Definition
Graceful degradation starts with a fully featured email — assuming CSS support, web fonts, media queries, and modern design — and then adds fallbacks for clients that do not support these features. For example, an email might use a CSS gradient background with a solid colour fallback for Outlook, or use web fonts with system font fallbacks. This approach prioritises the experience for the majority of subscribers while ensuring the email does not break completely for anyone. It is the more common approach in email development because most subscribers use modern clients.
Related Glossary Terms
Above the Fold in Email
Above the fold in email refers to the content visible to a recipient before they scroll, a critical area for first impressions and primary calls to action.
Accessible CTA (Email)
An accessible CTA is a button or link coded with sufficient colour contrast, visible focus states, descriptive screen-reader text, and a minimum touch target of 44×44 pixels.
Adaptive Design
Adaptive design in email uses predefined layouts that adjust to specific device or client widths, rather than fluidly resizing to every possible screen.
AI-Generated Content in Email
AI-generated content in email is copy, images, code or subject lines produced by artificial intelligence tools to speed up campaign production and testing.
Alt Text
Alt text is the written alternative to an image in an email, displayed when images are blocked, slow to load, or consumed by screen readers.
AMP for Email
AMP for Email is a technology that allows interactive, dynamic content to live inside an email message, enabling forms, carousels and live updates.