CSS Specificity: Layers vs BEM vs Utility Classes

June 26, 2025

CSS Specificity: Cascade Layers vs BEM vs Utility Classes

This article compares three approaches to managing CSS specificity — BEM, utility‑first classes, and native @layer support.

BEM: Explicit Specificity

BEM naming (block__element--modifier) helps keep specificity consistent:

.header__nav-item--active { color: blue; }

Utility Classes: Specificity by Avoidance

Utility classes rely on single-class selectors, avoiding specificity wars:

<button class="bg-red-300 hover:bg-red-500 text-white py-2 px-4 rounded">
  A button
</button>

Cascade Layers: Specificity by Design

With @layer, you define stacking order, regardless of selectors' complexity:

@layer components {
  .nav-link.active { color: blue; }
}

This engine-level layering controls cascade order and specificity intelligently.

Why It Matters

Without control: Inline > ID > class > element can lead to broken styles in large apps.
Utility-first keeps everything simple at 0,1,0 specificity.
Layers allow author-defined priorities, easier overrides without !important.

Blog

Load JavaScript on Demand to Boost Site Performance

Jul 24, 2025

🧠 What is Dynamic Import? Dynamic import allows you to load JavaScript modules at runtime—only when needed. This approach is fantastic for r...

CSS Specificity: Layers vs BEM vs Utility Classes

Jun 26, 2025

CSS Specificity: Cascade Layers vs BEM vs Utility Classes This article compares three approaches to managing CSS specificity — BEM, utility‑f...

ECMAScript 2025 Detailed Update Guide for Frontend Developers

Jul 06, 2025

🔍 ECMAScript 2025 – Detailed Feature Guide All new ECMAScript 2025 features with code examples and explanation of their importance for front...

Using Web Components the Smart Way

Jul 06, 2025

Using Web Components the Smart Way A lot of developers assume Web Components are meant to replace full SPA frameworks like React or Vue. But in rea...

Bypassing $fillable Safely with forceFill() in Laravel

Jul 02, 2025

Bypassing $fillable Safely with forceFill() in Laravel Ever used create() in Laravel and noticed some fields like role or status didn’t save? T...

Top Laravel & PHP Updates for Cleaner, Faster Code

Aug 17, 2025

Laravel Global Scopes: Automatic Query Filtering Eloquent Importance: Enforce consistent filters across all model queries (e.g., Soft Del...