The HTTP Archive just dropped its latest report, and my Web Almanac 2025 Analysis suggests we are still fighting the same ghosts. With 17.2 million websites indexed, the data doesn’t lie: while we are adopting shiny new CSS properties, we are failing at the fundamental basics of accessibility and performance. It is a messy reality that every senior developer needs to reckon with before shipping their next project.
CSS Modernization: Balance and Variable Fonts
Specifically, the report shows that features like text-wrap: balance and pretty are finally hitting the mainstream, albeit slowly. These values help prevent typographic “widows” and “orphans” without the need for complex JavaScript hacks we used to rely on. Furthermore, variable fonts have crossed a major threshold. About 4 in 10 sites now use at least one variable font, reducing the overhead of loading multiple static files for different weights.
If you are still using legacy font-loading techniques, you are likely creating an unnecessary bottleneck. Modern CSS allows us to handle these nuances natively. For instance, implementing text-wrap is as simple as a single line of code, yet it significantly improves UX for long-form content.
/* Refactoring legacy headings for better typography */
h1, h2, h3 {
text-wrap: balance;
font-variation-settings: 'wght' 700;
}The Focus Style Epidemic in the Web Almanac 2025 Analysis
However, the most frustrating stat in this Web Almanac 2025 Analysis is the state of accessibility. A staggering 67% of sites are removing focus outlines. This is a direct violation of WCAG 2.4.7 guidelines. Designers often hate the “ugly” blue ring, so they outline: none it into oblivion, effectively locking out keyboard users.
Instead of removing it, we should be using the :focus-visible pseudo-class. This ensures the indicator only shows up when the user actually needs it (like during keyboard navigation), keeping the UI clean for mouse users without breaking accessibility. We previously discussed real accessibility improvements in WordPress core that attempt to mitigate these legacy bad habits.
/* The correct way to handle focus styles */
button:focus {
outline: none; /* Only if followed by focus-visible */
}
button:focus-visible {
outline: 2px solid #007cba;
outline-offset: 2px;
}Performance Regressions: The 2.3MB Median
The “Lost Decade” of web performance is real. In 2015, the median mobile home page was 845 KB. Today, it is 2,362 KB. That is a 202.8% increase in page weight. JavaScript alone accounts for nearly 700 KB of that bloat. Consequently, we are seeing slower TTI (Time to Interactive) and frustrated users on low-end devices.
Refactoring your asset loading strategy is no longer optional. You should be auditing your dependencies and looking for modern CSS features for better performance to replace heavy JS libraries. If your site Suggests 44% of images are “decorative” simply because you left the alt attribute empty, you are not just failing accessibility; you are failing your SEO.
Look, if this Web Almanac 2025 Analysis stuff is eating up your dev hours, let me handle it. I’ve been wrestling with WordPress since the 4.x days.
Refactor Your Stack for 2025
WordPress is shifting toward stabilization, which is a good thing for long-term maintainability. Stop chasing the latest “bloated” framework and start focusing on semantic HTML and efficient asset delivery. The data from the HTTP Archive proves that the basics still matter most. Ship clean code, keep your page weight under 1MB, and for the love of the web, stop removing focus outlines.
