Frameworks promise css-free bliss in 2026, but wcag accessibility forces devs to rediscover the box model nightmare

A frontend developer recently encountered a task that required implementing WCAG accessibility standards, which involved a significant amount of CSS work. Despite having prior experience with CSS, the developer struggled with the task, realizing that their skills had become rusty due to the increasing use of modern frameworks, component libraries, and utility-first CSS. The developer noted that CSS has evolved significantly in recent years, with new features such as CSS variables, container queries, and cascade layers. However, the widespread use of frameworks like Tailwind has led to a decline in the need for manual CSS coding, resulting in a lack of practice and proficiency among developers. This has significant implications for accessibility, as custom layouts and visual tweaks often require raw CSS knowledge. The developer suggests that exercising CSS skills regularly is essential, even if it's just for fun, to ensure that developers can handle accessibility-related tasks effectively.