How is responsive design different from adaptive design?

Responsive design and adaptive design are two distinct approaches to web design, each suited to different needs and scenarios. Here's a detailed comparison of the two:

Responsive Design

Responsive design is a fluid approach that allows a website's layout to dynamically adjust across a wide range of devices and screen sizes. This design method uses CSS media queries to change styles based on the target device's features, such as display type, width, height, etc. The layout uses flexible and fluid grids, and the elements on the page resize in relation to one another to fit the screen space available. This means that a responsive website maintains the same structure across devices but adjusts the presentation according to the screen size.

• Flexibility: Responsive design is highly flexible, automatically adjusting to the screen size of each device, whether it's a desktop, tablet, or smartphone.
• Coding: It generally involves more CSS and potentially more HTML to ensure that the site functions well on all possible devices.
• Maintenance: Easier in the long run as there is only one layout to maintain.
• Performance: Can be slower on mobile devices as the same assets are loaded regardless of the device, which can lead to unnecessary overhead.
• SEO: Favored by search engines like Google, as it provides a consistent user experience across devices[1][2][3][4][5][6][7].

Adaptive Design

Adaptive design, on the other hand, uses multiple fixed layout sizes. When the site detects the type of device being used, it selects the layout most appropriate for that screen. This means that an adaptive design has several distinct layouts, which can be tailored to specific devices and screen sizes. The server detects the device’s features and delivers the correct layout directly, wh...