What can you do with a single <div>?

A drawing of a cartoon man pointing upwards

Heads up! This post was written in 2014, so it may contain information that is no longer accurate. I keep posts like this around for historical purposes and to prevent link rot, so please keep this in mind as you're reading.

— Cory

If I told you to make something using only CSS and a single <div>, would you be able to create something incredible?

That's exactly what Lynn Fisher has been doing with A Single Div. Using only a single HTML element and some CSS, she's created some shockingly complex artwork ranging from Super Mario mushrooms to the iPhone's charging indicator. There's also a Bloody Mary, a breakfast plate, a crayon, a digital camera, and more.

It's great inspiration and a heck of an argument against superfluous markup. Check it out and let me know if you think you can create something similar using only a single <div>.