GWT: Browser compatibility vs. CSS Flexibility

You might have heard that browser compatibility comes free with GWT. It's true, but it comes at a price - that of CSS flexibility.

If you're the kind of person who likes to produce web apps that go the Zen Garden way, then you'll have to give up the layout compatibility that GWT offers (you still get compatible javascript, though). See, the deal is that GWT offers three kinds of layout panels - horizontal, vertical and flow. While the latter produces pure divs, the first two can (and often do) use tables. And that means goodbye to making that annoying vertical menu horizontal by changing your CSS.

So if CSS is your style, stick with GWT FlowPanel and you're cool. Except for cross-browser layout issues, of course.

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