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javascriptmodernizrhtml-head

should Modernizr file be placed in head?

Should the reference to the Modernizr JavaScript file be in the head of the page? I always try and place all scripts on the bottom of the page and would like to preserve this. And if it needs to be in the head, why?

Solution

  • If you want Modernizr to download and execute as soon as possible to prevent a FOUC, put it in the <head>

    From their installation guide:

    Drop the script tags in the <head> of your HTML. For best performance, you should have them follow after your stylesheet references. The reason we recommend placing Modernizr in the head is two-fold: the HTML5 Shiv (that enables HTML5 elements in IE) must execute before the <body>, and if you’re using any of the CSS classes that Modernizr adds, you’ll want to prevent a FOUC.