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:

hidden coast of developer elitism

It’s time to break the cycle of developer elitism

Let’s talk about one of the greatest problems in software development: nascent developers bouncing off grouchy superiors into the arms of AI.

Lewis Cianci
Jun 4, 2025 ⋅ 9 min read
When To Use Flexbox And When To Use CSS Grid

When to use Flexbox and when to use CSS Grid

Flexbox and Grid are the heart of modern CSS layouts. Learn when to use each and how they help build flexible, responsive web designs — no more hacks or guesswork.

Leonardo Maldonado
Jun 3, 2025 ⋅ 9 min read
CSS Breakpoints For Responsive Design

Using CSS breakpoints for fluid, future-proof layouts

Responsive design is evolving. This guide covers media queries, container queries, and fluid design techniques to help your layouts adapt naturally to any screen size.

Rob O'Leary
Jun 3, 2025 ⋅ 13 min read
How To Use ForwardRef In React

React forwardRef explained: Usage, alternatives, and React 19 update

ForwardRef lets you pass refs through components to access child DOM nodes directly — learn how and when to use it in React 18 and earlier.

Peter Ekene Eze
Jun 3, 2025 ⋅ 14 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