HAML and SASS - worth the conversion with rails?

rubyonrails-talk
1

Has anyone developed extensive projects with HAML and SASS and is it worth the effort to convert and utilize those markup languages?

The reason why I ask is I'm getting ready to dive down into my views and work with CSS and the HTML and I'm trying to find ways to improve upon my coding..

Thanks.

2

Älphä Blüë wrote:

Has anyone developed extensive projects with HAML and SASS and is it worth the effort to convert and utilize those markup languages?

Absolutely (in particular if you use the Haml >2.1.0 or the haml-edge gem)! Haml is basically HTML with less typing. Sass is a really, really powerful way of abstracting your CSS, allowing for clearer, more semantic markup by eliminating the need for presentation classes. I highly recommend them both.

For an example of what you can do with Sass if you're really going all out, check out Chris Eppstein's Compass project (I believe that's http://www.compasscss.org )

The reason why I ask is I'm getting ready to dive down into my views and work with CSS and the HTML and I'm trying to find ways to improve upon my coding..

Then Haml and Sass will be very useful. Among other things, Haml makes it very hard to do Bad Things in HTML. And of course you needn't exclusively decide on one or the other. I have a few projects where for one reason or another, I use both Haml and ERb.

Now if someone would only make Kwartz work with Rails 2...

Thanks.

Best,

3

Quick question before I commit..

I'm using netbeans IDE 6.5 when interfacing with my project. How do the haml/sass conversions take place for my project files? Is this something I run with a ruby script?

For instance, I saw something on the web like this:

http://snippets.dzone.com/posts/show/6838

Is this what needs to be done or can you walk me very quickly through the mechanics of installation/first project (or provide a tutorial)?

Many thanks.

4

Älphä Blüë wrote:

Quick question before I commit..

I'm using netbeans IDE 6.5 when interfacing with my project. How do the haml/sass conversions take place for my project files?

[...]

What conversions? I don't understand what you're asking. Best,

5

I'd pick one set of views and convert those first. Choose a model that has some of the moderately complex views, with partials involved. You'll learn HAML, all your changes are restricted to a single set of views, and the rest of your app goes merrily on its way while you sharpen your skills.

I love HAML for the brevity in the code, and the readability.