Robuta

I’m Ethan Marcotte. I’m a web designer, writer, and speaker. This is my website; I’m real glad you’re here.

I just gave a talk at this year’s New Adventures conference. Here are some books, resources, and videos I cited in it.

I’ve been at Theorizing The Web for the last few days. I really liked it; I think you might, too.

On the web, can our patterns be more than just front-end code?

Many criticisms of responsive design are based on faulty logic. Let’s look at a few fallacies.

Three outlines, each smaller than the last.

Let’s talk a little about automation, design, and work.

I wrote this book for you, for me—for all of us. I hope you like it.

When I’m asked to speak at an event, I ask a few useful questions. Maybe you’ll find them useful, too.

The sun was hot, the smiles were wide.

So! You Deserve a Tech Union’s been getting a little attention lately! Here’s a short roundup.

One of my favorite features in Apple’s Keynote is “Magic Move.” I bet it might be yours, too.

Saying good-bye to our littlest kitty, Rorschach.

A friend asked me to share a few favorite resources on design systems. I thought I’d share them with you, too.

Here are some things I know.

Hi, I’m Ethan. I’m a web designer who helps companies make beautiful sites and services that work everywhere.

Waking up, half-dreaming, before the sun’s up.

It’s time for us to organize our workplaces, my loves.

Well, hey! Happy pub day to my latest book!

I’ve upgraded my site’s social media preview images, using a combination of ImageMagick and Eleventy. Here’s entirely too many words about how I made it...

This was the vehicle; these were the people.

About the patterns underneath the patterns.

Writin’ up—for you, but also for me—a few book events from last week.

Last Friday was my last day at a full-time job.

What’s better, where, and for whom.

Nineteen thoughts about “generative artificial intelligence,” spanning a few centuries.

“Artificial intelligence” is a failed technology. It’s time we described it that way.

I had a wonderful job, until I didn’t. This is about what happened—and what is still happening.

The first large-scale responsive website just launched, and I helped. Here’s how we did it.

How I work, and how I want to.

I was asked to write an introduction for Mat Marquis’ new book on images and performance, which I loved. (I think you’ll love it too.)

Google’s Accelerated Mobile Project (AMP) has announced it’s moving to a more open governance model, which is great. I still have some questions.

A few notes on political anxiety and Twitter, and how sentences turn into paragraphs.

Read this page on ethanmarcotte.com

Various and sundry design tweaks! Writing bios is still terrible! Dark Mode 2: The Return of Dark Mode! It’s good to be back!

Aug 15, 2023 - , Book (Paperback), Marcotte, Ethan,

At long last, container queries might finally become reality! And responsive design just turned eleven! My goodness!

When offering advice, be careful how it’s offered.

I liked Mozilla’s guide to student organizing and workplace ethics so much, I made a web page out of it.

Read this page on ethanmarcotte.com

I have a website called bukk.it. It’s filled with pointless images. Here’s how I manage it.

A few words I quite like.

I’ve been a designer at 18F for one week now.

Designing a lightweight, inexpensive digital experience is a form of kindness.

The value of a pattern library is tied directly to how much—and how easily—it is used.

What we talk about when we talk about showing our work.

Every responsive design begins with a reference layout, either small- or widescreen. Which should you choose?

We were in the process of haggling over which desserts my grandmother should order when the seizure hit.

I don’t think there’s much you or I can do about Google’s AMP project. However.

I’ve put my first two books online for free.

Brad Frost is a web designer, speaker, consultant, musician and artist living in beautiful Pittsburgh, PA

Jul 7, 2025 - Designer Ethan Marcotte shares lessons from leaving 18F, the future of compassionate design, and what AI means for the value of our labor.

Some things I’ve written.

A few notes on farewells, and on coming home.

Last year, Google announced AMP will no longer be a requirement for prime search placement. This is good! But I still have questions.

Karen McGrane and I have teamed up to offer in-house workshops on—you guessed it!—responsive design. Hire us!

Thinking about web accessibility, and getting from here to there.

A story about my late uncle, who I didn’t know as well as I wish I did.

I’ve moved on from working at Happy Cog, and I’ve started up my own design practice again.

A few thoughts on the task, and the tool.

Lately, I’ve been reflecting on some of the language I use to talk about accessibility. It might be language you use, too.

Jon and Naz kindly tagged me into a blogging challenge! Namely, to answer a set of questions about how I blog, and why.

A number of prominent web folks have been asking for “container queries.” I think they’re right to do so, and here’s why.

I was recently invited to do a Q&A session for Sitepoint’s Versioning newsletter.

I’m pausing my email newsletter for a bit. More importantly, here are some organizations doing necessary work right now, and some resources I’ve found...

I should probably check my email again.

I added a links section to my website. Here’s how I made it, and why.

The benefit of creating a pattern library isn’t the patterns as such.

Here are some things I’ve enjoyed lately.

What if someone doesn’t browse the web like I do? Or like you do?

Here’s what happened today, today.

What makes a responsive design “responsive,” anyway?

I’ve been lucky enough to work with Aquent Gymnasium on a series of short video tutorials. I hope you like them.

What we talk about when we talk about measuring a design system.

On getting stuck, and what you worry about when you worry about writing.

Along with Karen McGrane, I’m getting into that “pod-casting” game! (Guess what it’s about.)

If you’re doing any public speaking, I have a few small (but useful!) tips.

The new Legend of Zelda is a gorgeous, fun game, but it’s also an isolation simulator. And I love that about it.

We’ve been trying something new on our little responsive design podcast. I’ve enjoyed the experiment; maybe you will, too.

I’ve added “Reply via email” links to my RSS feed. Hope you find it useful.

Hey, this is neat: A Book Apart is available in bookstores, and around the world.

I’ve cofounded a startup with some dear friends. It’s called Editorially. I’d like to tell you a little about it.

A little marker for myself, from one year to the next.

Right now, my site runs on Jekyll. Here are two little things I find useful.

How the data gets made, and by whom.