Blogspot - blogger - blog: GridFox - The Grid Layout Firefox Extension

6/03/2009 12:18:00 PM Posted by Blogger Blogspot

Grid-based layouts have become really popular among web designers over the last year. This popularity is due largely in part to the work of Khoi Vinh, Design Director of NYTimes.com. He’s spoken at several venues touting the advantages of grid-based design and demonstrating how the concept can translate from print design to the web. However, I ran into a problem when coding grid-based layouts. How can I be sure my grid is maintained from the original mockup to the final coded version? When I coded my first grid-based layout, I found myself regularly taking screenshots of the site and comparing them with my original grid in Photoshop. There had to be an easier way.

Enter GridFox. GridFox is a Firefox extension that overlays a grid on any website. If you can open it in Firefox, you can put a grid on top of it. It’s easy to customize, allowing you to create the exact grid you designed your layout around.

Gridfox screen shot

More than just a handy development tool, GridFox also proves priceless with the daily production of a grid-based site. Using GridFox, producers can easily check if their content maintains the grid, or if it needs to be edited. GridFox is the essential tool for creating and maintaining pixel-perfect, grid-based layouts.