Use Java - It can be the most elegant method for you

TLDR: this is a ranty reply to a recent article about styling I didn't fully agree with. The rest of the TLDR is in the Java code example.

Sure, if your colleague primarily works with CSS, they might think this opinion is heretical. But for you, as a Java developer, using a typed and discoverable Java API from your favorite Java IDE can be the most elegant solution available. There’s a good chance you chose Vaadin because it lets you avoid HTML and JavaScript. Well, Vaadin can shield you from CSS, too—at least to some extent.

Yes, working with raw CSS has its benefits, like making it easier to delegate styling tasks to a specialist who might not know Java. But if you’re a Java developer, don’t feel ashamed of styling components in Java. It really doesn’t make sense to dive into CSS just to make a button green. The best approach depends on your application, skills, and requirements. Personally, I’m proficient in CSS, but when I’m working in my Java "bubble" with Vaadin apps, I prefer to handle smaller tweaks using the pure Java API.

On another note, I wasn’t thrilled with the code examples in that recent post. If you choose to style components with Java, don’t just copy and paste from there! Let me share a few tips on how to style your components in the Java style.

Do it at the right abstraction level

The Style class was introduced in Vaadin 10 as part of the Element API, a lower-level API for accessing the DOM. It’s designed to wrap HTML elements as Vaadin Flow UI components. For most components, Style is also exposed to the higher-level Component API via the HasStyle interface. In both cases, the Style API modifies the style property of an HTML element.

Here’s a key tip: watch out for getElement() calls. They’re almost always a sign that you’re doing it wrong. When building applications, you should generally retrieve the Style reference from the component itself. So instead of this:

// the worst possible way to make your button red

button.getElement().getStyle().set("color", "red");

Instead, do this:

// a slightly better way to make your button red

button.getStyle().set("color", "red");

If you’re building custom components, direct access to the Element level is fine. But even then, you’ll often have a reference to the specific elements used within your component.

The style API is more than a string-string map

In earlier versions, the Style API was essentially just a string-string map that updated the HTML element’s style property in the browser. This approach is prone to errors—similar to writing raw CSS without tooling support.

Thankfully, recent updates have introduced better APIs. Many commonly used properties now have dedicated methods, some with typed APIs. This makes the styling options more discoverable and less error-prone.

For example, setting that color is faster and less error-prone to write in your Java IDE with this form:

getStyle().setColor("red");

Too bad we don't (at least yet) provide an abstraction for the color, but for most of the "enums," we do. E.g.

getStyle().setWhiteSpace(Style.WhiteSpace.NOWRAP);

Let your IDE autocomplete the options for you—it’s faster and safer.

Do it in a right class

A code like the button.getStyle().setColor("red") above still indicates a code smell. Your CSS-loving friend might suggest creating a CSS class to name your styled button. I recommend doing the same — but don’t feel bad if it’s a Java class!

Here’s a simple example:

class ImportantButton extends Button {
    public ImportantButton(String text) {
        super(text);
        getStyle().setColor("red");
    }
}

This not only applies the style but also documents why the component is red.

The same principle applies when styles need to change dynamically. For example:

class HighlightableButton extends Button {
    public HighlightableButton(String text) {
        super(text);
    }

    public void highlight() {
        getStyle().setColor("red");
    }
}

By providing a clear API for the user, you improve code readability and maintainability. As your styling requirements grow, you can leverage your Java skills to make the code more reusable, configurable, and maintainable.

CSS variables can be used from Java, too

As mentioned in the previous article (the one I’m critiquing a bit here), Vaadin provides a great configurable foundation for custom themes. The current version, Lumo, uses modern CSS variables (unlike its predecessor, which relied on the SASS preprocessor). While there’s no built-in shorthand for these variables, you can use them through the Java API and even redefine their values.

Consider that you are using a button with ButtonVariant.LUMO_PRIMARY (or, for example, the DefaultButton from Viritin, which does that). By default, those buttons would be blue. The following code snippet in your layout/view would turn all of them green.

getStyle() // the style of the layout

        .set("--lumo-primary-color", "green");

You could also scope the variable override to a level of a single component.

In the Viritin add-on, I’ve gathered Lumo’s variables into an enumeration with some helper methods. Similar to the typed Style API, this makes working with Lumo properties faster and less error-prone (as long as you are using and mastering your Java IDE).

// The there is currently no official enumeration of the Lumo properties, but you can find

// most of them from Viritin LumoStyles class. The following would do the same as above.

// The first parameter is the scope. If you leave that out it would affect the whole page.

// If there are only Lumo property customisations in your theme, you could express it in pure Java.

LumoProps.PRIMARY_COLOR.define(this, "green");

// In your own components, you can also utilize the LumoProps, and this way keep them

// consistent (and configurable) with the rest of the Vaadin components.

// The following uses 10% tint of your theme's warning color.

getStyle().setBackgroundColor(LumoProps.WARNING_COLOR_10PCT.var());

To sum up, embrace Java for styling when it fits your skills and application requirements. You’ll be surprised how elegant and powerful it can be! 

You can find the full code examples on GitHub.