Google Reinvents the Wheel With Closure Stylesheets

Google has added CSS to Google Closure's bag of tricks.

Google's Closure Tools previously focused primarily on JavaScript, offering developers a Library of code along with an optimizer, Firebug inspector and command line tools for working on large-scale JavaScript-intensive applications like Google's own apps. In addition to JavaScript, Closure offers developers some HTML tools as well.

Now Google has added CSS to the list, and has, once again, opted to reinvent the wheel to suit its own needs instead of using any similar, existing projects.

Here's how Google describes the new Closure Stylesheets:

Closure Stylesheets is an extension to CSS that adds variables, functions, conditionals, and mixins to standard CSS. The tool also supports minification, linting, RTL flipping, and CSS class renaming.

If that sounds a lot like Sass or Less, well, that's because Closure Stylesheets are more or less the same wheel, slightly tweaked by Google. As with the rest of the Closure tool set, Closure Stylesheets feel first and foremost like they're useful to Google developers. Those outside of the Google Plex who haven't, for one reason or another, liked what Sass or Less offer might be interested in Closure Stylesheets. But if you're already using another CSS extension library there aren't any terribly compelling reasons to switch to Closure.

See Also:

• Google Releases Closure JavaScript Tools For Building Slick Interfaces
• Yes Virginia, That Is Linux Running on JavaScript
• Code Optimizers Can Make View Source Useless