Adaptive Design
Adaptive Design is a web development approach that creates multiple fixed layout sizes tailored to specific device breakpoints, such as mobile, tablet, and desktop. It uses server-side detection to serve the most appropriate layout based on the user's device characteristics, rather than fluidly adjusting a single design. This method ensures optimized user experiences across different screen sizes by delivering pre-designed layouts.
Developers should use Adaptive Design when targeting specific devices with known screen sizes, such as in mobile-first strategies or for applications requiring highly optimized performance on particular platforms. It is particularly useful for complex web applications where fluid responsiveness might not provide sufficient control over layout and user interactions, such as in e-commerce sites or enterprise software with distinct mobile and desktop versions.