Website Developer Guide

This guide is meant to help vendors create consistently designed websites and applications in line with the HHS brand. These standards and rules are important. Please read this guide carefully and refer to it often.

Note: HHS staff who need to create a website or develop an application or require a major redesign of an existing website or application should contact their agency’s Portal Authority Management Committee member to discuss the project first. View the list of members online.

Vendors must comply with HHS security, privacy, accessibility and web hosting guidelines. Vendors must also adhere to HHS branding, unless otherwise directed by the HHS Office of Communications. 

Supported Browsers

Websites should be thoroughly tested using the latest stable version of the following browsers:

• Chrome
• Edge
• Firefox
• iOS Safari

Foundations

Foundations are the main elements used to build a website. The following foundations will help web developers build HHS sites quickly and provide consistency in the branding, user experience and visual design.

• Content management system
• Grid/Theme
• Header
• Footer
• Primary Navigation
• Left Navigation
• Color system
• Accessibility

Atoms vs. Molecules

Atoms are the building blocks of the user interface. These elements cannot be broken down any further. Buttons and form labels are good examples of atoms. Molecules are a collection of atoms. For example, a search form is a molecule consisting of text boxes and buttons (atoms). Read this article on atomic design methodology for more information.

Molecules

• Callouts
• Search forms

Atoms

• Accordions
• Buttons
• Hyperlinks
• Icons
• Typography

Imagery

• Design Elements
• Photographs