Which concept specifically describes applying enhancements only when the browser supports the feature, while preserving the basic content for environments that do not?

Which concept specifically describes applying enhancements only when the browser supports the feature, while preserving the basic content for environments that do not?

• A. Progressive enhancement
• B. Enhancement gating
• C. Progressive enhancement with feature detection
• D. Graceful degradation

Answer: (C)

Progressive enhancement with feature detection means you start with a solid baseline that works for all users, and you add enhancements only if the browser actually supports the feature. If a feature isn’t available, the basic content and functionality stay intact. This relies on runtime checks to determine capability, so enhancements are gated behind those checks rather than assumed. For example, you might test for support before enabling a new CSS feature or a JavaScript API and only apply the advanced behavior when the test passes. The result is a richer experience in capable environments while preserving accessibility and usability in older or limited ones. Graceful degradation, by contrast, focuses on designing for modern browsers and then degrading for older ones, which is a different approach. Enhancement gating is a related idea but doesn’t emphasize the baseline-first strategy as clearly as using feature detection within progressive enhancement.

Progressive enhancement with feature detection means you start with a solid baseline that works for all users, and you add enhancements only if the browser actually supports the feature. If a feature isn’t available, the basic content and functionality stay intact. This relies on runtime checks to determine capability, so enhancements are gated behind those checks rather than assumed. For example, you might test for support before enabling a new CSS feature or a JavaScript API and only apply the advanced behavior when the test passes. The result is a richer experience in capable environments while preserving accessibility and usability in older or limited ones. Graceful degradation, by contrast, focuses on designing for modern browsers and then degrading for older ones, which is a different approach. Enhancement gating is a related idea but doesn’t emphasize the baseline-first strategy as clearly as using feature detection within progressive enhancement.