Facebook Design: To Round or not to Round
To Round or not to Round
The use of rounded corners on Facebook has always been a much-debated subject among Facebook designers. Two years ago rounded corners were nowhere to be seen on the site. Then, starting with last year's profile redesign, we added them in the blue nav bar and in profile pictures and page components.
Supporters say that rounded corners make Facebook feel more organic and human - and given that we're a company whose mission is to make the world more connected and open, those are qualities we should be aligning ourselves with.
Detractors argue that rounded corners simply do not fit our visual aesthetic. We like to think of Facebook's design as very minimal and utilitarian; extra ornamentation like rounded corners does not align well with those values.
Detractors argue that rounded corners simply do not fit our visual aesthetic. We like to think of Facebook's design as very minimal and utilitarian; extra ornamentation like rounded corners does not align well with those values.
Since we introduced rounded corners to Facebook, their consistent use has been spotty at best. The corner radii vary, and it sometimes feels arbitrary which corners are rounded and which are not. Additionally, they add an extra layer of complexity to the code (note: IE, please add support for border-radius).
As part of the effort to simplify our visual style, the design team recently decided to go back to our square corner roots. In doing so, we hope to champion cleanliness and the razor cut look that Facebook is known for.
- Alexandre
As part of the effort to simplify our visual style, the design team recently decided to go back to our square corner roots. In doing so, we hope to champion cleanliness and the razor cut look that Facebook is known for.
- Alexandre