.
  • Second testimonial

    Lionel Péramo
    Fullstack Developer & Content Creator

    Theo brilliantly shows how modern CSS can replace complex JavaScript without losing creativity or functionality. The examples are clear, practical, and inspiring. A refreshing reminder that the simplest tools often create the best results. A must-read for any developer.
  • Second testimonial

    Pierre Liegard
    Front-end Developer

    This book offers a welcome reminder of the latest CSS developments at a time when performance matters more than ever.
  • Second testimonial

    Cedric Molla
    Web Developer

    Such a great read! It’s practical, easy to follow, and packed with smart ideas I can actually use. It made me want to revisit old projects and try a lighter, CSS-first approach.
  • Second testimonial

    Virgile Gouala
    Engineering Manager

    You Don’t Need JavaScript introduced me to the “Rule of Least Power”, a principle that is both simple and profoundly enlightening. In a web world that’s always accelerating, this work promotes a more ecological, thoughtful, and handcrafted approach to development, reminding us that elegance and impact often arise from simplicity.
  • Second testimonial

    Paul Wright
    Full Stack Web Developer

    Read this book and you’ll be gleefully ripping out half your JS before you’ve even finished the second chapter. You Don’t Need JavaScript is a breath of fresh air packed with “wait… CSS can do that?!” moments. Theo has a knack for making complex ideas feel effortless, proving that elegant, interactive design doesn’t always need a mountain of JS. It’s the perfect reminder that simplicity, speed, and creativity often live right there in your stylesheet.
  • Second testimonial

    Thomas Palef
    Author of Make 2D Games

    I thought I knew CSS, but I was wrong... this book taught me new CSS properties at almost every page!
  • Second testimonial

    Melon Tusk
    Former Framework Addict

    This book made me uninstall half my JavaScript libraries. My therapist will hear about this.
  • Second testimonial

    Parry Lage
    Proud jQuery Defender

    Tried the CSS-only dropdown technique. It worked instantly. Honestly, it felt wrong.
  • Second testimonial

    Beff Jezos
    JavaScript Maximalist

    Was hoping for 300 pages of pure JS hacks. Got clean, maintainable CSS instead. 0/10.

30-Day Money-Back Guarantee

If you buy the ebook, but you are not completely satisfied, no worries!
Just send me an email at hey@theosoti.com within 30 days and you’ll get a full refund.

About the author

Theo Soti profile

Theo Soti

Webdesigner & Front-end Developer

For the last eight years, I’ve worked with teams to design and build fast, responsive interfaces using modern CSS.
Along the way, I started sharing what I learned online. That small habit grew into a community of:

  • 16,000+ developers on LinkedIn
  • 9 million impressions in a year
  • 1,500 newsletter subscribers

You Don’t Need JavaScript collects my best CSS techniques and patterns for building fast, modern interfaces with less code and more joy.

START LEARNING TODAY

Complete bundle

$69

  • 125-page PDF with 27 practical examples
  • Lifetime access & Free updates
  • A library of 27 ready-to-use components
  • A cheat sheet with every property from the book

Get the bundle

Basic

$39

  • 125-page PDF with 27 practical examples
  • Lifetime access & Free updates
  • ✗A library of 27 ready-to-use components
  • ✗A cheat sheet with every property from the book

Get the ebook

30 day money back guaranteed

Frequently asked questions

  • Who is this book for?

    If you're a web developer who wants to build interactive components without relying on JavaScript. If you care about performance, clean code, and saving time. Then this book is for you.

  • Do I need to be a CSS expert to follow along?

    You don't need to be an expert, but a basic understanding of CSS is necessary. The ebook is packed with tips and techniques that even seasoned developers will find valuable. You'll learn step-by-step through clear, practical examples.

  • What exactly will I learn?

    You'll learn how to create real-world UI components (like tabs, modals, dropdowns, etc.) using only CSS. Plus, you'll discover methods to speed up your pages, write maintainable code, and reduce bugs.

  • What format is the book available in?

    The book comes as a PDF, so you can read it anywhere. It’s lightweight, easy to navigate, and beautifully formatted for any screen size.

  • Will the book be updated in the future?

    Yes! Whenever I update You Don’t Need JavaScript with new examples or CSS features, you’ll get all future updates for free!

  • What if I don’t like the book?

    No worries. If you buy the book and feel it’s not for you, you can ask for a full refund within 30 days. No hard feelings, no questions asked. I want you to feel completely confident about your purchase. Send me an email at hey@theosoti.com and I'll refund you right away.

  • Did you use JavaScript for creating this page?

    Nope, I only used pure HTML & CSS! The only JavaScript in the page is the small tracking script.