What Is SCSS? A Beginner's Guide for Developers

SCSS (Sassy Cascading Style Sheets) is one of two syntaxes for the popular CSS preprocessor Sass (Syntactically Awesome Style Sheets). Developers can use SCSS to style the visual elements of a webpage, including buttons, sliders, images, color schemes, fonts, themes, and layouts. As a true superset of CSS, all valid CSS is also valid SCSS.

SCSS offers numerous benefits that make it a crucial tool in modern web development. It enhances CSS with features like variables, nesting, and mixins, which streamline the process of writing and maintaining stylesheets. Its popularity and widespread use in the industry stem from its ability to make code more efficient and organized, saving developers time and effort.

In this article, we'll take a look at how SCSS works and how it can help you streamline your CSS workflows.‍

Table of contents:

• What is SCSS?
• How does SCSS work?
• Difference between SCSS and CSS
• How to compile SCSS into CSS
• Benefits of using SCSS
• Key features of SCSS
• SCSS with other programming languages
• Setting up SCSS in different environments
• Advanced SCSS features
• Use cases

What is SCSS?

SCSS (Sassy Cascading Style Sheets) is an extension of CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) that adds powerful features to enhance the standard capabilities of CSS.

As a preprocessor scripting language, SCSS allows developers to use variables, nested rules, mixins, and functions, which streamline the process of writing and maintaining complex stylesheets.

Fully compatible with CSS, SCSS makes it easier to create clean, organized, and reusable code, ultimately improving the efficiency and scalability of web development projects.

How does SCSS work?

SCSS is simply one of two syntaxes available for the CSS preprocessor Sass. Like any preprocessor, Sass works by being compiled into native CSS code that will work across any web browser.

The real time-saving magic comes into play on the developer's end when they can write concise SCSS code that will compile into longer CSS code. In this way, SCSS empowers developers to do more with less, without compromising compatibility with the web.

Difference between SCSS and CSS

The main difference between SCSS and CSS is that SCSS is a syntax for the Sass preprocessor, while CSS is a style sheet language (or styling language) that describes how a browser should display HTML elements. Below is a quick summary of their differences:

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SCSS syntax and CSS syntax

SCSS syntax and CSS syntax share similarities, but SCSS syntax allows for more advanced features. For instance, SCSS uses semicolons and proper indentation to maintain formatting, while regular CSS may be more flexible but lacks the advanced features of SCSS.

While SCSS allows for complex stylesheets, sometimes inline CSS is necessary for specific, one-off styles. However, using SCSS for regular CSS tasks helps maintain a cleaner and more manageable codebase.

How to compile SCSS into CSS

The simplest way to get started with SCSS is to download a Sass compiler plug-in with your preferred code editor. Your SCSS will be compiled into CSS as you code.

For example, Visual Studio has a plug-in called Live Sass Compiler that will compile anything you write into your .scss file extension into vanilla CSS within a corresponding .css file extension with the same name every time you save.

Benefits of using SCSS

SCSS is a great way to improve your CSS workflow. It can help you keep your code clean and organized, and make it easier to maintain your stylesheets over time.

Here is a quick overview of the benefits of SCSS:

• Increased productivity
• Better code organization
• Improved maintainability and readability
• More powerful than CSS alone

Of course, SCSS's biggest advantage is that it adds features to CSS code that are not available in the CSS standard. In the next section, we'll explain how these new SCSS features make it easier to style HTML.

Key features of SCSS

Programming languages like variables, nesting, and mixins reduce the need for code reuse. They allow you to declare something once and invoke it throughout your stylesheets without having to repeat yourself for each element on a page. In the following sections, we take a closer look at each of those features.

Nesting

One of the most notable advantages of SCSS over CSS is the ability to use nested syntax. In SCSS, nesting allows you to group code within other code, which can be used to create cleaner and more efficient stylesheets.

For example, the following CSS code requires us to define style rules for our body one by one like so:

--CODE language-markup line-numbers--
body {
  background: #6fda44;
  color: #ffffff;
}
body h1 {
  color: aquamarine;
}
body p {
  color: antiquewhite;
}

SCSS gives us the ability to nest the CSS selectors targeting various sub elements under the “body” section of the page under the main “body” selector  like so:

--CODE language-markup line-numbers--
body {
    background: #6fda44;
    color: #ffffff;
    h1 {
        color:aquamarine;
    }
    p {
        color:antiquewhite;
    }
}

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Not only does nesting make it easier for developers to target specific elements of a page, it makes the code easier to read too. 

Variables

SCSS also supports variables. Variables can store values that will be used throughout the stylesheet. This can be helpful when working with colors, sizes, and other values that might need to be changed frequently.

The following example shows how to create and use a variable in SCSS:

--CODE language-markup line-numbers--
$primary-color: #6fda44;   /* Stores the value #6fda44 in a variable */
.button {
  background-color: $primary-color;   
  /* Uses the variable to set the button's background color */
}

In this example, the $primary-color variable sets the background color of all .button elements. If the primary color needs to be changed, it can be updated in one place (the variable declaration) instead of throughout the entire stylesheet.

Mixins

In SCSS, mixins allow you to create groups of CSS declarations that can be reused throughout the stylesheet. This can be helpful when working with vendor prefixes, complex animations, and other code that might need to be used in multiple places.

The following example shows how to create and use a mixin in SCSS:

--CODE language-markup line-numbers--
@mixin border-radius { /* Creates a mixin for adding a border radius */
    -webkit-border-radius: 12px; /* Adds vendor prefixes for different browsers */
    -moz-border-radius: 12px;
    -ms-border-radius: 12px;
    border-radius: 12px;
  }
    .button { 
    @include border-radius; 
    /* Includes the mixin in the .button class */
  }

In this example, the border-radius mixin is used to add a border radius to all .button elements. This is more efficient than adding the code for each browser prefix separately.

SCSS with other programming languages

The main difference between SCSS and CSS is that SCSS is a syntax for the Sass preprocessor while CSS is a style sheet language for describing how HTML elements should be displayed by a browser. Below is a quick summary of their differences:

SCSS can be integrated with various programming languages to enhance web development. For instance:

• JavaScript. You can use JavaScript to dynamically change SCSS variables, enabling real-time theme changes in your web applications.
• Ruby. As the original Sass language was written in Ruby, it's commonly used in Ruby on Rails projects for styling.
• Python. SCSS can be compiled using Python libraries, making it a versatile choice for different backend environments.
• PHP. SCSS can be used with PHP frameworks like Laravel to manage complex styling for web applications.
• Java. SCSS can be compiled and served in Java-based web applications, ensuring consistent styling.

Setting up SCSS in different environments

Setting up SCSS in different environments can significantly improve your development workflow. Here's a brief tutorial on how to get started with SCSS in environments like Node.js, Gulp, and Webpack, as well as integrating SCSS into popular frameworks like Bootstrap and Foundation.

Node.js

1. Install Node.js. First, download and install Node.js from the official Node.js website.

2. Initialize a project. Open your terminal and navigate to your project directory. Run:

--CODE language-markup--
​​npm init -y

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3. Install Sass. Install Sass using npm:

--CODE language-markup--
npm install sass --save-dev

‍

4. Compile SCSS. Create a script in your package.json to compile SCSS:

--CODE language-markup--
"scripts": {
"sass": "sass src/styles.scss dist/styles.css"
}

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5. Run the script:

--CODE language-markup--
npm run sass

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Gulp

1. Install Gulp. Install Gulp globally and locally in your project:

--CODE language-markup--
npm install --global gulp-cli
npm install --save-dev gulp

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2. Set Up Gulp. Create a gulpfile.js and install the necessary plugins:

--CODE language-markup--
npm install --save-dev gulp-sass

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3. Add the following to your gulpfile.js:

--CODE language-markup--
const gulp = require('gulp');
const sass = require('gulp-sass')(require('sass'));
gulp.task('sass', function() {
return gulp.src('src/styles.scss')
.pipe(sass().on('error', sass.logError))
.pipe(gulp.dest('dist'));
});
gulp.task('default', gulp.series('sass'));

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4. Run Gulp:

--CODE language-markup--
gulp

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Webpack

1. Install Webpack. Install Webpack and necessary loaders:

--CODE language-markup--
npm install --save-dev webpack webpack-cli css-loader sass-loader style-loader sass
‍

2. Configure Webpack. Create a webpack.config.js:

--CODE language-markup--
module.exports = {
entry: './src/index.js',
output: {
filename: 'bundle.js',
path: __dirname + '/dist'
},
module: {
rules: [
{
test: /\.scss$/,
use: [
'style-loader',
'css-loader',
'sass-loader'
]
}
]
}
};

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3. Create an entry file (src/index.js) and import your SCSS:

--CODE language-markup--
import './styles.scss';

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4. Run Webpack:

--CODE language-markup--
npx webpack --config webpack.config.js
‍

Integrating SCSS into Bootstrap

1. Install Bootstrap. Install Bootstrap via npm:

--CODE language-markup--
npm install bootstrap

‍

2. Import SCSS. Create a SCSS file (src/styles.scss) and import Bootstrap:

--CODE language-markup--
@import '~bootstrap/scss/bootstrap';

‍

3. Compile SCSS. Use any of the methods described above to compile your SCSS.

Integrating SCSS into Foundation

1. Install Foundation. Install Foundation via npm:

--CODE language-markup--
npm install foundation-sites

‍

2. Import SCSS. Create a SCSS file (src/styles.scss) and import Foundation:

--CODE language-markup--
@import 'foundation-sites/scss/foundation';

‍

3. Compile SCSS. Use any of the methods described above to compile your SCSS.

Advanced SCSS features

Advanced SCSS features are beneficial because they streamline workflows and make CSS more powerful and manageable. Developers can write cleaner, more modular, and maintainable code by leveraging features like partials, inheritance, functions, and control directives.

Partials and importing

Partials in SCSS are smaller, reusable snippets of code that help organize stylesheets. They are stored in separate SCSS files, prefixed with an underscore (_), and can be imported into main SCSS files. This modular approach enhances code reusability and maintainability.

Here is an example:

1. Create a partial file _variables.scss:

--CODE language-markup line-numbers--
// _variables.scss
$primary-color: #3498db;
$secondary-color: #2ecc71;

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2. Import the partial into your main SCSS file:

--CODE language-markup--
// styles.scss
@import 'variables';

body {
color: $primary-color;
background-color: $secondary-color;
}
]

‍

This method ensures that your styles are modular and can be easily managed.

Inheritance

Inheritance in SCSS allows you to share a set of CSS properties from one selector to another using the @extend directive. This differs from CSS, where inheritance is limited to certain properties.

Here is an example:

1. Define a base class:

--CODE language-markup line-numbers--
// base.scss
.button {
padding: 10px 20px;
border-radius: 5px;
font-size: 16px;
}

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2. Extend the base class in another class:

--CODE language-markup--
// styles.scss
@import 'base';

.primary-button {
@extend .button;
background-color: $primary-color;
color: white;
}

.secondary-button {
@extend .button;
background-color: $secondary-color;
color: white;
}

‍

Using inheritance, you reduce redundancy and enhance maintainability by centralizing common styles.

Functions

SCSS functions are reusable blocks of code that return a value. They simplify complex calculations and can be used throughout your stylesheets.

Here is an example:

1. Define a custom function:

--CODE language-markup line-numbers--
// functions.scss
@function calculate-rem($pixels) {
@return $pixels / 16 * 1rem;
}

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2. Use the function in your styles:

--CODE language-markup line-numbers--
// styles.scss
@import 'functions';

.container {
width: calculate-rem(320);
padding: calculate-rem(16);
}

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Functions make it easy to perform calculations consistently across your stylesheets.

Control directives

Control directives in SCSS allow you to add conditional logic and loops to your styles, making them more dynamic and efficient.

@if directive:

The @if directive applies styles based on conditions.

--CODE language-markup--
$theme: dark;
body {
@if $theme == dark {
background-color: black;
color: white;
} @else {
background-color: white;
color: black;
}
}

‍

@for directive:

The @for directive iterates over a range of numbers to generate repetitive styles.

--CODE language-markup line-numbers--
@for $i from 1 through 5 {
.column-#{$i} {
width: 20% * $i;
}
}

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@each directive:

The @each directive loops through a list of values.

--CODE language-markup--
$colors: red, green, blue;
@each $color in $colors {
.text-#{$color} {
color: $color;
}
}
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@while directive:

The @while directive applies styles based on conditions within a loop.

--CODE language-markup line-numbers--
$i: 1;
@while $i <= 3 {
.padding-#{$i} {
padding: 10px * $i;
}
$i: $i + 1;
}

‍

By using control directives, you can automate repetitive tasks and create more efficient and maintainable stylesheets.

Use cases

SCSS is an essential tool in modern web development, offering practical applications that significantly enhance workflow and performance. Its advanced features make it easier to manage large-scale projects, create responsive designs, and implement theming and customization—all things that help optimize performance and improve collaboration among development teams.

Large-scale projects

In a large-scale website project for an e-commerce platform, you can use SCSS to manage and organize thousands of lines of CSS. The project could involve multiple developers working on different website sections, making code maintainability and complexity reduction critical.

Features like partials and nesting would be particularly beneficial:

• Partials. The team divides the SCSS code into partials, such as _header.scss, _footer.scss, _product.scss, and _checkout.scss. This modular approach allows each developer to focus on a specific part of the website without conflicts.
• Nesting. SCSS's nesting feature helps keep the stylesheet organized by nesting child elements within their parent elements. This makes the code more readable and easier to manage.

Here is an example:

--CODE language-markup line-numbers--
// _header.scss
.header {
background: $primary-color;
.nav {
display: flex;
.nav-item {
margin-right: 20px;
}
}
}
‍

Responsive design

For a media company project, you can use SCSS mixins and variables to create a responsive design system. This approach enables easier updates and consistent styling across different devices.

Here are code snippets demonstrating the use of SCSS for responsive design:

Variables and mixins:

--CODE language-markup line-numbers--
$breakpoints: (
'small': 576px,
'medium': 768px,
'large': 992px,
'xlarge': 1200px
);

@mixin respond-to($breakpoint) {
@media (min-width: map-get($breakpoints, $breakpoint)) {
@content;
}
}

‍

Responsive styles:

--CODE language-markup line-numbers--
.container {
width: 100%;
padding: 15px;

@include respond-to('medium') {
width: 750px;
}

@include respond-to('large') {
width: 970px;
}

@include respond-to('xlarge') {
width: 1170px;
}
}
‍

Theming and customization

In a SaaS product development project, SCSS can be used to create customizable themes. Variables and functions allow for quick theme changes without rewriting CSS, making it easy to switch between different color schemes and styles. Here is an example:

Variables for theme colors:

--CODE language-markup line-numbers--
$theme-dark: (
primary: #333,
secondary: #555,
background: #222,
text: #fff
);

$theme-light: (
primary: #fff,
secondary: #ccc,
background: #f9f9f9,
text: #333
);

@function theme($name, $theme: $theme-dark) {
@return map-get($theme, $name);
}

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Applying themes:

--CODE language-markup--
body {
background: theme(background, $theme-dark);
color: theme(text, $theme-dark);
}

.btn {
background-color: theme(primary, $theme-dark);
color: theme(text, $theme-dark);
}

‍

Performance optimization

In a project to optimize a content-heavy news website, Sassy CSS can help reduce file sizes and improve load times. A team can achieve significant performance gains by reusing code and applying efficient styling techniques.

Techniques for optimization:

Code reuse:

--CODE language-markup line-numbers--
@mixin button-styles($bg-color) {
background-color: $bg-color;
padding: 10px 20px;
border-radius: 5px;
}

.btn-primary {
@include button-styles($primary-color);
}

.btn-secondary {
@include button-styles($secondary-color);
}

‍
Performance metrics:

Before optimization: CSS file size = 150KB, Load time = 3.5s After optimization: CSS file size = 90KB, Load time = 2.1s

Collaboration and scalability

In a collaborative project involving a team of developers, SCSS facilitates better collaboration and scalability of the codebase. Features like variables, mixins, and partials are crucial for effective collaboration. Here is an example:

Using variables for consistency:

--CODE language-markup line-numbers--
// _variables.scss
$primary-color: #3498db;
$secondary-color: #2ecc71;
$font-stack: 'Helvetica, sans-serif';

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Team collaboration: ‍

--CODE language-markup--
// _base.scss
body {
font-family: $font-stack;
color: $primary-color;
}

// _header.scss
.header {
background: $secondary-color;
}

By leveraging these features, the team will maintain a consistent style across the project, improve code readability, and ensure that the project scales smoothly as new features are added.

Apply your knowledge of SCSS on Upwork

In this guide, we discussed what SCSS is and how it helps web developers and web designers alike streamline their CSS workflows.

If you're looking to put your SCSS skills to work, positioning yourself as a CSS developer on Upwork is a great place to start.

Here's how to create an Upwork profile and find projects:

• Create a profile on Upwork. Include your skills and experience, as well as any relevant links or samples of your work. Be sure to mention that you're experienced in SCSS.
• Search for SCSS projects on Upwork. You can use the "Advanced Search" feature to narrow down your options.
• Apply to projects. Send well-written job proposals to the clients you're interested in working with. Explain why you're a good fit for the project and include your rates.

With a little effort, you can land a great SCSS job on Upwork!

Ready to get started? Hire an SCSS professional on Upwork today and take your web development projects to the next level!

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Upwork is not affiliated with and does not sponsor or endorse any of the third-party tools or services discussed in this article. These tools and services are provided only as potential options, and each reader and company should take the time needed to adequately analyze and determine the tools or services that would best fit their specific needs and situation.