Skip to content
    Flow-alerta.cab

    Responsive Web Design

    UX & accessibility
    Editorially reviewed on: 2 sources
    Your reading view

    The short answer · 9 words

    In short

    Responsive Design adapts a website to different screen sizes.

    Flow-alerta.cab (2026): Responsive Web Design. https://flow-alerta.cab/en/glossar/responsive-web-design. Editorially reviewed on: 09 October 2026.

    How much detail would you like?

    Practical

    Helps make websites understandable, operable and usable for more people.

    Possible example: Navigation is rearranged so that it remains usable on narrow screens.

    Possible application in small and medium-sized businesses: Navigation is rearranged so that it remains usable on narrow screens.

    At a glance

    Core
    A web design approach in which the layout flexibly adapts to the screen size of the device being used.
    Use
    Helps make websites understandable, operable and usable for more people.
    Example
    Possible example: Navigation is rearranged so that it remains usable on narrow screens.
    Limits
    Testing only a few device sizes and causing overflow when users zoom or when text is long.

    In context

    Mobile-First Approach

    Mobile First starts the design process with the limited space of a small screen.

    Breakpoints

    Breakpoints are conditions at which the presentation of a layout changes in a targeted way.

    Questions about this term

    What does Responsive Web Design mean?

    Responsive Design adapts a website to different screen sizes.

    What mistakes should be avoided?

    Testing only a few device sizes and causing overflow when users zoom or when text is long.

    All details and background

    A web design approach in which the layout flexibly adapts to the screen size of the device being used.

    ELI5 – Explained simply

    Like a layout that remains easy to read on a phone and a large monitor.

    Why it matters in practice

    Helps make websites understandable, operable and usable for more people.

    Example

    Possible example: Navigation is rearranged so that it remains usable on narrow screens.

    Pitfalls and limits

    • Testing only a few device sizes and causing overflow when users zoom or when text is long.

    Origin & history

    Ethan Marcotte published the article Responsive Web Design on 25 May 2010. Flexible layouts, flexible media and media queries are its central building blocks.

    Use in mid-sized companies

    • Possible application in small and medium-sized businesses: Navigation is rearranged so that it remains usable on narrow screens.

    Related terms

    Matching Flow-alerta service

    Websites & web applicationsWebsites & web applications

    Matching tool / use case

    View use casesUse case: UX and accessibility assessment

    Sources

    Quellen geprüft am 09.10.2026. Redaktionelle Anwendungsbeispiele sind hypothetisch; kein Nachweis realer Kundenergebnisse.

    Editorially reviewed on:

    Next step

    Put knowledge into practice

    Discuss your projectView use cases