ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Media Queries

Hello there! Today we are going to talk about media queries. Have you ever visited a website on your computer and noticed that it looks different when you visit the same website on your phone? That's because of media queries!

Media queries are like instructions that a website follows to change its appearance depending on the screen size of the device you're using. Think of it like dressing up for different occasions. You might wear a jacket and tie for a fancy dinner, but wear shorts and a t-shirt for playing at the park. Similarly, websites will change their clothing, or display, depending on where they are visiting.

When a website is being built, the developer can use media queries to specify how the website should look on different devices. They can say “hey, if the screen is less than 500 pixels, make the text bigger, and if it's bigger than 1000 pixels, make the images wider”. That way, when you visit the website on your phone, it will have a different look than when you visit it on your computer.

Media queries are really helpful because they make websites look good on all devices, no matter what size screen you are using. So, next time you visit a website on your phone or computer, take a look at how it looks different and remember, that's all because of media queries!