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Introduction to CSS

Welcome to the world of CSS – short for Cascading Style Sheets. If HTML is the structure of a webpage, CSS is its skin, clothes, and style. Let’s explore what CSS is all about, why it matters, and how it works.


1. What is CSS?

CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) is a language used to style and layout HTML elements on a webpage.

Key Points:

  • Controls the visual appearance of web elements (fonts, colors, margins, layouts, etc.).
  • Separates content (HTML) from presentation (CSS).
  • Makes web pages attractive, responsive, and user-friendly.
Fun Fact

CSS was first proposed by Håkon Wium Lie in 1994 while working with Tim Berners-Lee!


2. Why Use CSS?

  • Design Consistency: Apply a consistent style across all web pages.
  • Reusability: Use one CSS file to style multiple HTML files.
  • Responsiveness: Adapt websites for desktops, tablets, and mobiles.
  • Improved Performance: Cleaner HTML and faster loading.

3. Types of CSS

TypeHow It's UsedExample
Inline CSSDirectly in HTML tag<p style="color:red;">Hello</p>
Internal CSSInside a <style> tag in HTML<style> p { color: red; } </style>
External CSSIn a separate .css filestyle.css linked using <link>

4. Basic Syntax

selector {
property: value;
}

Example:

h1 {
color: blue;
font-size: 32px;
}

5. CSS Selectors

Selectors are used to target HTML elements for styling.

SelectorDescriptionExample
*All elements* { margin: 0; }
elementSpecific elementp { color: black; }
.classElements with class.box { border: 1px solid; }
#idElement with an ID#header { font-weight: bold; }
element, elementMultiple elementsh1, h2 { font-family: Arial; }

6. CSS Properties

Some commonly used CSS properties include:

  • color
  • background-color
  • font-size
  • margin
  • padding
  • border
  • display
  • position
  • flex, grid

7. Responsive Design with CSS

CSS allows developers to create responsive web designs using:

  • Media Queries: Apply styles based on screen size
  • Flexbox & Grid: Advanced layout techniques
  • Units like % and vw/vh: Flexible sizing

8. Conclusion

CSS is the backbone of web design. It gives your HTML structure the styling it needs to become a visually engaging experience. From basic colors to complex layouts — CSS does it all. Master it, and you'll unlock a world of creative possibilities!

9. Quiz Time

1. What does CSS stand for?

2. Which property is used to change the text color of an element?

3. Which CSS position value allows an element to stay fixed in place when scrolling?