2023-02-15
1688
#css
Timonwa Akintokun
159444
107
Feb 15, 2023 ⋅ 6 min read

When and how to use CSS will-change

Timonwa Akintokun Frontend developer and technical writer who is passionate about the web. Creator of websites that tell stories.

Recent posts:

ai dev tool power rankings

AI dev tool power rankings & comparison [July 2025 edition]

Which AI frontend dev tool reigns supreme in July 2025? Check out our power rankings and use our interactive comparison tool to find out.

Chizaram Ken
Jul 2, 2025 ⋅ 3 min read
how API client automation can save you hours in development

How API client automation can save you hours in development

Learn how OpenAPI can automate API client generation to save time, reduce bugs, and streamline how your frontend app talks to backend APIs.

Lewis Cianci
Jul 1, 2025 ⋅ 7 min read
Interface Segregation Principle

SOLID series: Understanding the Interface Segregation Principle (ISP)

Discover how the Interface Segregation Principle (ISP) keeps your code lean, modular, and maintainable using real-world analogies and practical examples.

Oyinkansola Awosan
Jun 30, 2025 ⋅ 7 min read
​​How HTML’s Selectedcontent Element Improves Dropdowns

​​How HTML’s <selectedcontent> element improves dropdowns

is an experimental HTML element that gives developers control over how a selected option is displayed, using just HTML and CSS.

Temitope Oyedele
Jun 27, 2025 ⋅ 6 min read
View all posts

4 Replies to "When and how to use CSS <code>will-change</code>"

  1. I didn’t like this article. It is very vague and does not explain how will-change works. It does not even mention that the mdn documentation advise to avoid using it if not necessary.

    Warning: will-change is intended to be used as a last resort, in order to try to deal with existing performance problems. It should not be used to anticipate performance problems.

    Repeating that it will make animations run more smoothly or improve performance does not explain how it works on when it should be used.

    In my opinion it is better to just read the mdn documentation page as it reads better and has more information. A novice after reading this article may think that it is fine to apply will-change on any element that will change.

    1. Thank you for your feedback. I’m sorry if the article wasn’t as clear as you would have liked. I did mention in the introduction and conclusion that will-change should be used with caution as it can do more harm than good if used incorrectly. I agree that the MDN documentation is a valuable resource, and I encourage anyone who wants to learn more about will-change to read it. Thank you again for your comment.

    1. Thanks for your comment. I’m glad to see we both agree that will-change should only be used as a last resort, which I mentioned in the introduction and conclusion of my article. It’s important to use this CSS property with caution and only when necessary. If you have any other feedback, I’d be happy to hear it. Thanks again.

Leave a Reply