Qwerkly
Contact Us

The Newest and Upcoming CSS Changes in 2025

Nate S.
3/9/2025

CSS is leveling up in 2025, bringing new features that make web design easier, more flexible, and more powerful than ever. Whether you’re a seasoned developer or just getting started, these updates will help you build modern, responsive, and stylish websites with less hassle. Let’s break down the biggest changes and why they matter.

1. Container Queries – More Control Over Responsive Design

Ever struggled with media queries that only respond to the viewport size? Enter container queries, which let you style elements based on their parent container’s size instead of the whole screen. This means truly modular, reusable components that can adapt no matter where they appear on the page.

Example:

@container (min-width: 500px) {
  .card {
    font-size: 1.2rem;
    background: lightgray;
  }
}

Why It Matters:

  • No more messy global media queries.
  • Components become more flexible and self-contained.
  • A huge win for scalable design systems!

🔗 Learn more about Container Queries

2. The :has() Selector – Finally, a Parent Selector!

CSS has always let us style children based on their parent—but what about the other way around? With :has(), you can now apply styles to a parent element based on whether it contains a specific child. This opens up tons of new styling possibilities without needing JavaScript!

Example:

div:has(img) {
  border: 2px solid blue;
}

Why It Matters:

  • Less reliance on JavaScript for conditional styling.
  • Makes CSS much more dynamic and powerful.
  • Cleaner and easier-to-maintain styles.

🔗 Read more about :has() on MDN

3. Nesting – Say Goodbye to SCSS?

If you’ve used SCSS or LESS, you know how convenient nesting can be. Now, CSS supports it natively! This means less repetition, cleaner stylesheets, and an overall smoother workflow.

Example:

.card {
  padding: 10px;
  background: white;
  & h2 {
    color: blue;
  }
  & p {
    font-size: 1rem;
  }
}

Why It Matters:

  • No need for preprocessors like SCSS.
  • Improves code organization and readability.
  • Keeps stylesheets DRY (Don’t Repeat Yourself).

🔗 Nesting in CSS – The Future of Stylesheets

4. New Color Functions & Spaces – More Precision, Better Accessibility

CSS is getting smarter with colors! The introduction of functions like color-mix(), and support for modern color spaces like OKLab and OKLCH, means better contrast, improved HDR support, and overall more vibrant designs.

Example:

.button {
  background-color: color-mix(in srgb, red 50%, blue 50%);
}

Why It Matters:

  • More precise and accessible color manipulation.
  • Future-proofed for high-dynamic-range (HDR) displays.
  • Greater design flexibility without relying on images or external tools.

🔗 Explore Modern Color Spaces

5. Scroll-Linked Animations – Next-Level Scrolling Effects

We all love smooth scrolling animations, but implementing them usually means heavy JavaScript. Not anymore! Scroll-driven animations are now native to CSS, making them more performant and easier to use.

Example:

@keyframes fadeIn {
  from { opacity: 0; }
  to { opacity: 1; }
}

.element {
  animation: fadeIn linear;
  animation-timeline: scroll();
}

Why It Matters:

  • Hardware-accelerated animations for better performance.
  • Less JavaScript needed for scroll effects.
  • Smoother, more interactive web experiences.

🔗 Deep Dive into Scroll-Linked Animations

Final Thoughts

The latest CSS updates are making web development more intuitive, flexible, and powerful. Features like container queries, :has(), and native nesting make styling more modular and maintainable, while improvements in color handling and animations enhance visual appeal and accessibility.

Now’s the perfect time to start experimenting with these features in your projects! What CSS update are you most excited about? Let’s discuss in the comments! 🚀